Editing that makes your book stronger, not smaller
Good editing does not flatten a writer's voice. It clears everything out of the way so readers hear it properly.
Levels of editing.
Which edit do you actually need?
Most authors ask for proofreading when what they need is developmental editing. The two aren't interchangeable, and paying for the wrong one is the most common way writers waste money. Editing happens in a fixed order, and each stage assumes the one before it is finished. Read across, find yourself, then book that level.
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Manuscript Evaluation
You've finished a draft but you're not sure if it works. You want an honest read before you invest in a full edit.
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Developmental
The story, structure, or argument needs work. Chapters may move, shrink, or disappear.
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Line
The structure is settled. Now we work sentence by sentence on rhythm, clarity, and voice.
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Copy
Grammar, punctuation, usage, consistency, and style. Your manuscript becomes publication ready.
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Proofread
The final pass on laid out pages. We catch what slipped through before it reaches a printer.
Not sure where you land? Send us your first 1,000 words. We'll tell you which stage you're at, at no cost and with no obligation to book.
ADULT, MEMOIR & CHAPTER BOOKS
Priced by the word
Word count is the fairest measure we've found. It reflects the actual work in front of our editors, and it means you know roughly what you're spending before you send a single file.
All prices are in USD and are starting rates. Denser subject matter, heavy fact checking, or a manuscript that needs more intervention than its booked level will change the quote, and we'll tell you that before you pay anything.
A note on quotes. We don't finalize a price until we've read a sample of your manuscript. After you send us your first 1,000 words we'll confirm the level you need, the exact fee, and your place in the schedule. That quote holds for 30 days.
Manuscript Evaluation
FROM $0.03 PER WORD
2 TO 3 WEEKS
An editor reads your complete manuscript and writes you a detailed report on what's working and what isn't. No markings on the text. This is the least expensive way to find out whether your book is ready, and it's the smartest first spend for a writer on a budget.
You Received
An editorial report of 8 to 15 pages covering structure, pacing, voice, and market readiness
A prioritized list of what to fix first
One 30-minute call to talk it through
Revisions
Report only. You make the changes.
Minimum fee $350.
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PICTURE BOOKS & EARLY READERS
Priced as a flat fee
A 700 word picture book takes just as much editorial judgement as a novel chapter, sometimes more. Every word has to earn its place, the page turns have to work, and the read aloud rhythm has to hold up on the fiftieth reading. Per word pricing doesn't reflect that, so we don't use it here.
These are flat fees in USD, quoted as starting rates. Books with complex back matter, multiple languages, or heavy research are quoted individually.
Writing for children is harder than it looks. If your manuscript is running long, that's usually a structural issue rather than a word problem. We'll say so, and we'll show you where to cut.
Picture Book, up to 1,000 words
1 TO 2 WEEKS
Evaluation and feedback report: from $275
Developmental edit: from $300
Copy edit and proofread: from $275
Complete package, all three stages: from $850
What we look at
Page turn structure and the 32-page format
Read-aloud rhythm and rhyme scheme where used
Age-appropriate vocabulary and reading level
Illustration notes, and whether text and image are repeating each other
Character consistency across a series
Revisions
Two rounds included at every level.
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DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Before there's a manuscript.
Not every author arrives with a finished draft. Some arrive with a lifetime of stories and no idea how to shape them, and some arrive with a proposal that needs to survive a publisher's desk. These services meet those writers.
Memoirs and Memories anthologies are edited to exactly the same standards you see on this page. Contributor pieces receive line and copy editing, the collection receives a developmental pass for arc and balance, and every contributor keeps the voice they wrote in.
Ghostwriting
FROM $2.50 PER WORD
6 TO 12 MONTHS
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You have the story and the expertise. We have the writer. Through recorded interviews and close collaboration, we write the book in your voice, and your name is the only one on the cover.
How it works
Discovery and outline development
A program of recorded interviews, typically 15 to 30 hours in total
Chapter drafts delivered for your approval as we go
Full manuscript, then a line and copy edit
Ghostwriting is booked as a separate agreement with its own payment schedule.
AT A GLANCE
2026 rate card
All rates are starting rates in USD, current for 2026 and benchmarked annually against the Editorial Freelancers Association rate chart and Editors Canada productivity standards.
Adult & Chapter Book Manuscripts
Per word services
| Service | From (per word) | 60,000 words | Turnaround | Revision rounds |
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| Manuscript evaluation | $0.03 | $1,800 | 2 to 3 weeks | Report and call |
| Developmental editing | $0.05 | $3,000 | 5 to 8 weeks | 1 revision review |
| Line editing | $0.045 | $2,700 | 4 to 6 weeks | 1 query round |
| Copy editing | $0.035 | $2,100 | 3 to 4 weeks | 1 clean up round |
| Copy editing and proofreading | $0.045 | $2,700 | 4 to 5 weeks | 2 rounds |
| Proofreading | $0.025 | $1,500 | 2 to 3 weeks | 1 pass |
| Fact checking | $0.03 | $1,800 | 3 to 4 weeks | 1 pass |
| Ghostwriting | $0.25 | $15,000 | 6 to 12 months | Per agreement |
Flat Fee Services
Picture books, development & specialty services
| Service | From | Turnaround | Revision rounds |
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| Picture book, complete package | $850 | 1 to 2 weeks | 2 rounds |
| Early reader, complete package | $1,050 | 2 to 3 weeks | 2 rounds |
| Chapter book, complete package | $1,700 | 3 to 4 weeks | 2 rounds |
| Series development bible | $1,500 | 4 to 6 weeks | 1 round |
| Book proposal development | $1,500 | 4 to 6 weeks | 2 rounds |
| Sensitivity and authenticity read | $600 | 2 to 3 weeks | Report and call |
| Book coaching, twelve sessions | $1,600 | Ongoing | Not applicable |
Word counts are taken from the manuscript as submitted. The publishing industry counts a standard manuscript page as 250 words. Turnaround times begin the day your signed agreement, your deposit, and your complete manuscript are all received, and they do not include the time you spend on your own revisions.
HOW WE WORK
From first email to final file
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Send your sample
Email us your first 1,000 words and tell us what you think your book needs. There's no charge and no obligation.
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Get your quote
Within five business days we'll send you a sample edit, the level we recommend, a firm fee, and your start date. The quote holds for 30 days.
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Book your place
Sign the agreement and pay 50 percent. That deposit reserves your editor and your slot in the schedule.
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We edit
Your editor works to the agreed timeline. You'll hear from us at the midpoint, so you always know where things stand.
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Review together
We deliver your edited manuscript and supporting documents, then walk you through them on a call before you begin revising.
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Final files
Your included revision rounds are completed and your balance is settled. Final files are released and the book is yours to publish.
GOOD TO KNOW
The details that matter.
Payment
50 percent is due to begin. The balance is due before final files are released. Projects over $5,000 can be split across three payments on request.
Rush work
Need it faster than the published turnaround? A 30 percent surcharge applies, subject to editor availability. We'd rather tell you no than deliver you a rushed edit.
Our schedule
We take on ten manuscripts a month so that every author gets real attention. The current booking window is 3 to 5 weeks out.
Your rights
You own your manuscript, before, during, and after. Editing does not transfer any rights to us. Ghostwriting agreements assign full authorship to you in writing.
Confidentiality
Every editor on our team works under a confidentiality agreement. Your manuscript is never shared, quoted, or used as a sample without your written permission.
If the level changes
If we open your manuscript and find it needs a heavier edit than you booked, we stop and tell you before doing the work. You decide whether to upgrade, and nothing is charged without your approval.
Style
We edit to Chicago style by default, and to Canadian, American, or British spelling depending on your market. Tell us your preference and we'll build your style sheet around it.
Cancellations
Deposits are non refundable once your editor has begun, since your slot has been held. If you cancel before the start date, your deposit transfers to a future booking within twelve months.
Style
We edit to Chicago style by default, and to Canadian, American, or British spelling depending on your market. Tell us your preference and we'll build your style sheet around it.
QUESTIONS
Asked and answered
If yours isn't here, email us. We answer editorial questions whether or not you end up booking with us.
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Send us your first 1,000 words.
We'll read them, edit a sample, and tell you exactly what your manuscript needs and what it will cost. No charge, no pressure, and an honest answer even when the answer is that you're not ready yet.