How to write a great back cover book blurb
Think of your back cover blurb like a movie trailer. There is a good reason movie trailers are not made by the writer. It’s so hard as...
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CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING YOUR BOOK. NOW IT'S TIME ELEVATE IT
You have written your best possible version of your book, and now you need someone to make it better. The good news is that there are other people (professionals) who can take your book to the 'next level'. All books benefit hugely from a really good editor. Editing is the process of reviewing and correcting your book material to improve accuracy, readability, flow, pace, and style – and depending on your book this could be an advanced structural editor who rewrites and fixes a lot of it OR a 'last eyes' copy editor.
Appraisals
Option 1: A Beta Reader Report
Option 2: A Professional Manuscript Appraisal
Editing
Option 3: Developmental or Structural Editor
Option 4: A senior editor
Option 5: A copy editor
Option 1: Beta Reader Report
A Beta Reader report is highly useful and honest report by someone who knows and loves books. It will be someone who we know will give you an honest report and feed back to you what a reader thinks of the book, with some ways to make it more readable.
This is not a professional Manuscript Appraisal (see below for that link) but rather a report from a peer and fellow reader.
As an author you are looking for fresh eyes and honest feedback on your book. The reader report needs to be objective, honest and constructive. An author can use this beta feedback to re-assess, re-write the next draft and take the book forward.
You will get a comprehensive report of 5 - 8 pages of notes.
It will cover
1. Overall impression
2. Beginning of the book / hook
3. Characters (general, lead character, other main characters)
4. The middle build
5. The ending
6. Plot progression or argument development (this is about the book structure)
7. Language use
8. Weaknesses
9. Strengths
Cost is around $380 for a 60,000 word MS
Option 2: A Professional Manuscript Appraisal
I highly recommend writers have a full manuscript critique before considering any editing.
Don’t waste years trying to sell and promote a book that really isn’t ready for publication.
This is for writers who have completed a full draft of a book and feel it needs input / improvement or a professional eye to assess it and give critical feedback. A MS appraisal report is a professional assessment of all aspects of the structure of the MS such as plot, character, dialogue etc . It is a commercial assessment that gives you a fresh, objective outsider's perspective done by a qualified editor The overall aim of this high-level assessment is to improve your MS and give you real ways to make it better and more publishable. During the process they will make significant notes and changes. At the end of the process you will get a full written report. The report will make suggestions, changes and act as an overall assessment. It will suggest specific large-scale changes / improvements / refinements (plotting changes, structure changes, pace, characters and overall novel read).
Some editors will also make detailed edit notes on your manuscript, or comments, for you to work with.
In a novel a manuscript appraisal focuses on structural strengths and weaknesses: Character. Setting. Plot.
The process will be completed in 4-6 weeks.
Please note that a manuscript (MS) appraisal is not an EDIT, but is a high-level structural assessment of the MS. The onus is then on the writer to 'fix' the structural suggestions and accept and work on the changes.
This is from $1200-$1800 depending on length of MS
Best Value
Beta Reader Report
$380
380
A peer review from a strong reader
Valid for 6 months
Honest and objective feedback on publlshability
Best Value
Professional Manuscript Appraisal
$1,200
1,200
A high-level structural assessment of a completed manuscript
Valid until canceled
A MS appraisal report is a professional assessment
The editor will make significant notes and changes
You will get a full written report and notes
The report will make suggestions, changes and fixes
It will suggest specific large-scale changes / improvements
Pay a 50% deposit and remainder before delivery
Use code DEPOSITFORMS
Option 3: A developmental or senior structural editor
This is an editor or professional author/ writer who is going to take your entire book and fix it FOR YOU. We can liken this to a hybrid between a ghostwriter and a senior editor.
Who should chose this? You have written a book but you have run out of steam, don't want to do another rewrite or just want to hand it all over to a professional to do it all for you. No problem. That is what we are here for. It is your idea and you have put it down on paper as best you can, but it's not working and you need someone to make it work.
This process will take 8-12 weeks depending on the length and the quality of your existing book and what needs to be done to it. We will match your book with the right editor, who is a specialist in that field. You will hand over your manuscript and expect it to be fixed, improved, substantially changed and entire sections rewritten at times. This may include conducting more interview, writing in missing pieces, asking you to source more copy, moving the entire book around, re-arranging the chapters, creating an argument/ angle / thread and running it through the book.
This editor will also do traditional editing functions and you can see what those are in Package 2 below. This is a close collaboration between you (as author) and an editor (as your co-author). This is a far lower price than having a ghostwriter and you have done the bulk of the initial work. They do all the finishing work and make this book a professional and well-written product.
YOU WILL NEED
Your full manuscript and a book proposal
On acceptance we need an initial meeting between a few parties to go over over all publishing goals and ideas.
A second feedback meeting to discuss ideas and changes
8-12 weeks to allow the changes
There will be ongoing contact and conversation with you and the editor.
You will get a completed book returned to you to review.
We allow one more second cycle of revisions and changes after you have accepted and read the book.
COST ?
This is from $2000 (Southern African authors get a 20% discount) for an 80,000 word MS
Next steps?
Email me with your manuscript and we will take it from there.
Option 4: A senior editor
You have written your book, it's working, you have done a few rewrites but it needs a professional touch. It may need better chapter headings, a read for legalities, spelling and grammar fixed, tenses checked, your point of view corrected. These are all things an editor does. An editor will look at your book overall, make changes, suggest new chapter headings, fill in blanks or inconsistencies, point out and fix problems, check legalities or advise what to check.
It will include all the things in Package 3 that a copy editor does.
They will flag places need to write more, or less. They may move chapters around, make suggestions to cut, look for flow and suggest changes. They may ask you to add some pieces or for input.
This editor is going to make your book better and slicker.
You will get your manuscript in Word with changes that you can accept or reject.
COST?
From R15,000 ZAR or $1,200
Next steps?
Email me with your manuscript and we will take it from there.
We need
Your full manuscript.
An initial meeting to over over all publishing concerns and ideas.
4 weeks to allow the changes, with contact and conversation with you.,
Editing Option 5: A copy editor
Cost $1,994
You have written your book and it's pretty solid. You are going to self publish and you need it edited for print. You don't want any errors in the final version.
Our light editing service is for well-written work that nevertheless still requires a thorough proofread and final check, and includes editing and proofing for spelling mistakes, typos, punctuation problems, capitalization errors, clumsy grammar and overall flow and readability. The editor will fix all minor errors and flag any larger areas you need to correct or look at. The manuscript will be returned to you as a professional and well-written product that can be published.
The editor is not changing your story, concepts or structure and the assumption is that you have done most of the thinking and fixing work, they are making it print-ready.
Although it is not the same as proofreading (which is done later on a printed version of your book after layout), the copy editor will also proofread your book - correcting grammatical errors, style errors, and spelling.
You will get your manuscript back in Word with changes made, and bigger suggestions that you can accept or reject.
WE NEED
Your full manuscript.
Your book proposal or synopsis and all pitching documents.
4 weeks to allow the changes.
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