Whether or not it is hand done or computer based, the essence of finishing and polishing a manuscript is, perhaps, the most critical part of making it ready for the wider audience. Unless you have very special talents it is an essential final process and worth using professional resources. Yes, it does cost, but, from my own experience, it saves money later.
The services I can offer, include:
1. Substantive editing
Substantive, or sometimes called structural or content editing, aims to ensure that the structure, content, language and presentation of the work are suitable for its intended purpose and readership.
2. Copy editing
This is a step in the editing process that typically occurs after substantive editing. It involves identifying and fixing errors related to spelling and grammatical typos, tone and style inconsistencies, awkward syntax, and poor word choice.
Copy is defined as “matter to be printed,” and a copy editor is responsible for this polishing step, including corrections to:
- Grammar
- Spelling
- Tone and style deviations
- Wordiness
- Clunky transitions
- Confusing syntax
- Problematic or misused words
- Uneven flow.
3. Proofreading
Proofreading takes place after the copy editor has completed their work and before the work is published. This step gets its name from the traditional typesetting process. Before multiple book copies were printed, a test version of a manuscript or book, called a “galley proof,”would be created. Proofreaders would read through these proofs to spot and fix mistakes before moving them forward to printing.Proofreading is the final review of the work being published to correct physical errors involving:
- Grammar
- Spelling
- Punctuation
- Capitalisation
- Formatting
- On-page layout
In addition to correcting mechanical, fine line oversights that might have slipped through the editing process, proofreaders are responsible for fixing on-page elements. These might include inconsistent headers and subheads, page numbers and breaks, placement of visual assets like a table or chart, and other formatting issues.
4. Cover design
Create a cover design that is suitable too and reflective of the work, based on discussions with the author.
- Concept cover layout based on discussion with the client.
- Creation of draft colour cover layout.
- Creation of final colour cover layout in PDF format suitable for upload to KPD Amazon software.
5. Publishing
This is the one area that seems to give first-time authors the most difficulty.
Paperback, hard cover, and ebook. What size book? Which manuscript template to use? Which cover template to use. The infamous error reports that stop the whole process!
Let me take away the stress.
Using the Amazon KDP system, I can solve all of these issues for you, and ensure that your manuscript becomes a published book available though Amazon, Kindle and selected High Street stores.
6. Advertising
There are many ways to advertise and promote your book.
If you already have your own social media accounts, like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, I can design and uplift, promotional material directly to your sites. This includes: Static pages, Reels, and full video clips. I can also include your book on my own website and social media for additional promotional support.
Using Amazon KPD, there is the opportunity to promote you book using their bespoke system of marketing and product placement. This involves, free offers, price promotions and, of course, pay for click product placement on Amazon. This needs careful handling to ensure the cost to profit ratio is maintained.
What is this going to cost?
The schedule below is based on the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading: recommended rates for 2023.
- Copy editing: £11.00 /1000 words.
- Proofreading: £ 9.50 /1000words
- Cover design: £ 95.00 per cover based on complexity.
- Publishing on Amazon KDP – No additional cost but subject to an agreed share of royalties.
- Advertising- All work will be discussed at length and a budget agreed.
All rates are negotiable depending on the quality of the work you submit.
Alternatively, after reviewing your work I am also happy to give you a fixed project cost. Talk to me about your requirements.
Example of recent work:
