SERVICES AND RATES

Sometimes authors aren't sure what level of editing is right for them, or they want a more affordable option for receiving basic feedback on the strength of their manuscript at both the story and language levels. With a Manuscript Evaluation, we read the entire manuscript and provide an editorial feedback letter that lays out our impressions of your book in broad strokes. At the author's request, we include a recommendation for further editing, a sample edit, and a quote for our proposed services.

A copyedit is a close read of your work to address grammar, punctuation, spelling, inconsistencies, fact-checking, and adherence to the Chicago Manual of Style. Unlike with line editing, at the copyediting stage, we do not fix or improve your style, but simply ensure your language is polished and consistent. We also create a style sheet, which is a guide for the typesetter and proofreader to implement the decisions that were made in the editorial process. 

In a line edit, we make changes to address wordiness, unintentional shifts in tone and diction, word choice, transitions, and other issues at the language level. Line editing elevates the level of your prose by enhancing flow, ensuring consistent voice, and fine-tuning rhythm and pacing.

A heavy copyedit is a line edit + a standard copyedit. This is a great choice for self-publishing authors.

Want to craft a book that's ready for readers and or presentation to a major publisher? I’m Zelda Brooks, a fiction and nonfiction editor who'll help you prepare your book for market. 

I’ll work through your narrative and dialogue, attending to engagement, flow, clarity, and consistency. That way, you can concentrate on what you do best – ​telling stories.

I am adept at servicing a wide range of works across the literary spectrum. That means your book is with an editor who gets you and knows the landscape. While I currently specialize mostly in technical and scientific texts, as well as memoir, I've got the skills and confidence to dive wholeheartedly into any project that comes my way. I have historically worked on a large range of manuscripts, having completed projects for both independently published authors and major publishers. I look forward to talking to you about your next project.