
Welcome!
Welcome to writing UPWARD, where I’ll help you take your writing to a whole new level.
Are you an author who needs a pair of eyes to catch typos and screen the final details of your story prior to publication? Perhaps you want someone to format your manuscript so you can focus on your next big idea. If either of these sound relevant, I can help!
I’m an independently published author of over twenty fiction titles interested in helping other creators
write UPWARD.
Writer Services:
Editing
Digital
Formatting
Paperback Formatting
Editing
I offer a thorough editing experience. While I perform basic line editing, which involves correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation errors, and typos, I also keep my eyes open for repeated words or phrases, lack of clarity, wordiness, point of view slips, passive vs. active tense, voice, dialogue, clichés, and historically inaccurate words or phrases (when applicable) to help you achieve clear, smooth, readable prose. In addition, I’ll mention any whole-picture issues I spot, such as structural problems, plot and character inconsistencies, pacing, and flow. After I’ve finished editing, I’ll include a written critique. I have performed this inclusive editing service on scores of manuscripts over the past decade.
EDIT PRICING: I charge $.0035/word ($3.5 per 1,000 words).
I strongly recommend that you run your manuscript through two or three trustworthy beta readers before hiring an editor. This ensures a quicker turnaround and less expense for you.
Interested? Contact me with your manuscript’s word count and include the first fifteen or twenty pages. I’ll look it over, edit the first 1,000 words for free with notations about the kinds and numbers of errors I encounter, and guestimate the amount of time needed to complete the entire project. Then I’ll return the edited pages. You can look over my work and decide whether we’re a good fit.
If we’re both agreeable, I will ask you to follow some simple formatting guidelines before submitting your entire manuscript: Please make sure your manuscript is a Word document. Text must be black, set at 12 pt type in a standard font, with line spacing set at 1.5.
I will then edit your manuscript using Word’s review features. This conveniently records any changes I make so that you, as the final judge of your own work, can easily accept or reject each one. Word also makes it easy for me to include comments in the margin alongside the text.
Turn around time varies depending on length and number of errors, but I can usually finish within one week.
If you’d prefer, I offer a scaled-down version of this service that includes only line editing (grammar, punctuation, spelling, typos). LINE EDIT PRICING: I charge $.00275/word ($2.75 per 1000 words).
PAYMENT: I accept checks or PayPal. Half due up front. Checks must clear before I start.
Contact me and we’ll begin!
Please note, I do not accept manuscripts that contain erotica, excessive language, gratuitous violence, etc.
Digital Formatting
I work almost exclusively with clients who publish to Amazon.
I will take your Word manuscript and create a docx ready to upload to Amazon’s KDP ebook platform so your story looks its best on a Kindle ereader. FICTION PRICING: I charge a flat rate of $75 up to 50K words. After that, I add a dollar for every thousand words. NON-FICTION PRICING: Non-fiction tends to be much more involved. Talk to me about your book’s needs and I’ll give you a quote.
For fiction or non-fiction, you will need to submit a Word document to me. Digital files will include:
- Front matter (title page, dedication, etc.)
- Auto-generated table of contents with linked chapters
- Special text (your italics, bold words, etc.)
- End matter (page with author image and bio, linked blurbs and images to other works/series, etc.)
- A clean, professional product that meets industry standards and reads well on digital devices
Ebook files will NOT include:
- Cover images
- Graphs or tables
- Footnotes
- Excessive images
Paperback Formatting
Publishing paperbacks anywhere requires a PDF file. I will provide you with a print-ready PDF so your story will look its best on the printed page. I’ll also give you the formatted Microsoft Word document from which the PDF is derived so any changes needed down the road can be made quickly and effortlessly. FICTION PRICING: I charge according to my Kindle pricing (see above) plus $30. NON-FICTION PRICING: Non-fiction tends to be much more involved. Talk to me about your book’s needs and I’ll give you a quote.
PDFs will include:
- Front matter (title page, dedication, etc.)
- Auto-generated table of contents
- Special text (your italics, bold words, etc.)
- End matter (page with author image and bio, blurbs and images for other other works/series, etc.)
- Headers and footers (page numbers, author name, title)
- Appropriate margins
- Pages fit to designated paperback size
- A clean, professional layout that meets industry standards
- A print-ready file
Paperback files will NOT include:
- Cover images
- Graphs or tables
- Footnotes
- Excessive images
Turn around for both formats is quick, usually the next day.
ONE-YEAR GUARANTEE
If you find an error or just want to make a simple change, let me know. I’ll make minor adjustments for up to one year.
PAYMENT: I accept checks or PayPal. Half due up front. Checks must clear before I begin.
Ready to get started? Contact me.
Michelle Isenhoff is an independently published author of over twenty fiction titles. A former elementary school teacher, Michelle began writing for a middle grade audience and subsequently founded Emblazon, an author group dedicated to producing quality independent children’s literature. She has reviewed hundreds of children’s titles on her own blog as well as other websites. Her last two series have been written for an adult audience.
Drawing on her publishing experience as well as a degree in English, Michelle has helped dozens of authors develop their craft, clean up their manuscripts, and bring their novels to publication. One of her greatest delights is watching new writers blossom and mature, whether they be children or adults.
