Do You Need a Copyedit or a Proofread?^
You have a completed manuscript and you are ready to publish it, but first you want that other set of eyes every book needs. When searching out that other set of eyes, there are multiple approaches you can take, but which should you?
A proofread is a simple search for typos and errors in spelling, punctuation, word choice, and grammar. This is the last step before publication. The goal of a proofread is simply a clean manuscript.
A copyedit addresses issues of style and accuracy, in addition to any errors in the above areas. The copyedit ensures that a manuscript adheres to the desired style guide and grammar choices, that all story details are consistent throughout the piece, and that the reader can understand exactly what the author is trying to convey.
A good copyeditor can use either a standard style guide, such as The Chicago Manual of Style, or create a style sheet based on the author's voice.
Style Guide and Series Bible^
Your fiction style is not likely to be exactly like an academic style, such as the Associated Press Stylebook or The Chicago Manual of Style. Your writing voice is all about how that style is different from any other and includes your particular usage of vocabulary, grammar, and character and setting details.
If you intend to write more than one story in the same setting, a series bible is your guide to all the details of that world. Included are entries for premise, settings, characters, events, important items, and any rules of your world or culture.
$1.00/page if created from finished work.
$1.50/page if created while proofreading.
$2.00/page if created while copyediting.
Proofread^
A proofread according to the Chicago Manual of Style or author/publisher provided style sheet. Specify American or British spelling. I specialize in science fiction, fantasy, and Christian genres. No horror.
$0.50/page if Chicago Manual of Style.
$0.75/page if author/publisher provided style sheet.
$1.50/page if style sheet created while proofreading.
What to Provide^
- Manuscript in standard format: 1-inch margins, double-spaced, first line indent of 0.5 inches.
- Preferred spelling conventions: American or British.
- Any particular issues you want help addressing and a clear deadline.
- Payment is due half on start of project and half on completion.
File types accepted: .doc and .rtf
What to Expect^
- PDF copies of completed style sheet and series bible.
- Manuscript returned with track changes enabled.
- A checklist of any issues found frequently in the manuscript.
- Two to three week initial turnaround.
- A second pass upon request.
For 5-Page Free Sample^
Please contact me at infoatlianamirdotcom.
