Manuscript Editor
Manuscript Editor
It feels euphoric to finish the first draft of your manuscript whether its a novel, short story, or nonfiction book. However, after the excitement fades you may realise that more work is needed before you can begin the publication process. If you want to be successful in an increasingly competitive market, you need a professional manuscript editor. I can help you.
Manuscript Edit Discount
Get up to 30% off! Take advantage of this offer while it lasts, by contacting me.
Whether you want high quality correction of spelling, grammar, vocabulary and punctuation, something more in depth, such as a copyedit, or even a complete chop, change and reworking, you need look no further for a highly recommended service. Your work will be honed to read better, which helps to grab the attention of your readers. I will consult carefully with you, and the edit can be as basic or far-reaching as you like.
What areas and elements might a manuscript editor look at:
Non-fiction manuscript editor:
Besides making corrections and suggestions for the technical elements—spelling and punctuation, data and fact verification, footnote and index accuracy and so on—the editor of non-fiction will help a writer organise the manuscript for greatest impact, clarity, and readability. She will check the flow and rhythms of the manuscript. She will ensure that conclusions are sufficiently supported. She’ll look for variety in sentence construction and make suggestions where necessary.
She’ll make sure word choices match the intended audience in terms of knowledge and age appropriateness and suitability. She may suggest sections where an anecdote or other story might be appropriate. She’ll check to see that the style of the manuscript matches the subject matter. She’ll look for threads to connect chapters and sections so the manuscript reads as a cohesive whole.
Fiction manuscript editor
Beyond the technical issues of grammar, punctuation, and spelling, the fiction editor will look at story issues. She’ll examine the punch and flow of your document. She’ll read for pace and logic and the entertainment factor, and check for repetition of vocabulary and concepts. She may suggest better word choices for your story or genre, to grab the reader’s attention.
She may suggest a change in point of view or may suggest a change in verb tense—past to present or present to past. She will look for passages and scenes that do not make sense, or do not enhance the story.
The manuscript editor will root out “saidisms” and suggest alternatives, as well as excess use of modifiers and descriptors, such as adjectives or adverbs, which can stem the flow of a document.
Both the fiction editor and the editor of non-fiction bring that outsider’s eye to a manuscript. They notice when and where elements don’t fit. They see that something’s missing.
As a fiction and non-fiction editor, Helen Sewell offers a bespoke service, where she will offer as much or as little of the above input as you wish.