Heavy Content Edit and First Books

Heavy-Content Edit,

Developmental Edit by the draft

If you are an experienced professional writer or published author in the genre, go to line edit. This is still substantial and thorough. The difference is the work goes faster.

If this is your first book or you are unsure of your writing skills, before a comprehensive content-line first edit, you might wish to begin with a critique.

If this is your first draft; or you have extensive interior monologuing, internal processing, character thinking (passive voice), or the writing is stream-of-consciousness, the initial work will be "developmental" editing. I can do this by the draft, but it will require much more work than a finished, well-organized manuscript.

Heavy-Content Edit

All first books and first professional edits I have worked on have required more than the writer anticipated. The first-through is typically heavy, and all manuscripts are content-edited. About half the manuscripts are in fairly good shape (well-organized) and go faster. The other half require a great deal more attention, usually to improve the organization and reading flow (arrangement of the contents). See testimonial below from an award-winning 7 time repeat client (on novels, nonfiction, and business books).

To understand the depth of work possible, see dozens of client testimonials: home page, memoirs, novels, nonfiction, business.

Two-thirds of first edits typically tighten/trim about 25% (a third, 33%-40%).

On PC, in Word, Track Changes averages 800-1100 words/hr. On paper is available (averages about 25% faster) but because the work is comprehensive, typing the edit changes requires your attention to detail (I've noticed that many authors miss quite a few obvious text corrections and edit changes).

A personal estimate on receipt of information in left column.

Volume discount on over 100,000 words.

The task. All work on first books is substantial.

In particular: Tightens/trims wordiness, repetition, redundancy, circular writing, run-on sentences (e.g., rambling, overly effusive or verbose, to tighten where the writing overly restates a feeling or thought and/or to bring together topics and concepts that are scattered (particularly in nonfiction). The goal is an orderly flow and writing that is not cumbersome to read.

Work includes addressing:

Organization, reading flow, focus, logic

Pulling together dominant theme, tightening concept, enhancing clarity

Pacing (paragraphing, active sentence structures, scene breaks, space breaks, chapter breaks, dialogue/point-of-view/speaker breaks)

Sequencing (ideas, chapters, scenes, events); pulling together dominant theme, tightening concept, enhancing clarity

Place and time (even in nonfiction, reader needs to know where and when, to connect with you and events)

Consistency in verb tense (past tense is most common)

Consistency in point of view (not jump back and forth)

Apt adjectives and adverbs (so not overdone)

Tone (consistent; positive, affirming, constructive; not assault the reader)

Active voice, verbs, and sentence structures (rather than passive) (e.g., I did it! rather than I was doing it);

Character development and perspective (point of view) (e.g., multiple viewpoint)

Dramatic narration and action scenes

Dialogue (crisp, succinct, relevant, dramatic; not verbatim to real life)

May add/break into chapters/sections (and add titles).

May include rewriting, paraphrasing, summarizing creative additions (mainly nonfiction) to use as you wish (e.g., as flows, where trimmed, creating transitions). Includes critiquing and notes for author improvements.

Affects depth of revisions and time-cost: Comprehending content based on smooth organization of contents (flow); consistency in details, verb tenses, point of view; requested format.

Severely disorganized writing and poor writing skills requires "developmental" editing and must be done on computer.

For a Personal Estimate:

Email to me:

Your first 10 pages,

a short nonfiction summary or novel synopsis, and

your objective for the book.

If a novel, tell me briefly: the protagonist's motivation and what TV show it is most like (so I can sense the style and tone).

Also answer the following questions:

Total word count

First book? First professional edit?

Writing experience in the genre

Verb tense

Turnaround time (flexible)? I am always working on a project. There is usually a time delay. I work on one major project at a time, and give each my full attention.

Please confirm that you have read the task descriptions and client testimonials, so that you realize that all work is usually heavier than the author anticipated.

Your budget expectation in order to best address your needs.

TESTIMONIAL

Award-Winning Client Ocean Palmer

His numerous novels edited

His business edited - Silver Medal Winner

His nonfiction edited - Bronze Medal Winner

"All stories have a beginning, a middle, an end, conflict, story arcs, and resolution(s). How well you blend these things together will determine how good your story is.

"Writing is easy. Writing well is hard. Everyone has an editor or editors. Hemingway had two. Michener three. You will never—and I mean NEVER—sell a book that hasn’t been professionally edited. No one will even look at it. Nor should they.

"The editor is a ... necessary investment. Editing is not an expense. Paper is an expense. Ink is an expense. Postage is an expense. Editors are MANDATORY. Charol is a good one. She will, in all probability, dissect your work to the point it hurts your feelings. That’s good. That’s what you pay for....

"Remember: You are competing against professionals. People who write every day and have for years; people with agents, editors, and a command of the language and mastery of the art and craft of storytelling. No one will give you a dime for anything less than that level of work. I have seen a lot of people thinking they are good enough to compete on their own.... No one is that good. JK Rowling has a team of editors.

"I work with Charol because I trust her and we work well together. My work is better because she insists on my very best and settles for nothing less. I don’t hire an editor to like me; I hire one to rip my work to smithereens. I hire one to help me make my writing stronger.

"In the end, there’s no guarantee anyone but you will ever care about your book. But if you believe in it and care enough to pay the price—emotionally and financially—don’t cheat yourself or your readers. Use every possible resource to tell that story the best it can possibly be told; pursue the project with dogged conviction. Remember: All great stories start with a blank screen and an idea. What it becomes is up to you."