The self-publishing market has exploded, and the best thing you can do for your book is to get a second pair of eyes on it. I will edit just about any genre of manuscript, ranging from novellas to full-length novels.
The Sample
You wouldn’t buy a new car without taking it for a test drive. Send over the first ten (double-spaced, please!) pages of your manuscript for a free sample edit. The sample edit allows you to see what I can do and also allows me to work up a final estimate.
The Polish
I’ll do a complete grammar workup: punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, phrasing, and general smoothing of paragraphs. A basic proofread will preserve your voice and get your book into shape for publication or submission. This is a good option for those who have already gone over their manuscript multiple times and just want a final proofing.
I charge $20/hour for this service. A book-length manuscript (80-100,000 words) typically requires between 20-30 hours of work ($400-$600).
The Proper Scrub
This content edit will work through your plot and its structure. I’ll ferret out holes, subplots that don’t go anywhere, threads left hanging, pacing problems, and so on. I’ll help you repair inconsistencies, create well-rounded characters, develop subplots, and improve story structure, description, and dialogue. I may suggest entire paragraphs/chapters be cut/moved around, and/or replaced by new material. I will also perform a light proofread, correcting small grammar and punctuation errors as I go, as well as a final polishing pass when the process is complete.
This is the perfect all-around edit if you haven’t had anyone else look at your work and you want to get it into good shape for publication or submission.
I charge $25/hour for this service. A book-length manuscript (80-100,000 words) typically requires at least 30 hours of work ($600+).
I prefer to be paid through PayPal, though I will accept a check. Payment plans are also available.
Hourly vs. Page Rates
A number of editors charge by page or by word; at the moment, I find charging an hourly rate makes my services more affordable for my clients, many of whom are independent authors.
I Don’t Just Scrub Books
While most of my editing projects have been novels, I also go over resumes, websites, articles, query letters, and pretty much anything that needs a proper proofreading. If you’d like to engage my services for something besides a book, shoot me an email at info@thebookscrubber.com.