What makes you qualified to give feedback on my book?

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I spent the majority of my career as an editor at Penguin Random House. It was my job to read potential manuscripts, and decide what was bad, what was good, and what was great. And then, it was my job to make the great manuscripts we acquired for publication even better, so that they'd have the strongest shot in the marketplace. I worked closely with many different types of authors, providing helpful feedback and support to get their manuscripts in tip-top shape.

 

I am also a former book reviewer for Publishers Weekly. There, I wrote reviews for books in all genres. It was a fantastic way to see what makes good books so good.

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My professional editing and reviewing background gives me the expertise to know when a manuscript isn't working. And not only that: I can tell you why it's not working, and what we can do to make it better. 

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What is your editing style?

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It depends on the needs of the author and the book. My primary tools include:

 

• Line editing: Commenting on or changing anything from paragraph order to sentence structure to individual word choice. This is the nitty-gritty of edits.

• Editorial letters: Essays that include what's working in a manuscript, what isn't, and suggestions for tackling any issues. Editorial letters are great for addressing the larger issues in a book, like character, plot, or tone.

• Phone calls, either on their own or in conjunction with other methods, to make sure communication is two-way.

 

That said, I am flexible, and love exploring new options of communication. I love making my authors' work shine, and I will do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to get my authors' books to a place of pride.

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What is your turnaround time?

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It depends on the length and complexity of the project. For instance, a full manuscript review will take me much longer than a review of the first ten pages. It also depends on my schedule. I will give you an ETA, along with a price estimate, after you contact me with the details of your project. If you are working with a tight deadline, I will work with you to meet it.

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What are your rates?

 

I have set rates for some services, which you can view on my Services page. For others, I set the rate depending on how many pages there are, and on how long the project will realistically take me. You can contact me if you are curious about how much your project might cost.

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How do I pay you?

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After you book your service, you will receive an email invoice that can be paid with a credit card or bank transfer. Smaller projects, costing $200.00 or less, must be paid in-full upfront. Larger projects costing more than $200.00 can be paid half upfront, half on completion.

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Do you ever turn projects down?

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Yes, I reserve the right to turn down a project if I feel I'm not the right editor for it, or if I am too busy to take it on. 

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I want to work with you, but didn't see the service I want listed. What now?

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Contact me. I'm sure we can work something out.

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