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Editing is not just a matter of grammar and punctuation, but also whether the book logically flows and keeps the reader turning the next page—with excitement (rather than duty). You want to inspire, inform and transform a reader! What you don’t want is to bore a reader or dismay them with a book littered with typos, inaccuracies, run-on passages and messy, disorganized content.

I can help you on many different levels, from developmental editing—crystallizing your book idea and formulating a proposal—to the final proofreading phase.

Here are the different kinds of editing I offer:

Proofreading

Proofreading is the last step in the editorial cycle. Hire a proofreader for a book that’s already been fact-checked and copy edited. A proofreader will correct spelling, punctuation and grammar and double-check easily accessible facts, such as the spelling of a city or country name.

Copy Editing

A copy editor corrects grammar, spelling, jargon, terminology and punctuation. She also ensures the writing flows well and may suggest cutting sections that go on too long or don’t move the story forward. If a section is getting dragged down by technical information, she may suggest putting it in a shaded box, often called a sidebar. Here’s an example of what you might see:

~  I’m thinking of putting the patient’s daily vitamin regimen into a sidebar for easier reference. Right now, it’s slowing down the pace of chapter.

~ I’ve switched out the medical jargon for simpler words to make this more accessible. Please check for accuracy.

A copy editor ensures that your writing is "clear, correct, concise, comprehensible, and consistent”—what’s often called the “Five Cs.” And she’ll also check for consistent style, whether it adheres to the Chicago Manual of Style or the Associated Press Stylebook.

Often, a copy editor is hired to shorten copy so that it fits a word count. Finally, a copy editor will suggest headlines, subheads, pull-out quotations and sidebars. A well-polished manuscript can be edited at 5 to 10 pages an hour, while a more raw manuscript can take as long as an hour per page.

Line Editor

A line editor looks more at the big picture of the manuscript, such as reasoning, consistency, arguments, evidence, and the overall organization of the book. You can expect numerous questions with suggested changes, such as:

 ~  You mention teens have died from consuming energy drinks. To protect yourself legally, be sure to add evidence (preferably of successful lawsuits) and credible sources.

~ In your argument on taxing “wealth,” I was confused if you meant the sum total value of a person’s assets or their “net wealth”—the value of assets minus debt.

The line editor or substantive editor will leave the finer details for the copy editor to clean up.

development editor

A development editor starts working in the early stage of the book, helping to bring concepts into focus, identifying potential readers, and analyzing the competition. This is the one of the most important stages where the author identifies his or her unique contribution to the book world, their social platform and the book’s likely audience.  I specialize in nonfiction—a grant proposal, textbook or, perhaps,  a business book that could lead to major media coverage, lucrative speaking gigs, larger audiences and new clients.

A developmental editor can also help an author compile a book proposal for the consideration of traditional publishers. It would include a synopsis, biography, expanded table of contents, marketing analysis, competitive title suggestions, description of the author’s social platform and sample chapters.

Think of a development editor more as a consultant rather than someone who delves heavily into your writing style or the creative process.