Services
About My Services
I am passionate about helping authors edit their manuscripts. I will work with you to refine your book text and make it the best I can.
I understand that every author has a unique voice, and I strive to preserve that voice while improving the clarity, coherence, and overall flow of your writing.
I had many years of experience communicating through written words before becoming a book editor. I was a Technical Writer for multiple types of businesses that manufactured electronic products, computer software products, digital products, and more. I wrote and created multitudes of end-user User Guides, Quick Start Guides, Service Guides, internal company documents, and more. Although book editing differs from technical user guides, the experience of writing clear and concise documents helped prepare me for book editing.
I began book editing in 2019 when I approached my pastor and offered to help edit and get his book published. I had never done that type of editing before, but my background served me well in the new endeavor. I learned the many processes and formats required by publishing companies to get books published after the editing and layout design are complete.
Besides having previous writing experience as a Technical Writer, I believe that I have become a successful book editor because the books I have been 'commissioned' to work on were written by Christian authors. Since I am a Christian, their subject matter was easy and helpful to relate to and understand each book. It's been a rewarding experience and a blessing to grow spiritually through my clients' books. Check out my Client Books webpage for many of the books I've helped publish.
Disclaimer: I reserve the right to accept or not accept any editing/publishing project at my discretion, based on the subject matter and my schedule availability. Because I strive to produce the best results for my clients, choosing projects with familiar subjects helps me help my clients in the best way. Depending on your editing/publishing project, I may not fit your needs if you require a strict deadline. Since I am retired, taking on editing projects is my 'side gig'; I do not do this work full-time. Therefore, before I accept any editing project, I advise the potential client of any time constraints I may already have, ensuring no surprises for me or my clients.
Manuscript Editing
My editing includes checking & correcting grammar, proper word usage, punctuation, sentence structure, and clarity.
I use electronic 'tools' (i.e., Spellcheck and Grammarly) to help ensure that I've done my due diligence to catch all editing issues.
I can process manuscripts from multiple types of documents. Typically clients provide MS Word (.doc or .docx) or .pdf formatted documents. I even transcribed a manuscript from recorded .wav files.
Interior Layout Design
In addition to editing your manuscript, I believe a well-designed book is just as crucial as well-written content. I strive to create a book that is visually appealing and professional.
Based on the subject matter of your book, I choose appropriate fonts and colors, and create a layout to showcase your book in the best possible way. Some books' formats are business-like, while others are best with a casual vibe. I enjoy the challenge of designing the initial layout and tweaking it until I feel satisfied.
I use the Adobe InDesign program to design the book layout and formatting, ensuring that the final book files meet the publishing company's specific requirements. The general page layouts can be the same for printed and e-book designs. However, the text formatting for each differs significantly from the other (i.e., fonts used, page breaks, headers/footers, etc.). So once I complete one version (i.e., print), duplicate those files, and then re-format the entire book for the second version (i.e., e-book).
Cover Design
Ahhhh, yes, the cover. The most important aspect of a good book is the cover.
Much like the interior layout design, I design book covers based on the subject matter. If the client does not have an idea in mind already of how they envision their cover, they will entrust me to design it.
I typically look at other published books on similar topics to get ideas. Then I search for appropriate (royalty-free) photos to fit the design that I want to achieve. I have also used client photos for covers, which is excellent.
I often create and present multiple designs to the author using different layouts, photos, fonts, etc. From that point, with the author's feedback, I will continue to tweak the design until the author is happy with it. It's the author's book, not mine, so their input and satisfaction is crucial.
Authors can use my cover design service to create their book cover or provide me with a cover file they have already made for your book.
Cover files provided to me must be saved as a .jpg, .jpeg, .pdf, or InDesign .indd. Be aware that covers cannot be formatted with the final dimensions before the entire book interior formatting is complete; the number of pages determines the cover’s spine width.
Publishing Your Book
After I complete all the required editing and layout formatting to prepare your book for publishing, I will help you get it published. I will work closely with you to help you set up an account on a publishing company's website and get your book files uploaded for publishing.
Many publishing companies are available to publish books. Some offer all my services, as well as printing and marketing the books. However, after using two publishing companies, I prefer Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) to self-publish my client's books (and my own published book).
KDP offers a user-friendly website for uploading your book files, setting them up with all the marketing information necessary to sell your book(s) through Amazon. Their Royalty payment system is generous, and their customer base is far more extensive than other publishing companies. Check it out: kdp.amazon.com.
My Fees
I may be able to give a general estimate based on your initial project description. Still, until I can check out your manuscript and determine the specifics of your requirements, it is impossible to provide an exact quote.
Hourly rate: $25.
Minimum fee per book (printed OR e-book): $500
Minimum fee for e-book version after completed print version: $200
Cover design service for an edited book: additional $200
Cover design service alone (no book editing): $400
Advance deposit to begin a project: $250
Help setting up your publishing company account and uploading your book files: $0
Minor updates after your book is published: $0
Significant formatting and text revisions after your book is published: $25/hour
Ready to Publish?
Great! Let's connect and discuss what you have in mind.