Book editing

​If your writing looks polished and professional, so do you.
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​Whether you are writing a company portfolio, an informative booklet, a guide, or a cookbook, you want it to reflect well on you (and your business), and it needs to flow, make sense and be accurate. I can help you be confident your book is ready for publication.

Once you have finished writing it, and revised it as much as you can, it is time to enhance the writing and check the details. This is where I can help.

I will work with you to make sure your writing flows, the message is clear and in the right tone, the details are consistent and well organised, and that the spelling and grammar is correct, ready for printing. I will help you make your writing a pleasure to read while keeping true to your style and its intended purpose.
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I recommend first copyediting and then proofreading, but we can discuss what suits you and your project.

Copyediting for books

What is copyediting?

Copyediting is enhancing the writing so that the reader understands the intended message in the style required.

Once you have the overall structure of your document or book as good as it can get, it is ready for copyediting. Copyediting gets into the nitty-gritty of the writing, and I will go over your writing with a fine-tooth comb.

Readers are picky, and there are many things that can make a reader to disregard your content – things that don’t make sense, inconsistencies, sentences that don’t flow, information that’s not clear, factual errors, or a book that doesn’t look professional. 

​This is where I can help. But don’t worry, I make sure to keep your writing true to your style.​

What our copyediting service includes

• Checking that the content and structure is complete, clear and easy to follow
• Checking for correct sentence and paragraph structure and phrasing 
• Making or suggestion changes to vocabulary
• Revising for consistency and appropriateness of the language
• Adapting the tone of the content for the target audience
• Formatting so that headings and paragraphs look consistent
• Checking that images support the text, with clear captions
• Checking for accuracy, such as misquotations, factual errors, misspelt names, wrong numbers up and incomplete references
• flagging any instances of plagiarism or breach of copyright, libel, obscenity, incitement to racial hatred. However, responsibility for these remains with the writer and publisher.

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Copy-editing does not include extensive rewriting or restructuring, ghost writing, proofreading, text or cover design, indexing, research, copyright permissions or project management.

Proofreading for books

What is proofreading?

My proofreading service is the final check of your book. I make sure you can communicate as clearly and effectively as possible, and that the work looks polished and professional. 

Proofreading is the final step before publication, after all other levels of editing have been completed.

What is traditional proofreading?

​The traditional meaning of proofreading is to check the PDF proofs which have been designed by the printer before it goes to print.

Ie can help with this, too. Please ask.

What our proofreading service includes

• ​Correcting spelling, grammar and punctuation errors
• Checking for correct word and style choices
• Fixing consistency, including fonts, page numbers, headings, line spacing, numbers etc.  
• Formatting using Word Styles so that all parts of the document look consistent. 
• Checking and correctly formatting citations and references.    

​​​Proofreading does not include copy-editing (unless a sentence is grammatically incorrect, it will not be changed for style reasons). If extensive changes are needed, we will first discuss this with you. Proofreading also does not include indexing, page layout/design, seeking permissions.    ​

How I work with you

1

Contact me to discuss what you need

​Tell me about your book, including target audience, subject area, purpose and deadline.
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2

Email the manuscript to me
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I will need to see the full manuscript so that we know the level of editing, the number of changes required and how technical the writing is. ​Confidentiality is 100% guaranteed.​

3

Get a free quote

I will tailor a package for you and provide a free quote.​

4

Receive your revised manuscript
Once you have agreed to the quote, I will work on your manuscript and return it by the agreed deadline.

​You can then go over the suggestions and comments before returning it to me for a final proofread if booked.