Introducing …. Affordable Editorial!

As a writer, reviewer (www.ChickLitCentral.com) and reader/editorial consultant for an NYC-based literary agent, I read several self-published and unpublished manuscripts a month. Almost all of them have problems, and many of them are fixable. (Scroll down my blog, as I address many of these issues in my posts and offer ways to fix them.) But by the time a book or manuscript gets to me, they should be problem-free. It’s frustrating to have to pass on a writer because of issues that should have been caught and fixed before publication or submission.

And as a self-published writer myself, I know that most writers have very little money to spare. What money there is goes into cover design and marketing. The thought of spending over a thousand dollars for editing – no matter how strong the editor’s credentials – is overwhelming.

For those two reasons, I’ve created Affordable Editorial. With a menu of cost-effective editorial options, I offer writers solutions they can afford:

Manuscript Evaluation: $350
Manuscript evaluation takes a broad, wide look at your overall story, structure, and characters. I’ll provide a report that details the novel’s issues, along with a list of suggestions on how to fix those problems. Generally, this report runs five to seven pages long. The manuscript will be read twice and marked up with notes on areas that need improvement. Turn-around on manuscript evaluation is generally two weeks.

Copy Editing: $0.50-$2.00 per page
Copy editing looks at the structure of each sentence and scene and suggests improvements. It does not opine on story or character issues. It will catch minor issues with point-of-view (also known as “head-hopping”), awkward writing, clunky dialogue, rough transitions, and other problems within a scene. I’ll evaluate the first fifty pages in order to determine how much editing needs to be done – a rougher manuscript will result in a higher per-page price. This is the most time-consuming level of editorial work, and as such may take a month or six weeks to deliver.

Proofreading -- $0.25 per page
Proofreading is solely concerned with typos, spelling, and grammatical issues. Proofreading should only be purchased after the writer has written many drafts, and has had many readers go over the manuscript with a fine-tooth comb. A proofreader will not tell you that a character you killed on page 20 reappeared on page 200, and wasn’t even a zombie. The best proofreaders pay so close attention to individual words, they have no comprehension for the actual story. Again, I’ll evaluate the first fifty pages to determine whether the manuscript is really at the proofreading stage, or whether the story needs more work. Turn-around on proofreading services is generally two weeks.

If interested, please email me at JamiDeise@aol.com with a synopsis of your novel (it doesn’t have to be pretty), the services you’re interested in, and the first 50 pages as a Word attachment. In most cases, I’ll be able to get back to you within three business days with a proposal.

I look forward to reading your stories and helping you take them to the next level!