Shameless Commercial Division:
Jack's Copy-Editing Service
Simple proofreading is scanning a document for more-or-less superficial deficiencies like misspellings, missing commas and quotation marks, etc. Copy-editing is a much more comprehensive procedure in which your manuscript is checked word by word, sentence by sentence, and line by line; it addresses style issues, tense problems, continuity conflicts, and a host of other grammar-and-style points. It is the highest order of structural editing, requiring a much larger skills set than is needed for simple proofing and grammar checking, and, for all but the most grammar-savvy authors—the top 5%—results in a vastly improved submission manuscript.
The No. 2 reason for speedy rejection of manuscripts—right after inappropriate submissions (e.g., sending a mystery ms to a science fiction publisher)—isn't plotting, imagery, narrative flow, or any of the other artistic aspects of your manuscript. Percentage-wise, most manuscripts are rejected out-of-hand after the first 5-10 pages for bad grammar, poor spelling, and improper punctuation. Now, nobody's making a case that your story and the way you tell it aren't the most important things—of course they are. The point is that the publisher's reader/editor will never find out how good your story is if nuts-'n-bolts issues prevent him from sticking with you long enough to tell it. It's the difference between a fine meal brought to him on good china and the same fare set in front of him on a garbage can lid; in both cases, the food might be great, but in the latter case he'll never get around to tasting it because the presentation is so off-putting.
Every writer makes mistakes. Every writer. If you're John Grisham or Patricia Cornwell, your goofs will be taken care of. If you're not, and if you're trying to get your foot in the door in today's publishing environment, it's on you.
First, Try My Service for Nothing
Before you pay me (or anybody else) a dime, satisfy yourself that I know what I'm doing. Send me the first 10 pages of your finished manuscript, and I'll edit it free.
Points
Addressed
· Misspellings
· Incorrect
punctuation
· Tense
inconsistencies
· Uncalled-for passive
voice
· Hanging
modifiers
· Run-ons
and comma splices
· Pronoun-Antecedent disagreements
· Awkwardisms
· Malapropisms
· Continuity
problems
· Point-of-View
shifts within scenes
· Redundancies
· Unintentional
sentence fragments
· Subject-Verb disagreements
· Less intrusive issues such as numbers written incorrectly, etc.
Editing Format
I
provide you with a file folder containing the following files in
.doc or .rtf: your original manuscript, a marked-but-unchanged
copy, and an edited copy reflecting all recommended changes. This makes it much
easier for you to identify and accept/reject edits as you choose.
Many
editors now use the Microsoft Word® Track
Changes function to record the editing process because it makes an
editor's job much easier. While it is indeed a useful editing tool, most authors are either unfamiliar with it
or find it clunky to use in fiction writing. It's pushy to expect
a client to master an editorial skill with an unfriendly learning
curve before s/he can even use an editor's services. Editors work
for authors, not the other way around. If you already know how to
use Track Changes and prefer to have your work returned in
this format, I will, of course, be happy to do so. If not, don't
be concerned. It will never be forced upon you here.
Turnaround
Typically
5-7 days. I do not work multiple jobs simultaneously. Once a timeframe for the edit is agreed upon, a contract is initiated, and the work is in my custody, I devote my efforts to your work exclusively, 6PM-10PM daily, until the work is done. Individual chapters will be forwarded to you as completed; when the edit is done, 3 separate files (above under "Editing Format") will be provided. During your edit, you will have phone and fax numbers at which you can contact me directly anytime during working hours to address any questions or concerns you might have.
Rate
¾¢ a word. Half up front, half on completion—extended payment schedules can be and often are arranged when appropriate. No other charges, ever.
I
look forward to the privilege of being of service to you.
Contact Me
