When the content and structure of your manuscript are all in place a line editor can step in and review it at sentence level. We look at elements such as style, language use, and other factors that affect readability. For example, we might suggest making a sentence more concise to strengthen its impact or could present an alternative word choice that clarifies the meaning or enhances the tone of a passage. A line editor looks for any areas in the text that might distract or befuddle the reader. All changes are finalized by the author.
A line edit addresses the following:
- Sentence concision
- Language choices
- Breaks in fluidity
- Logic and inconsistencies
- Tone and mood
- Confusing scenes
- Suspected factual errors (but not extensive fact-checking)
- Language consistency (US vs UK)
It does NOT deal with structural or story issues.
We use The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
A Blooming Writer line edit includes a round of copyediting.
Here’s how our process typically works:
Step one: You fill out the Contact Us form.
Step two: We contact you within 48 hours with follow up questions and arrange a zoom or phone call of up to 20 minutes.
Step three: If our creative goals align, we’ll offer a free sample edit of up to 1,000 words.
Step four: We return your sample edit along with a quote within a week (probably less).
Step five: Once we have agreed on payment and time frame, we draft a contract which all parties sign.
Step six: You send us your entire manuscript along with 50% of payment.
Step seven: After we complete the edit within the agreed time frame (usually two to six weeks), you pay the remainder of the money owed and we send you three documents:
- Your copyedited manuscript with Track Changes visible, for you to accept or reject individually
- A “clean” copy of your manuscript
- A detailed style sheet listing preferred spellings, treatment of numbers, and other editorial choices
We include up to an hour of email or instant message exchanges once you have reviewed the manuscript. A second round of editing can be arranged if required.
Rates: Approximately $0.04 per word. For standard manuscript pages of about 250 words, this works out at about $10.00 a page. Our per-word rates are based on the Editorial Freelancers Association’s standard pricing scale, and are dependent on the level of editing required, which determines how long the edit will take. For short projects, we have a minimum fee of $100.