As well as writing and ghostwriting, I do professional proofreading, editing, and layout. I’ve previously edited a wide range of books – fiction, business manuals, religious texts, academic essays – and the feedback from my clients has been fantastic. Check below to see what suits you and view samples on the right.

Proofreading

...is also sometimes called line-editing, copy-editing, or light editing. So to be clear - I will ensure you have...

• perfect grammar
• correct punctuation
• correct spelling
• appropriate word choices (eg. I affect something and have an effect)
• style-guide consistency

If you want to guarantee that your writing is correct, but you don’t want it changed, proofreading is best. If you’d like more help with your style, you may want editing.

Editing

...is also sometimes called substantive or heavy editing. It's a more involved process for those who want their actual style improved. It includes proofreading and also the following, where necessary:

• changing sentence structure
• rewording phrases
• altering word choice for better style
• reorganising sentences within paragraphs
• ensuring style-guide consistency

This editing is stylistic, not structural: it will improve your style, but not change the overall structure of the book. If you want to look at rearranging or restructuring your book, you want comprehensive editing and we need to work together on it. If you want me to write the book, look at Ghostwriting.

Book workshopping

If your book needs restructuring and development, I will work closely with you on it to indentify its strengths and work on any weaknesses. For fiction, this includes looking at…

• prose style – tense choices, point of view, mood, recurrent foibles
• plot – structure, tension, pacing, deepening
• characters – complexity and development of main characters, richness and role of secondary characters
• time & place setting – resonance, point of view, originality
• themes & symbols

For non-fiction, it includes...

• prose style - formality / informality, accessibility, appropriateness
• arrangement of information within chapters, sections, and parts; logical flow of the whole book
• aspects that need more explanation or examples and the strength of arguments

Working one-to-one over phone calls, emails, or in person, I’ll help you find the points at which to strengthen your book, advise you on how best to do that, and discuss your redrafts. I’ll be advising, not writing the book for you – if you want me to write the book, look at Ghostwriting.

Layout

If you're self-publishing, I can create you a professional print-ready layout at the same time, to your publishing house's specifications. This includes...

• page sizing, margins, and gutters
• chapter headings and breaks
• font choices, sizing, and line spacing
• running headers (left and right) and page numbering
• table of contents and pagination
• delivery as a Word, PDF, or PRN file as preferred

It doesn't include the cover, but I'm happy to advise you or recommend a suitable designer.

What next?

Email me for a quotation, and let me know the book's length in words (in Microsoft Word, Tools > Word Count will tell you) and what it's about. If you can, attach a sample page or two. I'll send you a written quotation and an estimated delivery date.

email for a quotation or visit my freelance site