Get Ready to Press "Publish"
Your book has been mined, cut, and crafted into a beautiful gem . . . but even the most brilliant diamonds need polishing before being worn.
That’s where a copyedit from Jeanette the Writer will help.
As a freelance copyeditor, I will examine multiple aspects of your manuscript, aiming to . . .
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Save Syntax: Sometimes the rhythm of the text can be improved by changing the syntax (word order) to ensure the intended feeling comes across.
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Assassinate Ambiguity: Vague or confusing sentences are flagged the assist with clarity of meaning.
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Eradicate Errors: Incorrect facts and continuity issues pull a reader out of the manuscript; I ensure the reader is focused on the story.
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Revamp Readability: I may adjust word choice and formatting decisions to enhance the readability of the text for your intended audience.
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Correct Commas: Yes, corrections for spelling and punctuation are made by moving commas, replacing hyphens with em dashes, etc.
That’s a lot, and now you may be wondering . . .
Looking for changes to wording, voice, and flow? Try Line Editing.
What Is the Copyediting Process?
It all starts with a dream . . . JK, it starts with your completed manuscript. I only accept manuscripts that have been through several rounds of self-editing or have been worked on by a developmental or substantive editor. I work on genres including fantasy, science fiction, historical, literary, romance, memoir, and nonfiction (please no horror, poetry, or picture books).
*NO first draft is ready for copyediting without more work.*
Once we connect, I will want to see the five “best” (where you feel most confident in the writing) and five “worst” (where you feel least confident in the writing) pages from your manuscript. Reviewing these will help me determine your:
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Scope of work (what and how much I will do to the manuscript)
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Timeline (how long it will take)
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Investment (generally priced per word)
If we decide to work together, we’ll start with a simple contract and a down payment to get you on the schedule.
From there, the process looks like this:
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You send me the manuscript
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I spend several weeks making multiple passes over the text
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You receive the manuscript back to make any final changes
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I perform a final “cleanup” before returning it, along with the style sheet
It’s that simple!
Ready to get started?
