Frequently Asked Questions

I read and edit a very wide variety of books. My specialty is fiction in almost all genres, from literary to horror. I have a particular fondness for fantasy and young adult fiction, but I read a good selection of books from most genres, as well as children’s books. I love books (obviously), so I don’t tend to limit my reading to one genre or another.

Please note that my one fiction genre exception is romance novels.

I also edit narrative non-fiction (memoir) with topics that are approachable for the general public and presented in a story format.

This is a difficult question. Any good editor will tell you that there is some content they’re simply not suited to edit, just like people don’t all read the same type of books — or even every book in one genre.

I always ask for a brief content summary before I take on a project, which helps me make sure I’m the right editor for your work.

If you’re not sure, ask! I’m always straightforward about what I can or cannot work on. After all, you don’t want to hire an editor who isn’t the right editor for your book.

Yes! I love working on short stories. I actually offer a special short story rate, just for those of you not working on a novel.

Yes, I do. I’ve edited graphic novels, scripts for television, and illustrated books for both adults and children in the past. I read quite a few graphic novels a year. So, if you’re working with scripts or artwork, please send me an email!

No. I love poetry, but I’m not up-to-date with current poetry standards. I do not edit any academic materials, résumés or CVs.

I occasionally work on non-specialized narrative non-fiction, like memoirs. However, I do not work on book-length non-narrative non-fiction like self-help books or instructional guides.

To some extent, yes! I’m not the right editor for an entire book in French, but I do speak French fluently and am a conversational Spanish speaker. Since I love language, I also know a smattering of several other languages. If you have a few lines of foreign conversation, or if you’d like help editing a translation into English, I’d be happy to lend a hand.

It depends on how long your novel is, what kind of editing you’re getting, and how dense your text is. As a ballpark estimate, you can typically expect a 4-8 weeks turnaround for an adult novel from 75,000-100,000 words long. It can be more for dense and longer novels or shorter for proofreading, children’s books, or lighter books, depending on my schedule.

I always give a time estimate and a turnaround schedule with my sample edits, so please inquire for an exact timeline.

I work with all industry standard formats: .doc, .docx, .pages, .rtf, .pdf, .indd, .xhtml, .epub. If you have a special format you’re working with, simply ask! I have access to a variety of software and have worked on many non-standard formats in the past.

Yes. A contract protects me, but it also protects you. It gives us both a clear idea of what editing is taking place, how long it will take, how much it will cost, and what happens if either of us needs to change something. I send the contract before the start date so that you have time to review it, and I’m always happy to answer questions, discuss the contract, and explain clauses with my clients before anything is signed.

Sample edits are always free.

A sample edit is an edit of about 2,500 words, or 5-10 pages. You send me the sample, then I edit it and send it back to you. This lets you see the kind of editing your manuscript would be going through, and the style of my comments, as well as giving you a chance to ask questions about my preliminary notes. It also lets me give you a more exact estimate for how long editing will take and how much it will cost you.

Sometimes! Whether or not I have time for a rush job depends on my schedule at the time and the manuscript I will be editing — as well as how quick the rush job needs to be. Be aware, there is an extra fee for very tight turnarounds.

Every manuscript I edit is kept confidential. I do not share client’s work and I work on a secured computer to ensure that your documents are as safe as they can be.

You should always be wary of editors that guarantee you a publishing deal or an agent’s attention. Often these sorts of editor-agent or editor-publisher arrangements are preying on authors that are new to the industry. They will typically charge authors big reading fees, sell them ‘publishing’ packages that aren’t worth the paper the contract is printed on, or do a poor job representing the author — which is very damaging to an author’s reputation and future chances in the industry. You can find more information on these and other scams at Writer Beware.

I don’t introduce my clients to agents or publishers. However, I’m always happy to share resources on where you can start your search for representation or your self-publishing journey.

I edit! This is not a part-time side-job for me; editing is my full-time career. I’m very dedicated to keeping current in the industry, and I spend all day, every day with books, words, and literary concepts.

Please do! I love hearing from past clients. I keep all my notes on the projects I’ve edited in the past, and I never mind clarifying a comment, giving you my opinion on an idea, or answering any questions, even if it’s been a while since I edited your work.