How It Works

Let’s work together to take your manuscript from rough draft to reader-ready.

Line Editing

This is where your prose is polished. I’ll look at word choices, sentence structure, clarity, continuity, dialogue, tone and style—all while keeping your unique voice front and centre. I will:

  • Tighten sentence structure and improve flow
  • Refine word choices to match your intended tone and emotion
  • Catch point-of-view errors, clichés and overused phrases
  • Spot inconsistencies in character details, timeline and setting
  • Eliminate unnecessary repetition
  • Keep pacing in mind throughout the work
  • Ensure logical progression of ideas
  • Flag any obvious plot holes or discrepancies

Copyediting

While line editing focuses on style and flow, copyediting focuses on the mechanics. A copyeditor will:

  • Ensure your language follows standard English conventions
  • Check spelling, capitalisation, abbreviations and proper nouns
  • Correct grammar, tenses, punctuation and sentence structure
  • Fix spacing and line formatting issues
  • Maintain consistency with your chosen style guide
  • Verify accuracy of titles, dates, names, places and other factual details.

There is some overlap between these two services, which is why I offer them together.

Proofreading

The proofreader works with the final proof just before publication. This is your last line of defence against typos and formatting errors. A proofreader will:

  • Check page numbers, chapter headings and ornamental breaks for consistency
  • Verify correct use of indents, word breaks and scene breaks
  • Ensure fonts are consistent throughout
  • Review spacing, headers, word stacks, widows and orphans, footnotes and endnotes
  • Check dashes, hyphens, abbreviations and acronyms for consistency
  • Match contents pages to chapter numbers
  • Flag any missing chapters
  • Review copyright pages
  • Check author bio, acknowledgements, references and index

What You’ll Receive

I edit in Word, using Track Changes. When editing is complete, you’ll receive:

  • A marked-up document showing all changes and comments
  • A second version with changes accepted (comments still visible)
  • A clean copy with all changes and comments removed, so you can read your work without the editing clutter
  • A brief report with general feedback and suggestions for strengthening your writing
  • A style sheet documenting your preferences—spelling choices, place names, grammatical decisions and other details. This can be invaluable for final proofreading and especially useful if you’re working on a series.

You’ll always receive a clear quote before any work begins. No surprises, no hidden extras!

Request a free sample edit

Rates and Quotes

My fees are based on the current CIEP (UK) and EFA (US) guidelines. As a general guide:

  • Line and Copy Edits: about £0.015 / US $0.02 per word (i.e. £15 per 1000 words / US$ 20 per 1000 words)
  • Hourly equivalent: about £30 / US$40 ph.

Your exact rate will depend on the level of editing required. Once I’ve done your 1,000-word sample edit, I’ll confirm a fixed quote — no surprises, no hidden extras.

Authors in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and elsewhere — please contact me for region-specific rates that reflect local market expectations.