The Acolyte Does Editing
Are you thinking of self-publishing? Maybe you want a second opinion on ideas before you commit? You've come to the right place for all of your editing, brainstorming, and formatting needs!
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My main fiction genres of interest are: horror, romance, thriller, action/adventure/suspense, paranormal, fantasy, and science fiction. However, feel free to contact me for a quote even if your genre doesn't fit those perfectly.
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Curious as to what you might end up paying? Use the handy-dandy calculator below!
The Divine Computer of Services
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1
If you haven't even started your manuscript and just want to make sure you're on the right track before you commit, this is your step. I can provide my honest opinion on what you have so far, if it'll hit your intended audience, and/or if a literary agent might be interested in picking it up for the long term. I can also provide feedback for improving on ideas or filling in blanks.​
2
Your manuscript is finished, but you'd like to actually know what kinds of editing you'll need before publishing. I can read through your rough draft and give pointers, as well as my recommendations for what to focus on from what I see.
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Pretty much everyone needs copyediting, but whether you'll need structural, dev, or so on depends on the writer and how many read throughs you've done on your own.
3
You know what you need, so now it's time to hire an editor(s) and get things done! Let's go through the various kinds of editing there are:
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Developmental—Fixing inconsistencies in plot, action sequence, etc.
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Structural—Looking at the big picture, advising cuts and expansions where needed.
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Line/tone—Fixing or adding variety to sentence structure, making sure nothing reads off.
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Copy—Typos, inconsistencies in terms (e.g. making sure all instances of "Roland" aren't accidentally "Ronald")
Personally, I go through these things all at once because I a) notice things, b) cannot keep quiet if I see a plot hole, and c) it is way easier for me to just fix things instead of type up a lecture or something.
4
The first passthrough is done, and at least a second one is needed to tidy things up. Trust me, things being right the first time around in unrealistic and simply never happens; there's a reason traditional publishers have anywhere from 4-8 editors/proofreaders in total, and why I check over my own works at least twice for typos.
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Thankfully, this is also the easiest step. The full editing is done, so all you need to find is the typos or errors left over from all the work. Admittedly, this can be done by the author, but if you don't trust yourself or would rather spend time doing other things, it's best to offload it.​
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Formatting, Cover Design
Now it's time to pretty things up for publication!
While I don't offer cover design services because my artistic skills are woefully unrefined, I do offer book formatting and cover design ideas/art sourcing. This is also the time to put in "fluff"; an author profile, a foreword, an ISBN, a glossary, a blurb, and so forth.
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Most importantly, breathe in, breathe out. You're almost done. You're almost a published author.
And it's going to feel great.