Editing & Proofreading Services

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. The most common jobs that I do for clients involve manuscript evaluation, or critiques, and substantive editing.

A manuscript evaluation is a way of me reviewing a work of fiction and asking if it needs further development in terms of characters, plot, setting, and conflict resolution. If I'm evaluating nonfiction, I look at structure, flow, contradictions, and consistency. In both instances, I ask myself ,and I tell you, if your book is readable. Is it clear, concise, intriguing, and salable? Would a publisher be interested? I make copious notes in the margin and then I create a 5 to 10 page report with recommendations to make your book stronger. I also note where the book is already strong because I don't think it's helpful to just provide constructive criticism. It's important to praise what's already great!

Substantive editing goes beyond a regular copy edit that just looks for typos, grammar, punctuation, and misspellings (although I do that too); it looks at active versus passive sentences, repetitious words, awkward sentence structure, and clarity of expression. Are you wordy? Are you boring? Are your sentences difficult to comprehend? I'll let you know and I'll offer the fix.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Writing a book can take hundreds of hours or even years. By that time, you have probably lost all objectivity about how good your work is. You may have over-evaluated it or under-evaluated its market potential. I can provide an objective opinion as to how well it is written, how salable the material is, and what needs to be done to make it better.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Give your manuscript to one or two trusted friends before you send it to an editor. Outside advice can be invaluable.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. Ask for references from people who have hired your editor before. Ask what books he or she has worked on, and if your editor is readily available by phone or e-mail.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. Although I work on all kinds of material, I tend to work more with first-time authors than other editors. By definition, people who have never written or published a book often have dozens of questions and aren't sure about the path to follow. I know the route!

Not only have I edited 62 full-length books, but I've also written and published three of my own books and numerous short stories. I know the world of self-publishing and I'm hooked in with graphic artists, people who do layout, those who format for Kindle and Smashwords, book reviewers, website developers, and those who market and promote books.

So, I can meet the physical needs of first-time writers. And I understand their emotional needs. Many feel uncertain about their work. They're not sure if it is any good. They don't know if anyone will buy it. I can offer reassurance and an impartial opinion. If your work is not good enough for publication, I'll let you know BUT I will also spell out in great detail how you can fix it.

I've also worked extensively with the visually impaired and with people who have English as a second language. And of course I work with writers who are approaching traditional publishers. I enjoy doing query letters and writing synopses.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. What I like most about my job is having the privilege of reading so many different types of books. I learn a lot from my clients and find much of their work fascinating.

I also derive a lot of satisfaction out of helping people take their raw material and polish and refine it so that it gleams. Most of the manuscripts that hit my desk are already good. I strive to make them great. And that makes me really happy.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. One of my clients is an 86-year-old man. I am working on his second book right now. I am so proud of his first book.

He sent me over 100 files in separate Word document attachments. Most of these files were all in capital letters with no paragraphs, and none had been spell-checked. His grammar, spelling, and organization left much to be desired. But he was a fantastic storyteller and he was very funny.

I took the stories, put everything in proper sentence case, pasted them all one by one into one document, and read through everything to see what was missing. Some stories had no background information, so I added certain descriptions and then sent copies of that to him in e-mail for his approval.

My client had also written the stories over a long period of time, and he named every third or fourth guy Jack and most of the women Susan. So I came up with new and creative names, and he loved that. We were both extremely proud of this book: the first book that he had ever published at age 85.