Diagnostic Service (also called Critiquing):
The first thing an author of a “finished” manuscript needs is a professional to read the entire work and give it a diagnosis, a prognosis, and a prescription for improvement. The medical analogy is very fitting here. You may have already asked friends to read and critique your book. But your friends will tell you your book is great because they don’t want to hurt your feelings and because they don’t feel like they really know how to critique it anyway. (And they’re right about that!). But I’m more like a doctor than a friend. If you suspected you were ill, you wouldn’t want your doctor to say, “Oh, you’re fine,” just to spare your feelings, would you?
I will diagnose, from a professional standpoint, what is problematic (as well as promising) about your book and point you in the right direction for improvements. If you choose this service, I will:
- Read your entire manuscript.
- Write a detailed memo full of specific ideas for improvement.
- Discuss the ideas with you over the phone.
It is essential to take this step before hiring a line editor or a copy editor, as you may end up doing some rewriting or reorganizing, creating whole new sections that will then need to be edited.
Line editing: Then there is the nitty-gritty of line editing a manuscript. In this case, I go through the entire book, line by line, word by word, and make corrections as well as suggestions for improving the writing. This is a time-consuming process, but it makes a world of difference in getting a manuscript into tiptop shape to impress the professionals who will decide your book’s fate. Or, if you are self-publishing, this step is essential so that you can produce a professional-quality book that might garner some reviews and hopefully some real respect.
Line editing involves more than simply correcting grammar and diction. For nonfiction, it concerns getting rid of repetitive language, maintaining a good narrative flow from one topic to another, and making sure that you express yourself in the clearest way possible, using words to best effect. Sometimes, if a writer has trouble explaining a particular concept, the editor will talk the author through it on the phone, take notes, and draft a section that the author can then use to put into his or her own words. A good line editor may do a little bit of writing but always in the author’s “voice” and with the aim of enhancing what the author intends to say.
I will send you edited chapters as I go along so that you can see what I’m doing. If at any point you decide it is getting too expensive (or is no longer useful, for whatever reason), you can simply ask me to stop. One option is to ask me to edit only a few chapters so that you can get a good feel for what needs to be done, and then try to improve the rest on your own.
NOTE: Line editing is NOT copy editing. The latter takes place after you are completely finished thinking, organizing, and polishing your prose. If you secure a publishing contract, your publisher will take care of the copy editing. If you self-publish, you will need to arrange for copy editing.
Proposals: In the busy world of publishing, first impressions are crucial. Your proposal, more than your actual book, represents your big chance to sell your “wares” in the marketplace: both your idea and your competence to carry it out. A classy proposal can convince a publisher (or agent) that you are to be taken seriously. I help authors write proposals that publishers consider professional and market-oriented. I know the process and can provide an essential leg-up to those who don’t. For example, a writer is typically more focused on the merits of the book, while publishers are often more concerned with its salability. I can help you bridge that gap. Part of the process involves choosing well-edited sample manuscript chapters that meet the expectations of publishing professionals.
I charge a flat fee for this service to be determined based on an assessment of the needs of your particular project.
Sample Edit: Finding the right editor is a daunting process. How do you know the person really knows what she’s talking about? A certain number of years at a publishing company doesn’t necessarily mean someone has great editorial skills, good taste, or an ability to work constructively with an author. What if the editor seems knowledgeable, but the two of you just don’t see eye to eye about what constitutes good writing—i.e., you’re just not compatible? What if her advice turns out to be trivial and just seems to reflect her own subjective tastes and quirks? You need to know what you’re getting into before you take that leap of faith and hire someone who will be providing you with a relatively intangible service. You shouldn’t get stuck with someone who is not on your wavelength and who is not really helping you.
To make sure a prospective client and I are comfortable with each other, I like to do a sample line edit of a few pages of the manuscript free of charge to give you an idea of how I work, the kinds of things I would query, and the types of suggestions I would make. This will help you get a sense of who I am, what I do, how I communicate, and how I think.
e-mail cantor.carrie@gmail.com
