The Editing Process
Obtaining a Quote - A Personalised Appraisal
After I have received and assessed your work, I will provide you with a personalised quote. This quote is based on how much assistance your manuscript needs, combined with the type of editing you've requested.
Once you've accepted the quote, we move on to the contract.
The contract outlines the work to be done and the date it is to be completed by. It also covers such topics as payment, changes to the brief mid-edit, as well as confidentiality.
While the contract is designed to protect us both, its primary function is to act as the editorial brief - that is, exactly what is going to be done to your work, and how. In this way a contract offers accountability and clarity, as well as a measure of security for both parties.
Once the contract is signed, the more interesting work can begin!
The Magic of Fiction by Beth Hill is an extremely valuable resource for authors. One of the most valuable reference materials in my collection, it can be bought here, if you want to add it to your own.
It is available in PDF here.
It is available in hardcopy via CreateSpace, Amazon, and any other site worth its salt.
Getting a Headstart
What kind of edit do you need?
In-depth information on the different types of editing I offer can be located here.
What mode of English do you want to publish your work in?
Australian English (AuE)
The Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers
Macquarie Dictionary Online
The Magic of Fiction
American English (AmE)
The Chicago Manual of Style
Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online
The Magic of Fiction
British English (BrE)
New Hart’s Rules (aka Oxford Guide to Style)
Oxford Dictionaries Online
The Magic of Fiction
Who is your target audience? What age group is your manuscript written for?
Some classifications include children, young adults, or adults.
Editing Your Work
Once all the annoying business stuff is done we can get to the fun part. You can go on a holiday, enjoy a good book, and a glass of wine (or my personal favourite, a mojito). To get to this point is a success in itself.
As per the editing brief I'll go through your work with love and care. As I've said before, I love what I do. Sometimes an edit can be more difficult and take longer than was originally predicted. Sometimes it is a lot easier than initially expected. On the rare occasion that your edit will not be ready on time, it will be discussed with you in advance (but this has only happened twice in seven years). A great edit is the result of a conversation between both parties. Get involved, ask questions. An editor doesn't sit aggressively staring at their screen with a red pen and a knife -- we're usually quite friendly!
Your work is gone through twice on each run. If you've paid for one round of line editing, for example, the piece is worked on digitally, and then on hardcopy. Any remaining changes found on the hardcopy are incorporated into the digital file, which is then returned to you.
Getting Your Work Back
When you get your work back it will (usually) be your job to go through the tracked changes and queries. Queries or issues will be set in a comment, using Microsoft Word's track changes function. Global queries or issues are usually listed in the style sheet, which you will also be provided with. I am always available to help you as you go through the revision process, so if you have any queries as you go, you can be sure I'll be there to help you.
What's Next?
If you've paid for one round of line editing (as an example), this is when you would choose to go ahead with the proofreading process or publish straight away. This is completely up to you.
If you've paid for a Full Publishing Package, this is when you would return the work to me for another round of line editing (included free). Once this is complete, it is formatted for ebook or print (by you or a third party), and returned to me for proofreading.