I work with both publishers and individual authors at a range of rates, depending on the needs of the client and the project. After reviewing the services I can offer you, please send me a message with a description of the project, what state the manuscript is in, and what service or level of editing is needed.
Book Proposals
I love working with authors on crafting book proposals, identifying publishers and editors to approach, and working through revise-and-resubmit feedback. Having been an acquisitions editor myself, I understand what editors are looking for, the questions they’ll be asked by their sales department, and the targets they’re expected to hit. I am especially adept at market research and comp title analysis—two things many writers struggle with when pitching their book—and will work with you to refine your elevator pitch and find that all-important hook. I’m happy to review and edit your drafted proposal or, if you need more assistance, to work closely with you to create a book proposal from scratch.
Developmental Editing
Developmental editing concerns the overall structure of the book: what is the key argument or essence of the book, and what’s the best way to deliver the material to the target audience? For trade publishers and commissioning editors, I can step in to help when you’ve found a great author with groundbreaking ideas, but who needs a little help to turn their notes or draft manuscript into a truly stellar book. For individual authors, I can help you pull together a first draft that will make a commissioning editor take notice, or to rewrite a manuscript that has received revise-and-resubmit feedback. I am particularly interested in working with early-career researchers and recently graduated PhDs in the humanities and social sciences.
Copyediting & Proofreading
I prefer to work with manuscripts at this level only after they have been accepted for publication; in most cases, it is the publisher who will hire a copyeditor rather than the author. Copyediting addresses issues of clarity, concision, and consistency rather than the structural concerns of developmental editing. Heavier levels of copyediting, sometimes called “line editing,” will suggest rewrites of sentences or paragraphs; move chunks of text around (within or sometimes between chapters); and flag any issues of logical inconsistency, unsupported claims, and potentially harmful or offensive language.
Proofreading is an even more detail-oriented process that occurs after a book has been designed and typeset: at this stage, major revisions can be extremely costly and difficult, as removing or adding significant amounts of text or images might require reconfiguring the layout or adding pages. Proofreading has two purposes: first, it checks for any errors that may have been introduced in the process of importing the text into the software the designer uses for layout, as well as to catch typesetting errors. Second, it provides a final pass over the text to catch any basic errors missed during copyediting, such as spelling mistakes, stylistic inconsistency, or grammatical errors. A good proofreader will balance catching these errors with minimizing corrections for the typesetter. Not all publishers will hire freelance proofreaders, and many academic publishers will expect authors to do this work themselves—which can be time-consuming and stressful, since turnaround times are usually quite short!
Project Management & Publisher Services
I am an experienced editorial project manager who has shepherded books through the publishing process, both in-house and as an external contractor. I have hired and assessed the work of freelance copyeditors, acted as a liaison between author and press to smooth over conflicts, and ensured on-time delivery of over a hundred books. I am available for both short- and long-term project management.
I also have experience applying for and tracking permission requests for artwork, song lyrics, and poetry. I understand the nuances of negotiating license fees and the importance of securing different kinds of rights depending on the terms of the book’s publication (e.g., digital and audiobook editions, second editions) and ability of the press to follow up for subsequent rights requests.