Nonfiction Editor
Your manuscript is now complete. Congratulations! Now, wouldn’t it be great if you could just hand it over and, without a whole lot of fuss on your part, end up with a professionally published book? You can!
Because you’re serving your clients or engaging your community each day, and the writing process already consumed much of your available time, you may not want to learn all the intricacies of self-publishing—and that’s okay. That’s what I’m trained to do.
You don’t need to feel overwhelmed by the details of the independent publishing process. You remain in the driver’s seat on this journey, and I’m your GPS helping you navigate the process. My goal as the navigator is to ensure you enjoy the process and that you’re thrilled when you see your finished book.
My Approach
My process is combining line editing and copyediting. (See below for levels of editing.) As a certified ghostwriter, I ensure that any rewriting I do on your behalf will be kept in your voice. I add comments if I feel there are gaps in information or if a particular passage is unclear. Editing is done to the Chicago Manual of Style, which is the publishing industry standard.
If budget allows, I finalize the document and do a second pass after you have reviewed the marked-up document. As most editors will tell you, it’s impossible to catch everything during the first round. This process is to verify that all changes have been correctly incorporated and catch any misplaced punctuation or awkward-to-the-ear sentence structures as it is done by reading aloud.
Levels of Editing
Substantive (or Structural) Editing: This is big picture editing and involves revising and/or reorganizing the structure both as a whole and paragraph by paragraph so that it reads in a logical, linear fashion.
Stylistic Editing: This level of editing typically takes place in conjunction with structural editing or copyediting, and is done to ensure clarity, coherence and flow of the content.
Line Editing: Converting passive and static voice to active prose where feasible. Correcting awkward phrasings and weak constructions and dealing with the issues of non-sentences and fragments.
Copyediting: Correcting mechanics and manuscript’s logistics: grammar, spelling, syntax, punctuation and formatting and consistency.
Proofreading: Searching for typographical errors as the final process prior to submission of manuscript. Usually compared against a marked up manuscript to ensure changes have been incorporated correctly.
Proofing the Design: This is a process of checking first and last of each paragraph to ensure the text flowed properly when it was copied into the design program.
Pitfalls of Self-Editing
Publishing
I can help you navigate the independent publishing process and ensure you’re overjoyed with your book.
I have expertise in the publishing industry, and I know what needs to be done to ensure your book looks professional and can be marketed everywhere. Additionally, I have established resources and connections.
There’s a high learning curve for anyone who has never made the publishing journey. Working with me will give you the freedom to concentrate on those things that only you can do, being the expert in your field.
What I do on your behalf:
- Register your ISBN
- Create the front matter and back matter pages
- Obtain testimonials
- Write or edit back cover copy
- Source a book designer
- Proof the designed book
- Open an account at IngramSpark
- Set up retailer discounts within IngramSpark
- Upload files to IngramSpark
- Verify IngramSpark proof
- Provide instructions on how to order from IngramSpark