Services Offered
“Melissa is one of the best editors I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with—and I’ve worked with many! Her editorial comments were a perfect balance of critique and praise, and her sense of humor made me look forward to going through her feedback. I’m very much looking forward to working again with her in the future.”
— Danielle L. Jensen, New York Times bestselling author of A FATE INKED IN BLOOD, DARK SHORES and THE BRIDGE KINGDOM
“I like my books when I turn them in to Melissa. I love them after we work on them together.”
— Kristen Simmons, author of the Edgar Award and Anthony Award finalist THE DECEIVERS
CONSULTATION
Talk to me at an hourly rate on a phone or video call about your publishing questions. We can talk craft—brainstorming for your particular project or general writing advice—and/or I can give you an insider’s perspective on traditional publishing. Just signed a contract with a publisher and want to know what you should be doing or expecting next? Anxious about making the best possible impression on your editor and publishing team, or confused about unfamiliar terms and workflows? I can offer honest insight and advice, and hopefully demystify an often very confusing process!
Please note that if you are looking for advice on writing a query or obtaining a literary agent, talking to me would not be the best use of your money. I have never been a literary agent and, while I have worked closely with many, it is not my expertise.
DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING
EDITORIAL LETTER (AKA Manuscript Critique, Editorial Assessment, or Manuscript Evaluation)
I will read your full manuscript and write a detailed editorial letter offering high-level feedback. This assessment gives you a big-picture look at what’s working and what isn’t, as well as more general advice on strengthening your prose and storytelling. Feedback is specific to the manuscript in question, so headings will vary from project to project, but you can expect the letter to cover elements like characterization, voice, structure, pacing, and world-building (if applicable). I also draw on my years of experience in New York publishing and extensive market familiarity to give you feedback and guidance on where your project might fit into the current marketplace and any challenges I think you could expect.
EDITORIAL LETTER WITH MARGIN COMMENTS
This option includes an editorial letter as described above but also includes comments in the margins of your manuscript. Using Word’s Comment feature, I will expand upon the issues raised in my editorial letter, pointing out specific areas where the various notes apply, and offer practical, actionable solutions. The markup also allows me to comment on more minor issues and point out areas where narrative flow or clarity could be improved, characterization deepened, scenes reorganized, etc. You will receive feedback on your storytelling on every level, from sentence to paragraph to scene to chapter.
Optional add-on: A line edit of your first 12,500 words, to guide you in improving your prose.
LINE EDIT
Currently offered on a limited basis
With this service, you receive a full markup of your manuscript using Word’s Track Changes with a focus on your use of language and style. This is primarily micro-level feedback—suggestions and recommendations on language use, word choice, rhythm, narrative flow, etc, as well as more minor story notes when applicable (think “Would this character really say this here?”). This does not include macro-level content notes.
FAQ: What’s the difference between a line edit and a copyedit?
MULTIPLE-ROUND DEVELOPMENTAL EDIT
Customizable according to your needs! You can add a second pass, i.e. I will read your revised manuscript and offer final thoughts on whether your changes were implemented successfully, weigh in on what needs additional work, and flag any new problems that may have arisen or been exposed during the course of revision. Or you can mix and match from the above services to create a custom, comprehensive editing package.
PRODUCTION SERVICES
COPYEDIT
I will go over your manuscript with a fine-tooth comb, correcting all typos, spelling errors, grammatical errors, etc, as well as flagging any possible factual errors or disruptions of continuity. I will ensure internal consistency, making spacing, text treatment, spelling, punctuation, and so on fully uniform. I keep an eye out for repetition, misused words, and unclear or confusing phrasing. I will also provide a standard style sheet with sources, general guidelines used, an index of characters, and so on. Any feedback on storytelling or content would be minimal—with a copyedit, my focus would be on the mechanics and correctness of the language.
FAQ: What’s the difference between a line edit and a copyedit?
PROOFREAD
For when you are confident that your book is final and you just need that last set of eyes to make sure it’s as polished as possible. I will correct any lingering typos, grammatical errors, misspellings, formatting mistakes, etc., and will do a final check for continuity and logic. Story feedback is not included.
FAQ: What’s the difference between a copyedit and a proofread?
