Welcome!

Welcome to writing UPWARD, where I’ll help you take your craft to a whole new level.

(And a new welcome to those in 3xp! As a member of the FAM myself, I will take paragraph length, white space, buried dialogue, etc. into consideration in 3xp manuscripts. I was thrilled to receive Rebecca’s stamp of approval.)

My goal is to help you give your readers the best experience possible so they return again and again.

Services I offer:
Line editing / Copyediting ● Proofreading ● Developmental editing ● KDP Formatting ● Paperback Formatting

I have a strong background in novel-length fiction and currently accept only fiction. I am open to most genres.

Please note: I do not accept manuscripts that contain erotica, excessive language, gratuitous violence, etc.

If you’ve done your homework, you already know that hiring an editing service can be EXPENSIVE! It’s pretty standard for developmental editing to cost between $0.03 and $0.15 per word ($1500-$7500 for 50,000 words), copyediting from $0.01 to $0.05 per word ($500-$2500 for 50,000 words), and line editing between $0.02 and $0.08 per word ($1000-$4000 for 50,000 words). And recently I came across a new author publishing package for two simple payments of $2,500! Who can afford that??

Here’s Where I Come In!

I offer a mix of copyediting and line editing. There’s a LOT of overlap between the two, but simply put, copyediting focuses more on rules adherence and fact verification, while line editing ensures story coherence and readability. In most fiction genres, the latter is arguably more important. It’s also my strength.

This means I cover all the basics, like correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation, missing words, and general typos, but I also keep my eyes open for repeated words or phrases, lack of clarity, wordiness, point of view slips, passive vs. active voice, dialogue, clichés, and historically inaccurate words or phrases (when applicable). I also include minor rewrites or suggestions at the sentence/paragraph level to help you achieve clear, smooth prose. In addition, I’ll mention any developmental issues I spot, such as structural problems, plot and character inconsistencies, pacing, and flow. I have performed this inclusive service on scores of manuscripts over the past decade and a half.

View the checklist I use when editing book-length manuscripts.

LINE EDIT PRICING: $.0055/word ($5.5 per 1,000 words)
By comparison with the industry-standard prices above, that’s $275 per 50,000 words.

Why the price difference? Because, as a self-published author myself, I understand how challenging it can be to afford industry prices and how long it takes to earn them out with book sales. And because I love what I do and want to see other authors succeed.

Interested? Contact me with your manuscript’s word count and include the first ten or twelve pages. I’ll look it over, edit the first 1,000 words for free while noting the types 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 inspect my work and decide if we’re a good fit.

If we’re both agreeable, you may submit your entire manuscript. I work exclusively in Word, so please make sure I am receiving a Word document. It should be formatted in black 12-point type in a standard font with line spacing set at 1.5. If it is not, I will make those changes.

I will then edit your manuscript using Word’s review features. This records any changes I make so that you, as the final judge of your own work, can accept or reject each one. Word also allows me to include comments in the margin. If you’ve never used Word’s review features, I’ve included a brief tutorial in my menu above.

Just to be clear, this offer includes ONE PASS of editing. If you would like a second pass (through all or just portions of your manuscript), I will charge my proofreading rate below.

Please note: I strongly recommend that you run your manuscript through two or three trustworthy beta readers before contacting me. This ensures a quicker turnaround and a better outcome overall.

If I receive a manuscript that shows a poor grasp of basic English grammar (e.g., incorrect sentence construction throughout, dialogue punctuated incorrectly throughout, etc.) that I can’t accept at a per-word rate, I will offer to edit it at a $30 hourly rate. (Or check out these grammar resources.)

PROOFREAD PRICING: $.0035/word ($3.5 per 1,000 words) ($175 per 50,000 words)
This service includes one pass of editing for grammar, spelling, punctuation errors, missing words, and general typos. I will also flag repeated words and point out unclear text. It does not include rewrites or structural analysis, and benefits those whose manuscripts need only a light polish.

DEVELOPMENTAL EDIT PRICING: $.0065/word ($6.5 per 1,000 words) ($325 per 50,000 words)
New authors sometimes need help with foundational issues, such as story structure, organization, character development, arc development, pacing, and overall coherence. While I no longer offer ongoing, one-on-one coaching, I do provide a substantive critical evaluation. I’ll thoroughly read your draft, write out a detailed analysis of its strengths and weakness, and suggest specific revisions. These may include adding, moving, or removing text; reorganizing chapters; refining your central premise; improving narrative arc; improving character arc; or creating a more logical flow of ideas. I will also provide an outline of your manuscript to visualize arcs and improve pacing. I will use track changes to demonstrate suggested revisions, but I will not rewrite passages or make extensive changes. Nor will I address grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. I welcome all questions (I’m open to a Zoom call), but this is a “one and done” service, not ongoing coaching.

Ready to begin?

Additional Services

KDP Digital Formatting

I will format your manuscript to industry standards so your text will look its best on a Kindle e-reader. You will receive your manuscript back as a Word document ready to upload to Amazon’s KDP ebook platform.

I will need to receive your complete manuscript as a Word document.

I currently accept only fiction.

PRICING: I charge a flat rate of $75 up to 50K words. After that, I add a dollar for every thousand words.

Completed digital files will include:

• Your designated front matter (title page, dedication, etc.)
• Auto-generated table of contents with linked chapters
• Special text (your italics, bold words, etc.)
• Your designated 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

Completed digital files will NOT include:

• Cover images
• Graphs or tables
• Footnotes
• Excessive images

Paperback Formatting

Disclaimer: I work exclusively with clients who publish their paperbacks on Amazon. I do not work in printing and am not familiar with the technical details other printers may require.

Publishing paperbacks requires a PDF file. I will format your manuscript to industry standards and to Amazon standards and provide you with a print-ready PDF so your story will look its best on the printed page. You will also receive your formatted Word document, so any changes needed down the road can be made quickly and effortlessly.

I will need to receive your compete manuscript as a Word document.

I currently accept only fiction.

PRICING: I charge according to my KDP digital pricing (above) plus $50. (For clarity, if I am already doing your digital formatting, it’s $50 to add paperback. If I am not, the starting price for paper is $125.)

Completed files will include:

• Your designated front matter (title page, dedication, etc.)
• Auto-generated table of contents
• Special text (your italics, bold words, etc.)
• Your designated 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

Completed paperback PDF files will NOT include:

• Cover images
• Graphs or tables
• Footnotes
• Excessive images