Comprehensive Edit

High-level edit with a developmental focus on organization, characterization, addition/deletion of content, point of view, pacing, plot holes, sentence and paragraph structure, and other structural issues specific to your project. While this doesn't mean I'll rewrite the whole manuscript for you, I will provide in-depth suggestions and examples on how to improve your manuscript throughout, as well as an editorial letter to discuss larger edits that may need to take place.

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Recommended if your manuscript needs shaping and developing as a whole. After changes are implemented, this is usually followed by a copyedit to ensure that all new additions and changes did not introduce grammar or spelling errors.

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Copyedit

Mid-level edit with a focus on grammar, spelling, sentence structure, style consistency, and occasional higher-level edits regarding logic and flow. After this edit, I will provide a style sheet so that you can refer to that moving forward. The style sheet will list out preferred spelling and uses of names, locations, terminology, and other items that may differ throughout the work.

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Recommended if your project is already organized and you would like to make sure it is error-free and easy for a reader to follow. Prior to editing, we will discuss specific style guides and any particular focus you would like the editing to have. 

personalized edit

Do you have a more specific request?

 

Perhaps you have a document under 5,000 words, which will have a quicker turnaround time.

 

Perhaps you want to create a custom package with multiple editing rounds included.

 

Perhaps you just want someone to read over your work and provide a report on what works and what doesn't. 

 

I can work with your needs and customize a quote specifically for you. Check out the pricing table below for a few ideas of what personalized edits might look like.

 
 

Frequently asked questions

What platform will you use for editing?

I will gladly work with your platform preferences, but I do prefer working with the Track Changes function on Microsoft Word. That allows you to see and accept all my recommended edits as well as easily view any comments that I make. While I can work with Google Docs as well, my experience is that it slows down tremendously with larger documents (such as novels) and is a little less organized about keeping comments/edits in the right places.



How quick are your turnaround rates?

Short projects (under 5,000 words) such as academic essays, blog posts, articles, cover letters, short stories, and others can typically fit into my schedule for a one-week turnaround. For longer novels and novellas, I will check my editing schedule and let you know my availability once you submit a request. The amount of time I spend on your project will vary depending on the level of editing needed, but depending on the level of edit needed, I will typically plan to edit a minimum of 40,000 words a week for your project (i.e., I will estimate 2 weeks for a book with 80,000 words). It may be quicker than that, but that is the conservative estimate. If you have a specific deadline to meet, I can try to work within your time constraints.



How do I reserve a spot in your editing schedule?

For documents under 5,000 words, I request payment in full at the beginning, since they have quick turnaround times. For longer manuscripts, I request a down payment of 1/2 the total price, which will be generated based on the wordcount and type of edit. The remainder will be due within fourteen business days after completion. Before I begin editing, I will inform you about the estimated start and completion dates so that you have adequate time to prepare your finances. If you don't know the final word count yet but want to reserve your spot in my editing schedule, please provide a ballpark estimate to calculate the down payment. If the estimate ends up being a little bit off, we will adjust the final payment accordingly. If you choose a package with multiple rounds of editing, we will work out a payment plan unique to your situation.



Will you provide an editing sample?

Yes! Since committing to an editor for a large work may be a daunting choice, I will gladly provide a four-page (roughly 1,000 words) editing sample for works over 20,000 words. Keep in mind that it may be difficult to assess a full comprehensive edit based on four pages, but this should provide an idea of the copyediting and insight that I can provide. If you would like a sample edit for works under 20,000 words, send me a message and we can discuss appropriate sample sizes for the specific genre of writing. I am happy to work with you!



Will you ghostwrite any part of my project?

No, that is outside the scope of an editor's job. I won't create characters or flesh out dialogue or description for you. I won't do the research for you or write missing scenes for you. If you're looking to hand somebody an outline and have them write for you, then you will be in better hands with a ghostwriter rather than an editor at this stage of your project. What I will do is recommend spots where an additional scene might help, offer suggestions on how to make a character more relatable, point out holes where more research might be beneficial, and add other improvements to the work you have already written.



What if I disagree with some of your edits?

When somebody else puts their hands on your creative work, it's likely that we will find differing opinions or ideas occasionally. While a majority of copyedits relate to grammar and spelling, which are dictated by the chosen style guide and dictionary, some copyedits are more related to logic and flow, and these are not as strict as the grammar and spelling changes. If I think a certain change could help a reader understand what you were trying to convey, then I will typically leave a comment explaining my thought process so that you can evaluate whether you like the change or not. As for comprehensive edits, these suggestions focus more on the bigger picture and may incur a bit more work with implementation. Of course, I will provide reasons for why I think certain changes will be beneficial to your work, but in the end, it is your project, and you make the final call on which changes to implement. If I do a final pass and see that you went a slightly different direction with some of the suggestions, I completely respect your creative authority over the work. Often, writers will see a suggestion and take it in a completely different direction than I would have guessed, but it ends up being a great change! Don't be afraid to think outside the box. I do want to make sure you get the most out of this experience, though, so if any suggestions don't quite suit you, feel free to bring it up with me, and we can discuss other alternatives or reach a shared understanding of the subject.



Can you help me figure out whether I need a comprehensive edit or a copyedit?

Yes! If we decide to work together, I will be happy to give you feedback once I look over your draft or an excerpt from your draft. If you are already working with a publisher, they may even be pushing you to make certain changes that can guide the focus of the editing, so we will take that into account. Also, if you hire me for a copyedit, and I see fundamental flaws in the project, I may suggest opting for a comprehensive edit, since it may not be practical for you to move forward with a copyedit when there are larger issues at hand. If you want to read up a little bit more on how I define each type of editing, feel free to visit my blog post on the subject!



Will you make my work perfect and ready to be published?

As much as I would like to say yes, there is a process between writing and editing that will often involve multiple rewrites on your end. Whether the rewrite is large-scale with comprehensive editing or sentence-level with copyediting, I will be making suggestions for you to implement, and what you do with these suggestions is up to you. Please keep in mind that copyediting does not ensure a perfect final product. If I return your manuscript with 1,000+ tracked edits, a proofread is important after you go through and accept or reject changes. If you are sending your work to a publisher, they usually provide that service for you (along with additional editing according to their in-house style guide, if applicable), but if you are self-publishing, then I do offer packages with a final pass included.



Can I get more details on what each type of editing entails?

Yes, of course! The definitions of each type of editing will vary from editor to editor, so it's important to know what you're paying for before committing. Head over to my blog to find a longer discussion on the different types of editing that I offer. If you're not ready to request a quote yet, I have a contact option on the home page where you can send me a message with any questions you might have about my rates, editing process, schedule, or anything else.



What is your cancellation policy?

Short projects (under 5,000 words) are fully refundable up until the day I start working on them. For longer projects, if you cancel two weeks out from the proposed start date, I will return 100% of your down payment. From two weeks up to the start date, I will return 50% of your down payment. The reason for my cancellation policy is that I build my schedule based on your project's start and end dates, so if you cancel last minute, I will have an unexpected drop in income and won't have time to find alternative projects to fit in the schedule. That being said, I do understand that life happens, so if any emergencies arise, or if you need to postpone the edit, please communicate with me, and we'll see what we can work out.



What are your style guide preferences?

Most book publishers prefer the Chicago Manual of Style, which I am well-versed in; it is also my personal preference when editing for independent authors if they don't have a preference. My dictionary preference is Merriam-Webster. Both of these preferences will be discussed ahead of time, and I will willingly adhere to a client's preference.



Pricing

Comprehensive Edit

Includes one round of comprehensive edits, as well as communication about the bigger picture, details, and organization of the project. After you read through my suggestions, I will be available to clarify any points, discuss methods for implementing suggestions, and provide alternatives if necessary. 

Also includes an editorial letter with a general overview of the state of the manuscript.

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$0.025 to $0.03 per word. (Final estimate provided after reviewing a sample of the text.)

Copyedit

Includes one round of copyediting and post-editing communication about changes. 

Also includes a custom style sheet for future reference.

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$0.025 to $0.03 per word. (Final estimate provided after reviewing a sample of the text.)

Custom Packages

Custom packages can save you money in the long run, since I offer discounts on my prices through bundling. If you plan to self-publish, these all-in-one deals are the most thorough way of preparing your manuscript.

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Custom Package 1: 

  • One round of copyedits ($0.025 per word).

  • A final pass after all edits have been accepted and implemented to catch any remaining errors that may have been introduced during the implementation of edits ($0.01 per word).

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Custom Package 2 :

  • One round of comprehensive edits ($0.020 per word).

  • One round of copyedits ($0.015 per word)​​.

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Custom Package 3:

  • One round of comprehensive edits ($0.015 per word).

  • One round of copyedits ($0.015 per word).

  • A final pass after all edits have been accepted and implemented to catch any remaining errors that may have been introduced during the implementation of edits ($0.01 per word).

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Please note that the total will be added up before any editing begins, and the down payment will be 1/2 of the total. Since I offer discounted rates based on the fact that you'll be doing a follow-up edit, you can't take the discounted copyedits and then cancel the final pass. If you do choose to cancel any subsequent rounds of editing, I will only charge the normal price for the editing rounds you have already received.

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After the initial editing agreement, should you choose to request an additional editing round, we will have to discuss a new timeline, as the new editing round will have to be integrated into my schedule at the next available opening; however, I will happily honor the discounted price for a repeat client.

Short Project Edits

If your project is under 5,000 words, $0.02 per word not only includes one round of copyedits, but since it is a shorter project, I will also provide some higher-level edits on logic, flow, and structure if necessary. Additionally, the turnaround time can be much shorter (typically one to two weeks at the most). If you need something short edited quicker than that, message me, and we can discuss deadlines.

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For authors, if you just want an edit on the first ten to twenty pages of your manuscript, this may a good option for receiving feedback quickly. A good polish on those first pages can create a good impression when submitting to agents and publishers. It can also provide you with an idea of how your project can improve overall. 

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Mindi Machart

Professional Book Editing
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