Work With Me
Many authors aren’t sure what should happen after they’ve written their manuscript. They know they need an editor, but they aren’t sure exactly what an editor will do to their beautiful new book. Editing is an in-depth conversation between an author and their editor, and it is a conversation that must occur out of respect for the reader.
Writers often come to me when they’re preparing a manuscript for agents, revising after early feedback, or trying to understand why something in the story isn’t landing the way they hoped. My role is to provide thoughtful editorial guidance that helps the writer move forward with confidence.
Editorial Services
There are many steps to writing, revising, and publishing a book (I wrote out the entire editorial process for The Writing Cooperative, which you can read here). Copyediting and proofreading happen near the end of the editing process, and the following services begin the editorial process.
Manuscript Evaluation
A manuscript evaluation is a detailed editorial assessment of your completed draft. Rather than editing line by line, I read the manuscript as a whole and provide written feedback on the elements that shape a reader’s experience of the book. This includes notes on your overall plot, diction, organization, structure, premise, pacing, characters, dialogues, themes, audience, and marketability.
Many writers find a manuscript evaluation especially valuable before querying agents or beginning a substantial revision. It offers a clear, professional perspective on what the manuscript is doing well and where it can become stronger.
Developmental Editing
Developmental editing focuses on storytelling and your book’s purpose. This stage can begin as soon as you have a book idea. It’s a collaborative step where you and your editor discuss and research your manuscript at length. At this stage we look closely at the architecture of the work: how the story unfolds, how scenes build on one another, and how the narrative holds a reader’s attention from beginning to end. My goal is not to rewrite the manuscript but to help the writer see the structure of the work more clearly and identify revisions that will bring the book closer to its full potential.
As your editor, my suggestions at this stage are specific to your voice and intention. It’s not only about what you’re doing with this book now but also about what you want to do in your writing career and what you want the book to accomplish.
Line Editing
During line editing, we fine tune your voice, sentence structure, and word choice. You’ll receive notes line by line, paragraph by paragraph. If we’ve done all of the previous steps, the manuscript will begin to shine during this stage in a way you never thought possible. I’ve heard of editors combining developmental editing and line editing into one step. Do I recommend it? No. If you’re at the stage in writing where you feel you can’t look at the manuscript anymore, combining these steps will make looking at your book feel much, much worse.
Editorial Consultation
Sometimes what a writer needs most is a thoughtful conversation about the work. Editorial consultations are designed for writers who want to discuss a manuscript in progress, think through revision strategies, or talk about next steps in the writing process. These conversations can help clarify direction, identify priorities for revision, and provide practical guidance for moving the project forward. Editorial consultations can occur during any stage of the writing process. It differs from the other editorial steps in that I do not read new material. We might discuss what I’ve already read of your work or just talk about a new idea or a road block you’ve encountered.