AI STATEMENT: I DO NOT use ANY generative AI or AI assistants in my editing or creative work. If you hire me for editing or feedback, the results will be 100% from my squishy human gray matter.
Now accepting new clients/projects for July and August!
Getting Started: The 1st 10 Pages + Outline Audit – $100
- This is a necessary first step for line editing projects over 20,000 words. This lets me know that you’re serious and lets us both know whether we’ll work well together.
- This is also a great value for indies who aren’t sure they’re ready to invest in a full edit, as you’ll get a solid foundation of feedback that you can use to do your own edits, if you choose.
- If you hire me for a full edit within 30 days following the audit, the $100 you spend here will be deducted from your final bill.
Here’s what you’ll get:
- I’ll read up to 10 pages of your manuscript plus your outline or synopsis to give me the big picture, and provide detailed feedback, identifying any structural issues and providing suggestions for strengthening your story or book.
- I’ll also line edit the first three pages of your manuscript, paying special attention to your opening line and paragraphs.
The Story Blueprint (Developmental Critique for Fiction)
- What it is: A beta read on steroids. I analyze plot, pacing, continuity, internal consistency and character. Includes minimal line and copy editing for obvious issues and recommendations for improvement.
- Rate: $50 per hour of reading time
- Best for: Authors with a finished draft who need to know if the story actually works before they polish the prose.
The Cleanup (Copy Edit & Proofread)
- What it is: A final polish to check grammar and punctuation and clean up errors.
- Rate: $0.025 per word
- Best for: Authors who are happy with their draft and want a final pass before publishing or submission.
The Prose Polish (Line & Copy Edit)
- What it is: A combined pass for both style and mechanics.
- Rate: $0.05 per word
- Best for: Authors who are a little less sure and want an expert hand guiding them to final draft.
The Transformation (Heavy Revision)
- What it is: Deep structural repair and hands-on revision or even, if necessary, ghost-rewriting for “trouble spots.”
- Rate: $0.065 per word
- Best for: Manuscripts that need a professional hand to step in and refine the narrative voice directly.
The Do-Over (Ghost Writing – Non-fiction Only)
- What it is: A full re-write for manuscripts that need a complete overhaul or ghost writing a fully fleshed out outline by an actual human, matched to your voice and style. Completely confidential.
- Rate: Starting at $0.50 per word of completed draft.*
- Best for: Authors whose writing skill doesn’t quite match up to their ideas and who don’t want to resort to AI to generate their manuscripts. Non-fiction books and e-books, blog posts, newsletters and articles.
*Research-heavy projects will cost more per word. An estimate will be provided after we discuss project details.
Not Cheap, but Budget-Friendly
How does that work? I charge competitive, fair-market rates that are in line with my level of experience. But I understand that indie authors are often operating on a shoe-string — I know, because I’ve been there. I’m willing to be flexible and work with you to find an affordable solution if you can’t afford an entire novel edit all at once.
That might look like doing a partial edit that you can use as a guide to self-edit the rest of your manuscript. Or it might look like breaking a full manuscript edit into small jobs, sending me a chapter or two at a time as your budget allows. We can also break large jobs into installment payments, and can even offer interest-free financing via Paypal for those who qualify. The bottom line is, you’ve got options.
Referral Discounts
The best advertising is word of mouth. I’ll give you 5% off of future services for every person you refer to me who becomes a paying client. That means, for example, that if you refer five paying clients to me, you’ll get 25% off your next project.
The Nitty Gritty: How This All Works
Once you’ve filled out the project inquiry form, I’ll contact you within 24-48 hours. Once we’re both clear on the project parameters, I’ll send you an invoice and letter of agreement. Once you’ve signed and returned the LoA and payed the amount due, you can send me your documents and I’ll get started.
How I Work
I work in Google Docs, where I can track changes and leave editorial comments. You can either share your own Google Docs file with me and grant me editorial access, or you can send me a Word doc that I’ll upload to my own GD account and then re-convert to Word and send back to you after I’ve made my edits.
Turnaround Time
Project completion and turnaround time will depend on a number of factors. I’ll provide a reasonable estimate of how long the project will take along with a cost estimate once I know the details. Rush jobs will be determined based on my availability to do them and will cost double.
Payments & Financing
For projects up to $100, full payment is required up front. For projects between $100 and $1,000, a non-refundable deposit equaling 50% of the estimated fee is required up front, and the rest will be due upon completion. For projects estimated at $1,000 or above, 35% of the estimate will be required up front, 35% at the midway point, and the remainder will be due upon completion. Especially lengthy projects may instead be divided into four installments of 25% each.
Once an agreement is in place, I’ll e-mail you an invoice with a link to pay via Paypal. You can use any payment method that Paypal accepts. Installment plans and interest-free financing are also available via Paypal Credit for those who qualify.
Refund Policy
If I do any work on your project, you must compensate me for my time, regardless of whether you’re happy with your edit. Refunds are only given in the event that I can’t fulfill the terms of our agreement.
If at any time you decide it’s not working out or that we need to part ways, you’ll only be billed for the work I did up to that point.