Philosophy & FAQ
The author/editor combo can make or break a best-seller.My editing philosophy is simple: help, don’t hurt. I’m here to nurture and strengthen your writing while protecting what matters most — your voice. At the same time, I approach your manuscript the way your future readers will, evaluating how clearly and effectively the story or message comes through. My goal is always to help your work flow smoothly, communicate powerfully, and reach readers with maximum impact.
When something isn’t working, I point it out — that’s what you’re hiring me to do. But my red pen comes with a pom-pom attached. Alongside constructive critique, I make a point of highlighting what you’re doing well and why it works, so you can recognize your strengths and consciously build on them in future drafts and projects. Every writer brings a unique mix of talents and challenges to the page, and understanding your strengths often becomes the best roadmap for improving your weaknesses. That’s why my feedback is thoughtful, layered, and tailored specifically to you and your work. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to editing, which is why professional, human-centered editing matters so much. Software can catch surface-level issues, but it can’t evaluate voice, clarity, tone, rhythm, or emotional impact. That’s where a trained editor makes the difference. I love what I do. I’m deeply grateful for the education and opportunities that shaped me as a writer and editor, and I’m passionate about passing that knowledge along by helping authors refine their craft and move closer to their publishing goals. That said, I don’t work with every project that comes my way — you can read more about that in the section below, “Is There Anything You Won’t Edit?” What matters most to me is that we’re a great fit. I’m invested in my clients’ success, and when we work together, you don't just get an editor, you get an ally who’s rooting for you every step of the way. |
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Do I need an editor?
No. You’re the most amazing writer who ever lived. Why are you even on my site? Go buy a keg and ten pounds of Lit’l Smokies, rent a bounce house, and invite everyone you know over to celebrate your fabulousness. 😘 All writers need an editor. Those “perfect” books by your favorite authors didn’t arrive on bookstore shelves by accident — they went through at least one primary editor and multiple rounds of copyediting and proofreading before ever reaching readers. It’s nearly impossible to evaluate our own work with true objectivity, which is why bringing in a trained, professional eye is such a vital step in creating a novel that’s polished, powerful, and ready for publication. (You should still do the keg and bounce-house thing, though. Just because.) Am I ready for professional editing?
If your manuscript is complete and you can answer yes to one or more of the following scenarios, you're ready for professional editing: 1. You're not sure what to add or change at this point. 2. You'd like to receive feedback/guidance on the overall work and/or structuring the content. 3. You spend more time fantasizing about winning awards than revising the manuscript. 4. You're banging your head against the wall or desk while trying to figure out what to do now. 5. You've been banned from your local coffee shop for table hoarding. (Kidding—just go to the other place.) What are your credentials and training?
I was raised by a Grand Wizard in a Himalayan cave. For thousands of years, I meditated while hovering above a bed of lush green clover near a babbling brook and studied nothing but words, language, and the art of storytelling in every culture that's ever existed on earth. But seriously, I’ve been a freelance writer for over twenty years and a professional editor since 2010, with experience in both traditional and independent publishing. My publication credits span poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, technical writing, and multiple fiction novels. I studied Psychology, Creative Writing, and Journalism at Indiana University, graduating in 2008, and earned my MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. After completing my degree, I pursued an additional year of mentored study in poetry to further deepen my craft. During graduate school, I also interned as an editor with The Louisville Review and Dzanc Books. Following graduation, I taught composition, literature, creative writing, and persuasive rhetoric—first on campus at Daytona State College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and later online for Southern New Hampshire University. I also hold a Professional Certificate in Editing from UC Berkeley, bringing both formal training and real-world publishing experience to every project I take on. (This info and more can also be found on my About page, sans the Grand Wizard.) What is your specialty?
I have an MFA with an emphasis in fiction. My “specialties” are character development, sensory detail, plot, pacing, dialogue, and action, and those apply to all genres. I've professionally edited everything under the sun, and my personal publications include poetry, nonfiction, technical writing, short stories, and fiction novels. My roots are literary, so I pay close attention to character development and especially enjoy character-driven work. (This is where my undergrad studies in psychology come in handy.) I have also edited a lot of nonfiction as well as children's books. I greatly enjoy both. My range is vast. I'm the “Jane of all writing trades.” As mentioned in other responses, I don't work with everyone who comes my way, though. If your project is a stretch for me—generally due to extensive research requirements, such as for an academic textbook—or requires too much structural editing because your voice and craft aren’t developed enough, I'll pass. Please also refer to the section below titled “Is There Anything You Won't Edit?" and feel free to review the reference letters from my clients found here. Info on my formal education and training can be found here. Will you edit my genre?
Most likely, yes. I don't have a preferred genre. I love variation. I thrive on jumping from fiction to nonfiction to screenwriting and back again. Vampires, witches, space exploration and tech, romance, erotica, magical realism, epoch fantasy, horror, literary, diet/nutrition, marketing, sports, and everything in between — bring it on. I can't stress enough how much I prefer variety in my work. Otherwise, please refer to the section above titled “What's your specialty?" and the section below titled "Is There Anything You Won't Edit?" Is there anything you won't edit?
I don't work with everyone who approaches me, for a few reasons… 1. I'm generally booked 8-12 weeks out, so my schedule needs to be conducive to your publishing goals. 2. Your work needs to be developed enough that it doesn't need a total rewrite. As I mentioned above, my goal is always to preserve your voice. If your grammar is so muddled that I'm revising almost every sentence, your writing isn't developed enough to have a voice yet for me to preserve. That's just me ghost-writing and getting supremely underpaid to do so, which doesn't do anyone any good. For ethical reasons, I don't take on clients who need a full manuscript structural edit. 3. I'm somewhat selective about the purpose and intended meaning of the manuscript. Not every story has to be layered with meaning or upbeat or have a happy ending — certainly not. But I don't work on manuscripts that are filled with hate-driven rants or that promote violence against women, abusive relationships, oppression, or hatred of a religion, race, or gender.
4. I generally pass on projects that have extensive research requirements, such as textbooks — depending on the length. I do enjoy working on educational books for children. 5. Yes, I edit erotica. Yummy. Should I submit to agents and/or publishers before indie-publishing?
That depends on your goals, marketing abilities, budget, and how long you're willing to wait for publication. Traditional publishing always takes much longer than self-publishing — by years. The industry “standard” is a minimum of 2-5 years for traditional publishing, though it's notoriously longer. These days, competition is so abundant and fierce that you need to submit publish-ready work of equal or greater quality to what's on the shelves in bookstores to avoid landing in the slush pile. So whichever publishing route you plan on pursuing, once you finish your manuscript draft, hiring a professional editor is the next best first step. How are you different from “bad" editors I've worked with in the past (or heard about)?
There are many types of bad editors. I won't cover all of them here because that would get tedious and maybe even a little strange (ha), but the most common are: 1. The “Editor” with no training, no experience, and nothing but a love of reading. I often see articles circulating online that list “Editor” among “work-from-home jobs that require no education or training,” and that idea does real harm to writers. I regularly hear from authors who have lost time, money, and momentum to people who had no business offering professional editing services. If that’s happened to you, you have my genuine sympathy. A true editor brings education, experience, and accountability to the table, which is why I always encourage authors to review my credentials, client feedback, and body of work before moving forward. 2. The well-meaning novice who offers every type of editing but has only proofread a handful of papers and/or a friend’s manuscript. Everyone has to start somewhere, but learning on paying clients is not ethical. Beyond my degrees, I completed internships with literary publishers, edited work for graduate-level faculty, and taught composition, literature, creative writing, and rhetoric at three universities before building my private editing practice. That background matters, because professional-level editing requires far more than spotting typos — it requires deep familiarity with craft, structure, and reader psychology. 3. The “bad hairdresser.” You know the type: they ignore what you asked for and give you the cut or color they think you should have. In editing, this shows up as someone who bulldozes your voice and reshapes your manuscript into something unrecognizable. As a writer myself, I would never tolerate that — and you shouldn’t either. Your voice, perspective, and storytelling instincts are what make your work unique. My job is not to overwrite you, but to help you express your message in your voice with greater clarity, power, and polish. I’ll be honest about what needs improvement — absolutely. But I will never replace your vision with my own. 4. The “assembly-line” editing sites. Many rapid-fire online editing services simply run your manuscript through automated spelling and grammar software and send it back to you. That’s something you can already do yourself — for free. True editing requires human judgment, literary training, and an understanding of voice, story, and readers. If all you’re getting is a dressed-up spellcheck, it’s not worth paying for. How do you justify charging for a sample edit?
Do you work for free on your days off? Editing is skilled, time-intensive professional labor, and it deserves the same respect as any other profession. I offer an in-depth paid sample edit designed to give you a clear, meaningful preview of how I would handle your full manuscript. This includes ten fully edited, publish-ready pages, so you can see exactly how I approach voice, clarity, pacing, and craft. Unfortunately, some writers have used “free sample edits” as a way to obtain polished short stories for submission to magazines and journals, which is why I no longer provide extensive free editing. Given the cost of a full novel edit, a $45 sample is a very small investment to make sure we’re a strong fit before moving forward. I do, however, offer two complimentary options:
My goal is to make sure you feel confident, informed, and comfortable before committing to anything. How do I know you won't steal my work or idea?
“Busted. That’s been my evil plan all along — muahahahaha… what was your name again?” Getting traditionally published is hard. Getting people to actually read your work is even harder. Whether a manuscript is signed with your name or mine, no one cares until an author has spent years building a readership, a reputation, and a body of work. And if I were going to put that kind of time and effort into something, it would be for my own writing, in my own voice — not someone else’s. While stories of plagiarism or manuscript theft do occasionally surface, they almost always involve already-published work or disputes between collaborators, co-writers, or people who shared files or accounts. Random editors stealing unpublished manuscripts simply isn’t how the industry operates. If it brings you peace of mind, you’re always welcome to take additional precautions—such as notarizing or otherwise documenting your manuscript before sending it anywhere. In fact, I recommend it. A while back, I wrote a helpful blog post on how to copyright unpublished drafts. Either way, rest assured: your work is safe. Should I also hire a proofreader after line or structural editing?
In most cases, yes. Industry standards allow for a small margin of error — often cited as about one error per 10,000 words — and even the best editors are human. In traditional publishing, a manuscript typically passes through a primary editor and then multiple proofreaders before it ever reaches print. It truly does take a team. Line editing and developmental or structural editing are intensive, meaning they introduce a lot of new text and changes. Once those revisions are complete, a final proofread is essential to catch any small issues that naturally slip through during heavy revision. While proofreading is a separate service, I always recommend having a fresh, qualified set of eyes review the manuscript before publication. If you’d like, I can proofread any manuscript I’ve edited (after all revisions are applied) at a reduced rate. That said, an independent proofreader can be even more effective, since they’re seeing the manuscript for the first time. What matters most is that whoever proofreads your book is trained and experienced — because unqualified proofreading can do more harm than good. I’m also happy to recommend trusted professional proofreaders from my network if you’d like referrals. Finally, don’t underestimate the power of a printed copy. Reading your manuscript — or your first print proof — on paper is one of the best ways to spot lingering issues and make a "fresh" final pass. How do you set your rates?
My rate structure is based on the EFA industry standard median price ranges. However, I am at the top of my field, so my rates are often lower than comparable editors because I strive to keep my services as accessible as possible. I feel fortunate to be in a position where I can do that. Detailed info on my pricing can be found here. How do I calculate what I owe?
The total owed is calculated based on the word count of your manuscript, ensuring there are no surprises. All projects totaling $300 or less are billed upfront. Otherwise, I charge 50% upfront and 50% upon completion. I also offer payments divided into three or four equal installments for projects exceeding $5,000. (The project has to be paid in full before the completed edits are delivered.)
Calculation Formula: (manuscript word count) x (price per word) = total Example: If you’re getting a $0.03 per word line-edit on a 50,000 word manuscript, the formula is: 50,000 x 0.03 = $1500 Do you have a contract?
Yes. The gist of it says that you retain all rights to your work and owe me nothing beyond editing (unless you hire me for other publishing-related services). I always send a copy of my contract for review with a sample edit. I want to receive feedback as I'm writing. Do you offer something like that?
Yes! Manuscript Coaching focuses on smaller sections at a time while you're working toward a completed manuscript. You send chapters or short stories weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. This is ideal if you're looking for a writing coach who will review each chapter or section as it's written and give a comprehensive critique, addressing structure, content, focus, audience, consistencies in voice, tone, and point of view, as well as plot and pacing, realism in dialogue, character development, all stylistic elements, and overall substance — and help you stay motivated. 🙂 Info on editing options and pricing can be found here. What will our author-editor relationship be like?
Once we’ve finalized the details and you’ve given me the green light by paying the deposit and sending your full manuscript, I go "radio-silent" for a bit. For obvious reasons, the real conversation begins after I’ve read the entire book, so I like to give your story my full, uninterrupted attention before offering feedback. In the meantime, feel free to send the occasional late-night “just checking in” email — I’ll happily respond the next business day with reassurance. Once editing is complete, though, that’s when things really get lively. We’ll dig into your story, revisions, and what comes next, whether that’s strengthening the manuscript or dreaming up the sequel. My goal is always for us to be a strong, collaborative team. I want my guidance, clarity, and encouragement to help you reach the publication finish line with confidence — so that by your second or third book, you feel like a seasoned pro. I also offer a full suite of publishing services (more about those here), but even if you’re working with me strictly for editing, you’ll always receive post-edit Q&A to talk through your revisions, along with space to discuss your next writing and publishing goals. Do I need to schedule in advance?
That depends on your goals. For full manuscript edits, I am generally booked 2–3 months out. Please note: I do not offer a “rush" service option. What are the steps to get started?
Send me an inquiry via email or through the form linked here with details of your project, then we'll decide if the best next step is a sample edit or a project assessment — either option will include a custom price quote. After that, we'll determine the schedule for your project. I'm also happy to schedule a good ol' fashioned phone call. :) |
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