Carousel Editorial services can be purchased individually or as part of a package. Bundled services receive a discount.
Manuscript Evaluation – Think your manuscript is ready for an editor, but you don’t know which kind of editor you need? Want a professional to take a big picture look at your story, so know if you are on the right track? Have you taken your manuscript as far as you can on your own? Ready to make a commitment, but not ready to commit to a full edit investment? A manuscript evaluation is what you are looking for. Think of a manuscript evaluation as going snorkeling through your story. We’ll go under the surface and take a good look around, but we won’t go be going into the depths or spending an extended amount of time underwater. This evaluation includes a thorough read of your entire manuscript with a high-level analysis of structure, story, mechanics, and genre. You will receive an overall summary report, usually eight to ten pages, covering the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses, general and (some) specific suggestions for improvement, and illustrative examples. A Zoom call is included to review the report and discuss next steps. Similar to a Developmental Edit, but far less in depth, a manuscript evaluation is one of the best and most affordable investments an author can make.
Developmental Editing – Similar to a Manuscript Evaluation, a developmental edit reviews an early manuscript draft and focuses on the structure of the story, character development, pacing, point-of-view, and other big-picture considerations. But where a manuscript evaluation is like going snorkeling through your story, a developmental edit is a deep dive into your manuscript. A developmental edit includes multiple passes through the entire manuscript and takes an up-close look at all major story elements including world-building, magic systems, and genre tropes. It includes in-manuscript comments and may include rewrite examples or suggestions. It requires multiple conversations between author and editor, takes considerably more hours than a manuscript evaluation, and is, therefore, proportionately more expensive.
Line/Content Editing – A line edit is what most people think of then they think editing. It is a near-final-draft edit that examines the entire manuscript, each section, chapter, paragraph, sentence and word. There is an emphasis on improving language, voice, and style. Inconsistencies are pointed out and facts checked. Some consideration of story and suggestions for rewrites are included with in-manuscript comments. While line edits do the heavy lifting of editing passes, they don’t replace a copyedit or proofreading.
Copyediting – One of the last edits before publication, this edit takes place before the manuscript is formatted for publishing. It focuses on clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness. It is a close look at spelling, grammar, punctuation, usage, etc. Typically, a style sheet is included with this edit.
Story/Series Bible – Is your protagonist’s neighbor named Shawn, Shaun, or Sean? Are Eve’s eyes blue or green? Is Bob’s favorite pizza joint in Chicago or Detroit and does he order his pizza with or without mushrooms? Does Callie’s magical gift allow her to speak to dogs and cats, or just cats? Do lions count as cats? Will Alex the taxi driver from book one make an appearance in book two or three and does he still wear bright red suspenders? Consistency through a novel and throughout a series is important to ensure little mistakes don’t pull readers out of your story. A story/series bible is an essential reference tool for any author, but it can be daunting to create a story bible if you haven’t been tracking details from the beginning of your project. A story/series bible can be bundled with any other service or purchased as a stand alone.
Writing – Newsletters, press releases, blog content, business collateral materials, bios, blurbs, and more. The Chicago Manual of Style will be followed unless another style is specifically requested. If you need it written, we can help! Contact us with information about your project for a quote.
I am a proud member of the Editorial Freelancers Association. My rates are consistent with the Editorial Rates table posted at its website. Please contact me for a personalized quote for your project. I provide a free 5-10 page sample edit of manuscripts of at least 40 pages, though editing is available on manuscripts and documents of any length. Sample edits help us determine if we are a good fit for working together.