Services Offered

     This service (sometimes referred to as “Substantive Editing”) helps my clients flesh out their stories, after the developmental editing process. If you have it all on paper but need help with the finer details, you’re just not satisfied with the way your story reads, or you need help lowering your word count or splitting your manuscript into multiple books (this happens a lot with debut authors), this is the service for you!

     Many authors think they need a copy edit, when they’re really looking for a line edit. The main difference between copy editing and line editing is the level of work involved. A line edit will address elements of the story, whereas a copy edit focuses more on the technical aspects of the writing. This type of editing involves going line by line (thus the term “line editing”), finding plot holes and other inconsistencies, as well as confusing/awkward wording.

     Think of line editing a sort of “buddy system” for your writing. When you are writing a story, especially when you’ve made a few revisions, it can be difficult to look at it objectively. You will often have a clear picture in your head of who your characters are, but sometimes it hasn’t been fully translated onto the page. It’s also hard to see (or at least admit) when something needs to be cut, either because it doesn’t add to the story or it just doesn’t fit. 

    That’s where an editor comes in. We make the tough decisions, though whether to heed our advice or not is entirely up to you. We’re not paid to smile and nod! While I will let you know when I particularly enjoy certain bits, I won’t beat around the bush when it comes to the changes that need to be made. You may be tempted to hate me by the time we’re done, but keep in mind that my goal is to make your story the best it can be.

     Some editors don’t fix technical errors when they do line editing, and I totally get that; since there will most likely be multiple revisions to the manuscript, it may not seem to make much sense to fix errors in grammar and punctuation! However, I find that it can be very helpful for my clients to see the technical areas of writing that they need to work on, and a little coaching goes a long way. My main goal, other than polishing your story to perfection, is to help you grow your craft and become a better writer.

     As I correct errors, I leave comments which will explain why I’ve made the changes I made, and will explain in more detail the issues I feel are most important to address in an accompanying feedback document. I will also share articles/blog posts that I think will be helpful resources. We can either go chapter-by-chapter, giving you the chance to apply the principles I’ve explained to the rest of the manuscript as we go (and perhaps save up the money for the next installment!), or do the whole thing at once.