Authors
Services
You have spent so much time and effort writing your book. Investing in the right service at the right time is key to having a strong finished product and to enjoying the work that lies ahead. This starts with building from good foundations. Therefore, I provide authors with three services:
Project consultation
Manuscript assessment
Development editing
If you are self-publishing and would like your book copy-edited, formatted, typeset or proofread, please refer to the services for publishers and self-publishers.
Project consultation
Who is this for?
This is a service for authors who are making decisions about their next steps for their work-in-progress.
What will you get?
Over an hour’s video call, we can discuss any of your questions about editing or publishing, e.g., what constitutes a realistic schedule, appropriate word counts, your pitch to publishers and agents, whether to have a manuscript assessment or development edit, recommended craft books for structure, etc. Having a good plan in place could mean a stress-free project with a successful outcome where your time, budget and, most importantly, creative energy are spent wisely and well.
What will it cost?
This service is €100 for a one-hour video call.
How to book
You can book and pay for an appointment here and tell me more about your project via the inquiry form or by email.
Manuscript assessment
Who is this for?
This service is for authors who have completed at least one full draft of their book and who are in the early stages of crafting it for an audience. It can also be really useful if you are stuck and would like help identifying the direction to go in.
What will I do?
I will read your script closely from start to finish, concentrating on big-picture issues like content, structure, tone, purpose and audience. Where appropriate (i.e. with fiction), I’ll review the plot, characterisation and character arcs, point of view, storytelling technique and language. When something isn’t working, I’ll explain why I think that’s the case and suggest solutions. You don’t have to take my advice – in fact, you might have a better fix in mind. This is often where magic happens! It’s your book so it’s always up to you what changes to make.
What do you get?
You’ll receive a 10–15-page report identifying problem areas and, importantly, strengths that gives you a constructive critique and a road map for what to do next to bring your book to the next level. I’ll make suggestions for improvements and recommend resources. Reports are bursting with feedback, ideas and resources that will help you to focus your time and precious creative energy. Often my clients tell me they feel excited about their book again. Note: The manuscript assessment does not include any editing of your draft text.
What will it cost?
My rate for manuscript assessments is €20 per 1,000 words plus 23% VAT where applicable.
How to book
Tell me more about your project, and I will be in touch to confirm availability and interest and to set up the next steps.
Development editing
Imagine standing shoulder to shoulder with your editor, sleeves rolled up and the hood of the car popped, while we figure out together how we’re going to make the engine purr. Imagine receiving the manuscript for your book back with all the small stuff (spellings, grammar, style) taken care of and a clear actionable list of queries – things to consider adding, deleting or improving. You’ll sleep well knowing that your book is in good hands and that you won’t have to work late nights and weekends redoing work that hasn’t been done properly first time around. By the time your book comes out, you will be confident that it is the very best it can be.
Who is this for?
This service is for authors who are ready to work closely with an editor on their manuscript.
What will I do?
I’ll carry out most of the same tasks as with a manuscript assessment with the difference being that I’ll also be editing the text directly and querying throughout where something needs your attention. We’ll also focus on issues like point of view, language, sentence structure, tone and word choice. For fiction, I’ll check plot and character details are consistent as I go. After you’ve worked through my comments and changes, I’ll do a second pass and final checks.
What do you get?
At the end of stage 1, you will receive an edited Word file, full of queries and comments for you to work through, and stage 2 will finish with a clean, edited document ready to submit to agents and publishers or to self-publish yourself. I’ll also provide you with a style sheet, showing all decisions made regarding spelling and style, and plot and character notes as appropriate.
What will it cost?
My rate for development editing is €80 per 1,000 words plus 23% VAT where applicable.
How to book
Tell me more about your project, and I will be in touch to confirm availability and interest and to set up the next steps.