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A lot of people ask me what kinds of editing I do, and what each one involves. “What’s the difference between proofreading and copyediting?” “I thought proofreading just meant fixing typos.”
Proofreading
Proofreading takes place when the typesetters have laid the book (magazine, or other publication) out onto the page, usually with the cover art, graphics, and table of contents added by this time. A proofread is a check of the book for any grammar/spelling/etc. errors that may still be present, as well as issues like the wrong typeface, missing/incorrect page numbers, and type that’s too loose or too tight. It’s one of the last steps before the book goes to the presses.
What I will give you in a proofread:
A review of your typeset project for spelling errors, formatting errors, and other areas of concern.
For book projects: A style sheet for your book if one has not already been provided to you.
Rates:
Fiction: $0.13 a word
Nonfiction: $0.15 a word
Copyediting
Copyediting happens when your project is in the manuscript phase (such as in a Word document). It involves technical fixes: grammar errors, punctuation and spelling errors, and inconsistencies in details (example: the character had brown eyes on page 4, but by page 15 they have green eyes).
What I will give you in a copyedit:
A review of your MS for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, and any other relevant areas of concern.
For book projects, a style sheet for your book if one has not already been provided to you.
A sample edit of the first ten pages or the first 1,000 words to determine if my editing will work for your project.
Rates:
Fiction: $0.18 a word
Nonfiction: $0.20 a word
Line editing
Line editing happens when your book is in the MS phase (such as a Word document). Line editing looks for things such as awkwardly phrased sentences, words that appear to be overused, and other places where the language could be strengthened or made easier to read. In other words, line editing looks at the language of the book and makes sure that it reads well, while remaining true to the author’s style.
Rates:
Fiction: $0.22 a word
Nonfiction: $0.24 a word
What I DON’T do
I unfortunately do not do developmental editing (a deep dive into plot, characters, setting, and so forth) at this time. However, if it is determined that your book does require developmental editing, I will be happy to recommend an editor who specializes in that to you.
I don’t provide author coaching (helping authors with writing, and counseling them on choosing agents and publishers) at this time, but I will be happy to recommend a coach to you.