As long as you don’t already have an agent, you can hire me. You retain full rights to your novel, so what you do with it after we finish edits is your business!
Please keep in mind that agents and publishers will provide you with edits at no cost; traditionally published authors do not pay for services such as editing on their books. You can absolutely choose to hire an editor prior to querying to make sure you have the best possible “product” to offer—that’s your call—but it’s not as necessary for querying authors.
Yes, and I encourage you to do so. Shop around, get samples and quotes from multiple editors, and make sure you only hire the one who is the best fit for you.
Please do! I book an average of one year out, so booking early to make sure you get a slot that works for your publication goals is a smart move. You can let me know on the form that the book is unfinished and that your word count is a best estimate; if needed, we’ll adjust that word count later.
Sure! The cost remains the same as if you were to get all three services, however, because my rate is already significantly below the industry average for each.
There isn’t necessarily a hard and fast answer to this since every author’s writing process is different. In general, though, I will not look at a draft zero or draft one (and you don’t want me to because it’s going to get sent back as needing more work before edits are possible).
You should also watch out for burnout, though. Don’t pick at your book for so long that you start to hate it. Once you’re done writing it, you’ve had beta eyes on it, and you’ve revised at least once, send it to me. I’m happy to hold onto it well in advance of your editing date.
On the contract you sign after booking a slot, you’ll get a more specific timeline, but in general, I edit between 10k and 20k words per week. Divide your total word count by that and you can get a fair guess at how long the first round of edits will take.
When I’ve finished that first round of edits, I send the MS back to you with Track Changes and Comments on. You’ll get an email from me as well with information related to the edit, anything you need to know, a schedule for when I’d like the edits back (if needed for your publication date), etc. Then, you’ll get to work making revisions based on my edits and notes.
Throughout the process, I’m available for questions. I encourage you to use me as a resource. You can reach me by email or on Twitter via DMs so that I’m as accessible as possible. When you’ve finished, you’ll send me your MS back.
The first round of edits that I complete is comprehensive. I go through it multiple times to make developmental, line, and copy edits. That means the “second round” of edits after you send the MS back to me tends to be a little faster and simpler. I will make sure you have a schedule of when you can expect edits back.
We rinse and repeat if additional rounds are needed!
Yes! I can offer a free sample edit of your first five pages formatted in the same way your manuscript will be when you send it to me (Times New Roman 12pt font, double spaced). I cannot offer a longer edit even if you’re willing to pay for it, however; I simply don’t have the time available on my schedule to manage that.
Please note that I will not provide a sample of anything except the first five pages. Unfortunately, there are scammers out there who use this process to effectively get a free edit on their entire book. If you’re dishonest and I discover that later, I’ll end our working relationship immediately.
Many editors have limits to what genres they will or can edit and/or what they call qualifiers (you may see it written as “romance with no qualifiers”). I don’t have either of those; I’m experienced in all genres and demographics of fiction, and I place no restrictions on the romances I’ll edit. Your kinks don’t scare me.
That being said: rape is not a kink (CNC is not rape). I will not edit stories that romanticize rape – including statutory and marital rape, abuse, incest, or any sex that is immoral. I don’t care if your characters are in love with non-humans, I happen to enjoy that quite a bit, but I want nothing to do with sexual assault framed as romance.
Please see the MSWL on the Editing Services page for additional information and restrictions on tropes.
Simply stated, you’re ‘indie’ if you do not have an agent. I will work with authors who are planning to query their stories, but I will not work with authors who have representation.
I’m trans nonbinary and pansexual, so I’m comfortable providing sensitivity reads for stories and characters across the LGBTQIA+ and gender/non-gender spectrums. I am also disabled and neurodivergent, and I can provide sensitivity reads in these areas.
I cannot, however, provide sensitivity reads for intersectional identities involving BIPOC. If, for example, your character is trans nonbinary and Black, their life experiences are entirely different than mine – a white trans nonbinary person – and I have no business providing those sensitivity services. I will assist you in finding qualified and available readers.
If I say that I’m available in December 2021, that means I cannot start editing new projects until December 2021. When exactly in December will simply depend on other clients who have already booked that month. I operate on a first-come first-served basis.
Absolutely not. Everything belongs to you, the author.