How it works.
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Copy editing happens at the tail end of the process. You've gone over your manuscript yourself and sent it through beta readers (if you're using them), and you think you're ready for publishing – this is when you send your book out for copy editing.
Once I get your file, I go through it very carefully, "character by character." Published fiction generally follows the Chicago Manual of Style, and this is what I go by when it comes to capitalization, punctuation, types of dashes, etc. I always keep backup copies of the manuscript in various stages of my work, just in case. I use the Track Changes and Comments features in Microsoft Word together to give you a clear and understandable picture of what has been done. Nothing I do is irreversible; you are the one who has the final say about your work, regardless of my opinions or rants on any matter. If you're unfamiliar with these tools in Word, there are many great tutorials online, or I'll be happy to walk you through their use. When I'm finished with the electronic pass-through, I'll return the marked-up document to you. I've found that different writers prefer different ways for this to be done, so there are options as to how much markup you want to see. |
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My go-to method is to track all changes (punctuation, grammar, spelling, etc.) within the manuscript and let you decide whether to accept or reject them. On more complicated edits, I'll write a comment within the document using the Comment tool; these often include suggestions on making sentences read more clearly, options for different ways to write a sentence or different words to use, and any inconsistencies I've noticed while reading the story. I will also, upon request, include a Microsoft Excel list of words I have looked up and made consistent throughout the manuscript. This can be a handy tool, since there are sometimes varying ways to write or spell things (usually, I've found, centering around the use of hyphens within a word). I use Merriam-Webster dictionary for all definitions and spellings, to keep consistency.
Silent Editing
To cut down on the amount of work to be done after receiving the edited manuscript back from me, some writers prefer certain edits to be done "silently." This means that I do not track the changes within the Word document, so they won't be seen unless a Compare is run between the new and old versions. The red marks from added or deleted commas, changed quotation marks, and spellings can look daunting on a returned document. If I don't mark these, it's easier for the writer to focus on the actual changes that need to be made within the story rather than on the technical aspects.
Further still, I've done more extensive silent editing on some manuscripts. Once I've developed a level of trust with an author (where we each know and understand the other's work), I can change glaring grammar errors and all spelling/punctuation errors silently, leaving only the comments to be gone through and no "red marks."
Silent editing of any kind is done only by request. Some authors are more detail-oriented and hands-on than others; I never want them to feel they have lost any "control" of their story.
Further still, I've done more extensive silent editing on some manuscripts. Once I've developed a level of trust with an author (where we each know and understand the other's work), I can change glaring grammar errors and all spelling/punctuation errors silently, leaving only the comments to be gone through and no "red marks."
Silent editing of any kind is done only by request. Some authors are more detail-oriented and hands-on than others; I never want them to feel they have lost any "control" of their story.
Proofreading
Proofreading-only services (see what the difference is here) are offered at a discounted price. Proofreading alone takes less time and is best for a very conscientious writer or a work that has already been seen by an editor.
Americanizing
I actually have quite a bit of experience in what I call "Americanizing." I have clients from around the world who have written books that take place in the United States. They ask me to keep an eye out for words, phrases, manners of speech, and spellings in their writing that aren't used over here. Not only has this been fun for me, but I've learned a lot of slang I had never even heard before!
Pricing
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Copyediting:
Proofreading: Silent Editing: |
$5 (USD) per thousand words
$3 (USD) per thousand words Same price as regular copy editing, but by request only |
