Discover the best edit to boost your book
You’ve crafted a story to captivate your readers. Let’s ensure it’s one they can’t stop thinking about – for all the right reasons! Whether you’re preparing for traditional or self-publishing, I’ll help you towards your writing goals.
I offer story-level and sentence-level services. If you’re new to the world of professional editorial services, this post might help: Which type of editing would benefit your book the most?
Or, jump down to sentence-level services ↓
Book a sample edit to confirm we’re a good fit
For each of the services below, a sample edit of 1,000 words is available to give you an idea of how professional editing can serve your story. This service allows you to experience my editing style before booking a full edit. Sample edits are £40 for your choice of edit.
Story-level services
You want a book your readers can’t stop thinking about, even after they’ve finished the last page. But you might be wondering, Is my ending satisfying for readers? Should I cut that scene? Does this chapter work from that character’s point of view?
For big-picture questions about your story, developmental editing, developmental feedback, or a mini-edit is your best fit.
Story-level services are right for you if …
- You’re seeking guidance on overarching elements of your story, such as character development, stakes, plot structure, and narrative flow.
- Questions about narrative point of view, the effectiveness of specific scenes, or conflicting beta reading feedback keep you awake at night.
- You value a collaborative and supportive approach to enhance your storytelling craft.
But not a good fit if …
- You’re looking for a service primarily focusing on spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
- Your manuscript is already in its final form, and you’re not open to doing any revisions.
- You’re not comfortable with constructive feedback and open discussions about your work.
- You prefer a done-for-you book doctoring or ghostwriting experience without feedback or guidance on your writing.
“The quality of the report and the level of detail … is truly precious!”
Joanne got the characters and the story so well, and my take on the genre – all things that make a real difference. I am so pleased with the quality of the report and the level of detail. It is truly precious! Joanne, I loved working with you, and really hope we can work together on the next one too! 🙂
Lara Byrne
Award-winning historical fiction author
So happy with Joanne’s developmental feedback. Thorough, very detailed, and thoughtful. Plenty for me to reflect on and fix. Delivered ahead of time and was very clear in her progress at each stage. Joanne is very professional and I have no hesitation in recommending her. Thanks again!
Author wishes to remain anonymous
Publishing under a pseudonym
Developmental editing
A bird’s-eye view of your story’s big-picture elements to analyze character, stakes, plot, setting, tension, and more, depending on the needs of your story and your own goals and requests.
You receive personal responses as comments within the manuscript and a detailed editorial report about what works well, as well as opportunities for improvement, to unlock your story’s potential.
Developmental feedback
A high-level pass of your story’s big-picture elements to consider character, stakes, plot, and more, depending on the needs of your story and your own goals and requests. This is less in-depth than a full developmental edit. I triage and select the most crucial areas for you to work on for the benefit of readers.
You receive personal responses as comments within the manuscript and a focused editorial report about what works well and the main opportunities for improvement to steer your story in the right direction.
Mini-edit feedback
A mini-edit provides developmental feedback on your first 10,000 words. Get bite-sized story insights to apply to the rest of your manuscript. It’s a first impression of what makes your story work so far, focusing on the main strengths and opportunities for improvement.
You receive personal responses as comments within the manuscript and a focused editorial report about what works well and the main opportunities for improvement.
“Excels at bringing out the best of your voice without overwriting it”
Joanne’s approach makes so much sense. Many thanks for your keen observations. The narrative is now crisp and moves well, exactly what I was aiming for. The changes regarding point of view were just what I needed! Joanne has a keen eye for detail and effectively addressed my tendency to be verbose and repetitive. You did a wonderful job. Thank you!
Michael P
Fiction & non-fiction author
Joanne edited my chapter in the book, “The Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever.” As an editor, she excels at bringing out the best of your voice without overwriting it. Her calm presence kept me on track to finish my chapter on schedule and with excellence. If you are looking for a great writer and editor, look no further than Joanne.
Kami Watson Huyse
CEO of Zoetica Media and Smart Social Secrets, author and keynote speaker
Sentence-level services
You want reader-ready writing so people can enjoy your story without distracting errors. But you might be wondering, Is my dialogue punctuated properly? Have I overwritten some scenes? Have I missed any typos?
For fine-grained questions about your manuscript, line editing, copyediting, or proofreading is your best fit.
Sentence-level services are right for you if …
- You’re aiming for writing that’s polished, free from distracting errors, and ready to captivate your readers.
- You want to ensure your dialogue is punctuated correctly, enhancing the clarity and authenticity of your characters’ conversations.
- Questions about the tightness and effectiveness of individual sentences or paragraphs play on your mind.
- You appreciate a meticulous approach to enhance the clarity and style of your writing.
But not a good fit if …
- You’re primarily seeking feedback on character development, plot structure, or overarching narrative elements.
- Your manuscript is still in the early stages, and you haven’t finalized the content of your scenes.
- You’re not open to fine-tuning the intricate details of your prose, such as grammar, spelling, and punctuation yet.
“I feel so much more confident about submitting my writing now”
Joanne’s skills as a proofreader and text editor have proved invaluable in ensuring our material, which is read by 3 to 5 million readers each month, is as error-free as is humanly possible. As leader of the editorial team, I have found Joanne’s precision in her work and her communications both within that team and to our readers, a great asset that has significantly improved World History Encyclopedia in the global publishing market.
Mark Cartwright
Publishing Director, World History Encyclopedia
I was initially lacking confidence in certain aspects of grammar but Joanne took care of everything beautifully and I am so happy with the outcome. I feel so much more confident about submitting my writing now. I would recommend her to anyone. Thank you, Joanne!
Madavi R
Non-fiction author
Line editing
Prepare your writing for readers with stylistic suggestions to smooth out your sentences so they flow clearly. I pay careful attention to characterization, point of view, overwriting, effective dialogue, and more in this sentence-level edit, while merging with your unique writing style.
You will receive comments within the manuscript and suggested recasts for clunky or awkward phrases, as well as an editorial report you can use to hone your writing craft and create a delectable reading experience.
Copyediting
Refine your manuscript for a clear and consistent professional finish. A copyedit is a close inspection to catch those mistakes that are hard to spot when you are too close to your own work. Maybe you’re not completely certain about what a dangling modifier is, or you’re sick of putting hyphens in and then taking them out. I pay meticulous attention to typos, spelling, punctuation, grammar, and consistency.
You will receive comments within the marked-up manuscript file and suggested recasts for unwieldy sentences, as well as an editorial report and style sheet.
Proofreading
This meticulous review is the last line of defence against typos, spelling errors, and grammar mistakes that may have slipped through the cracks in earlier rounds of editing. I’ll give your work the finishing touch it deserves.
You will receive a marked-up manuscript and a style sheet for a clean and correct finish.
What if you only want a traditional proofread of formatted pages?
In traditional publishing, proofreading is the final quality control check for errors that have slipped through, or been caused by, other rounds of editing or formatting. Most self-publishing authors looking for proofreading actually want a line edit or copyedit. Please compare my editing services so you know what’s included in each.
If your manuscript has already been copyedited and you would like a final proofread, I’d be happy to help. Please contact me for a personalized quote.
“Understood my book so well”
Absolutely brilliant. Very hard working, detail oriented, and punctual. Joanne keeps you updated on everything and understood my book so well. It was so easy to work with her, and she surpassed my expectations. An absolute delight to work with and very willing to learn about your project and understand your objectives.
Author wishes to remain anonymous
Fiction & non-fiction author
Joanne has great attention to detail and her comments were very helpful. She went above and beyond what I expected. I highly recommend hiring Joanne and will definitely hire her again in the future!
Josh
Narrative non-fiction author
How much does editing cost?
Ballpark pricing is available on individual services pages and depends on word count, state of readiness, and how long I will spend with your manuscript. This is assessed during the sample edit. Careful, professional editing takes time and is an investment in improving your story. It’s also an investment in your writing skills for your next book! To get the most out of the process, I recommend running your manuscript past several beta readers and completing thorough self-editing or redrafting first.
If you’ve brought your manuscript as far as you can on your own, then it’s a good time to seek an editor (although it’s always a good idea to book in advance; I often have a waiting list of several months). If now isn’t the right time, I’ve written about editing when you can’t afford an editor yet.
Ask me about local rates if you live in Sri Lanka 🇱🇰
Joanne Taylor • Ajatar Editing 