Copyediting focuses on correcting grammar—including, but not limited to: misspelled words, homophone mix-ups, usage errors, punctuation, and misplaced modifiers—in order to improve readability and give you a great foundation to what is, no doubt, an amazing story. Additionally, copyeditors can offer suggestions in terms of refining and tightening up sentences without diminishing your authorial voice. Cost is 0.02 cents per word.

Line editing covers the same basics as copyediting, but takes a closer look at your manuscript, quite literally, line by line. While that might seem like something copyeditors should do as well, some authors (and publishing houses) only want the basics fixed to adhere to a tight deadline or a smaller budget. Cost is 0.025 cents per word.

Developmental editing consists of helping authors improve the content of their manuscripts (whether they’re just starting out or near the end of their project), as well as restructuring for better flow; resolving plot holes, character arcs, pacing, etc.; and in the case of nonfiction, helping to find the driving force behind the story to make it crystal clear for the audience. Cost is 0.03 cents per word.

Proofreading is the last step in polishing your manuscript. A proofreader finds spelling, formatting, or grammar issues, inconsistencies in content, and any punctuation errors that may not have been caught earlier on, or were introduced by changes an author made without bringing it to the editor’s attention. It’s often a good idea to hire someone other than your editor to provide this service, as a fresh set of eyes is less likely to skip over parts of the story they already know—which can increase the instances of mistakes left in the published story. Cost is 0.012 cents per word.

Beta reading is one of those services that, depending on who you ask, means and entails different tasks. What I offer is the reading of your manuscript and giving feedback in terms of what works, what doesn’t work, and answer any questions you have (provided at the beginning of the task) in regards to flow, tone, characters, scenes, etc. This step is typically done prior to it reaching an editor’s desk to allow for any major flaws/issues to be rectified first. Cost is 0.008 per word.

Sample editing is exactly what it sounds like: If you’re genuinely interested in working with me but want to see if my editing fits with your voice and style, I will edit a short chapter or smaller chunk for free. I typically aim to take on about 1,000 words, though depending on what kind of story you’ve written, a little more can be arranged. If you like what I’ve provided, great! Let’s work together. If not, no worries! I prefer to work on chunks in the middle of the book, as the beginning is always far more polished and may not be an accurate indicator of the amount of work required for the entire manuscript.