Editing

Services

Make a good story great.

Friendly, Expert Editing brings Your Story to Life If you already have a memoir manuscript that you’ve completed or one you’ve only just begun, editing is a must before you bring your book into the world. There are several kinds of edits, and it’s often hard to understand exactly what you need.

Developmental Edit

This is a big-picture edit, focusing on the structure, content, and consistency of your memoir. The developmental editor looks at the work as a whole to make sure it flows logically and that the storytelling is effective. The editor may suggest reordering chapters, developing characters or themes more fully, and identifying any confusing spots that need work.

THE PROCESS

We read your manuscript cover-to-cover to get an overall feel for your voice and to identify any potential spots for improvement.

We read it again, adding comments and queries using Word Track Changes. We do not correct for grammar, punctuation, or other line-level issues.

We write a three- to six-page editorial letter with our impressions and suggestions for improving the manuscript.

We send you the manuscript and letter.

If you’re local to Philadelphia or the Philadelphia Main Line, we meet in person to discuss the manuscript. Otherwise, we meet via Zoom.

You revise the manuscript yourself, or we can arrange to move on to book coaching if you want our continued help in the process.

Line Edit

Line editing is a more detailed examination of your manuscript. We edit at the sentence and paragraph level, refining your language to ensure clarity, flow, and style. This includes fine-tuning dialogue, enhancing word choice, and ensuring the tone is consistent throughout.

THE PROCESS

We read your manuscript, adding corrections using Word Track Changes. We correct for style, grammar, tone, word choice, and so on at the line and paragraph level.

We send you the edited manuscript to look over.

If you’re local to Philadelphia or the Philadelphia Main Line, we meet in person to discuss the manuscript. Otherwise, we meet via Zoom.

You revise the manuscript yourself, or we can arrange to move on to book coaching if you want our continued help in the process.

Copy Edit

Copy editing is about correctness and consistency. A copy editor will go through the manuscript line by line, correcting spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. We also check for internal consistency in facts, names, and locations, and may standardize the text to comply with specific style guidelines.

THE PROCESS

We read your manuscript, adding corrections using Word Track Changes. We correct for style, grammar, consistency, and punctuation.

We send you the edited manuscript.

Proofread

This is the final step in the editing process, focusing on catching any small errors that have been missed in previous edits, such as typos, missing words, or misplaced commas. Proofreading is typically done on the final formatted version before publication.

THE PROCESS

We read your manuscript, adding corrections using Word Track Changes. We correct for typos, missing words, and punctuation.

We send you the edited manuscript.

Each type of edit serves a different purpose and occurs at different stages of the editing process, from the initial drafts to the final pre-publication stages. Authors often don’t need every type of edit, depending on the state of the manuscript and the author's intentions. However, friends don’t let friends put their book into the world without a copy edit and final proofread. These must be done to ensure professional quality work.