Copyediting is a collaborative process, and your input is critical for you to get the best manuscript possible in a reasonable timeframe. Please do not engage me until you have reviewed your content and deem it complete. I will take it from there with my “copyediting deep cleaning” but will need your input.

 

Step 1

You contact me by email and indicate the type of document you need copyedited and the number of words. You sign  a short engagement agreement (that I will email you) and you return it to me. I will send you a signed copy.

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Step 2

Once you have engaged me and sent 50%  of my fee (based on the number of words) via PayPal, you send me your manuscript as a Word document (.doc or .docx).

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Step 3

To get a lay of the land, I will run your document through MS Word Editor – and Word Track (redline) suggested edits that make sense. MS Editor is a decent,  though far from perfect, software editing tool  – when working with Word documents. Then, with your Word Tracked document, I will manually edit, line by line, your manuscript according to Dreyer’s English style “rules” (which parallel the Chicago Manual) and my style sheet. You can let me if you have your own style preferences.

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Here’s one example of a style variation: in two of my novels there is a colorful southern chief of police with a serious drawl. In dialogue, I chose to spell some of his conversational words as they sound – and not according to spelling guidelines. Like “hell” he pronounced “hail,” (with two syllables); and that’s how I spelled it. For reference, I will send you my baseline style sheet  which highlights common style pitfalls that I continue to accumulate.

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Step 4

I will send you the Word Tracked version of your manuscript for your review and comment. You make any changes or comments you want. Feel to push back on anything you disagree with.

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Contact me about my Copyediting Services

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