Professional Editing Services
Need editing? I got editing. No matter where you are in the drafting process, I offer an editing service tailored to you.
Not sure what editing services your book needs? SRD Editing Services offers a free sample edit to help determine how to make your manuscript into the book of your dreams. Whether you have an outline or a fully completed draft, professional editing services can support making that dream into reality.
Have you completed your initial draft?
I review the materials in a Beta Read and focus my feedback on areas for development (revision or enhancement), brainstorming and writing-process related suggestions, resource recommendations, and stylistic or common errors to avoid.
Have you written your draft but aren’t sure what else it needs? Maybe you submitted it to beta readers who said certain chapters or sections need “work,” but you need “help.” If you feel like your plot, story, or characters could use an ineffable something, you may be looking for developmental editing.
I read the entire fiction or nonfiction manuscript (usually several times),
Think of it as an editing service that “professionally workshops” your draft with laser-targeted edits, featuring feedback and suggestions from professional writers I admire, all crafted to push you and coach your book into a more solid product.
My goal in developmental editing is to provide you food for thought to spark your imagination and help you enliven your creation. All comments and interactions are oriented toward helping you connect your readers to your vision.
Have you written and workshopped your draft? Do you feel you’ve polished the story and are ready to clean up technical errors?
Once you’ve sent your completed manuscript to beta readers and workshop partners, revised based on feedback, then completed a preliminary self-edit, you’re ready for professional line editing.
I analyze your manuscript and focus feedback on the line-by-line fundamentals that will take readers out of your story if not edited. My line editing service focuses on common areas of concern in both fiction and nonfiction: grammar, punctuation, spelling, typos, tense and tone consistency, fact-checking, anachronisms, and other areas of attention as needed.
Although the line edit will be as thorough as possible, please perform a final proofread before publication.
You’ve put your manuscript to every test, through a gauntlet of beta readers, editing, and revisions. Now, you think you’re (close to) ready to publish. You’re ready for Proofreading.
In the proofreading services, an SRD editor will correct minor errors such as punctuation, spelling, typos, and grammar.
Proofreading does not include rewriting sentences, changing story elements or structure, or offering feedback.
Instead, the SRD proofreader is the final set of eyes to review each word before the manuscript is declared “final” and “ready” to be displayed to its waiting fans.
Most writers today — both of fiction and nonfiction — publish a digital version of their book — an ebook. If you’re self-publishing and want your readers to be able to enjoy all the features of reading your book on their favorite e-reader, then you will need a properly formatted ebook file — an .epub or a .mobi file — or perhaps both.
Once you’re ready for publishing, you will need to streamline a summary of the whole book and combine it with some snappy marketing copy to entice a reader, within about 175 – 225 words. Online, this can be your book’s summary and teaser copy. In printed form, this can become your back cover copy or jacket copy.
Professional Book Reviews
After you’ve published, you need honest reviews online. Get a publicly posted review on Amazon & Goodreads, as well as marketing quips you can use to promote your book to the world.
Policy for clients who return for multiple editing services
To all clients who return with the same manuscript for additional editing services after the writer’s revision, I offer a 15% discount.
To all clients who return with a new manuscript, I offer a 15% discount on all editing and proofreading services for that manuscript.
SRD Editing Services FAQs
My standard practice is to edit in MS Word, using Tracked Changes and margin comments. Before any editing service begins, I format all documents to a standard font and font size, with standard indentation, and with 1.5 spacing. If you require a different editing process, I’m happy to make adjustments as needed.
I schedule regular work-in-progress updates with every client. Throughout the time your manuscript is with me, expect that I’ll check in to keep you informed and answer your questions. I am located in Orlando, Florida, and available to meet with nearby writers in a face-to-face setting.
The Chicago Manual of Style is considered the standard for most major publishing houses and is what I recommend for most fiction and nonfiction manuscripts.
However, I have worked with all the major style guides, including:
- AP Stylebook (Associated Press)
- MLA Style (Modern Language Association)
- APA Style (American Psychological Association)
I’m also happy to work with in-house style guidelines or help you create your own if needed.
No. In the interest of confidentiality and protection of private intellectual property, it is my policy never to show the unfinished work (with or without edits) of one writer to another writer, without express written permission.
Rather than provide you a sample edit of someone else’s work, my policy is to offer a free sample edit of your own work, in order to quote you a fair rate and timeline for the editing services you need.