Choosing the right editing services can be difficult for new authors, and editors sometimes use terms in slightly different ways. To make things a little easier, I have provided brief descriptions of the services that I offer: substantive editing, manuscript evaluation, stylistic editing, copy editing, proofreading, and indexing.
If you have any questions or would like to request a free estimate, please email me at una.verdandi@gmail.com.
** Please note that some of my fees have changed as of July 1, 2017 **
Substantive Editing and Manuscript Assessment
A substantive edit is typically the first stage of the editing process for large projects in both fiction and non-fiction genres, especially books. I will edit the content and structure of your text as a whole to make sure that it is organized in a logical way and that, in the case of fictional narratives, the plot and characters are generally consistent and believable. This is a very time-consuming process.
Fee: hourly rate, starting at $40 per hour.
A manuscript assessment is a more economical option. In this case, I will identify and suggest solutions to potential problems with the structure and content of the manuscript, but I will not actually edit your work myself; instead, I will return my detailed assessment and comments to you so that you can make the appropriate revisions.
Fee: flat rate according to length of manuscript, short story, or document.
Stylistic/Line Editing
Contrary to what the name seems to imply, stylistic editing is not about imposing a writing style; rather, the purpose is to produce writing that flows smoothly and is pleasant to read. I will reword any jarring transitions and ensure that your writing is clear and concise. This may sometimes mean rewriting parts of the text, but I will always stay as close to your original wording as possible.
Stylistic editing is rarely if ever a separate stage of the editing process. Instead, it is usually performed as part of either a substantive edit or a heavy copy edit because there is a considerable amount of overlap with each of those stages. Substantive editing may result in content being rearranged, so some parts of the text may need to be rewritten to maintain a pleasant and logical flow. Copy editing may result in some content being reworded to correct awkward constructions or remove ambiguities.
Fee: hourly rate, starting at $40 per hour.
Copy Editing
Copy editing should be done once the text is complete and all major revisions have been made. As your editor, my focus here is to ensure that your text contains no spelling or grammar errors; where errors or ambiguities appear, I will suggest changes to clarify your meaning and improve readability.
If requested, I will verify that any internal cross-references and citations are correct, and I will also check for consistent formatting.
Fee: hourly rate, starting at $40 per hour.
Proofreading
[Please note that as of May 1, 2018, I no longer offer proofreading services to individual authors. Too often, a proofread is requested when a copy edit is required.]
Indexing
An index will add considerable value to your book by helping your readers find information on particular topics. Ideally, the index should be prepared after the proofreading stage but can be handled at the same time as long as page proofs (hard copy or electronic) are provided so that the page numbers listed will be accurate. Alternatively, if your work is broken up into relatively short numbered sections, as may be done in legal texts, the index entries can be listed by section numbers rather than page numbers. Please let me know in advance if the index needs to be a certain length.
Fee: hourly rate, starting at $35.00 per hour (roughly $5 per page).
Quills and Queries Editing 