Editing and proofreading
Editing that improves the book and keeps it yours.
Book editing matched to what your manuscript actually needs: developmental editing for structure, line editing for style, copyediting for accuracy and proofreading for the final polish. Every change is visible, and you decide what stays.
Questions first? Email hello@publishyourbook.com
Is it for you
Is this the right place to start?
Editing is worth the most when the writer stops being the only reader.
- 01
You have a finished draft and no one but you has read it critically.
- 02
Something in the book is not working, and you cannot say what.
- 03
You want a professional edit, not a spellcheck.
- 04
You are unsure which level of editing you need, or which to pay for first.
Included
What you get.
Four levels of editing, and an honest view of which ones your book needs. Each can be booked on its own.
- 01
Developmental editing
Structure, plot, argument, pacing and point of view. The big-picture edit, done first, with a written report on what to change and why.
- 02
Line editing
Sentence-level work on style, clarity and flow, so the prose reads the way you meant it.
- 03
Copyediting
Grammar, punctuation, consistency and factual accuracy, checked against a style sheet built for your book.
- 04
Proofreading
The final pass on the finished layout for typos, spacing and formatting slips before anything goes to print.
- 05
Every change visible
Edits arrive as tracked changes. Accept, reject or discuss each one.
- 06
An honest assessment
We tell you which levels the manuscript needs, and which it does not, so you never pay for extras.
How it is done
Five passes, in the order that works.
Editing levels belong in a set order. Polishing sentences in a chapter you later cut is money wasted, so structure comes first and proofreading comes last.
- 1
Assess the manuscript
We read it and write down which levels of editing it needs and in what order. You may need one, or all four.
- 2
Developmental edit
Structure first. You receive an editorial report and notes in the margins, then revise, or we do, depending on the scope.
- 3
Line edit
Once the structure holds, we work sentence by sentence on style, rhythm and clarity, in tracked changes.
- 4
Copyedit
Grammar, consistency and facts. We keep a style sheet so spellings, names and timelines stay consistent throughout.
- 5
Proofread
A final read on the typeset pages, after design, catches what the earlier passes cannot see.
Start to finish
Where it begins, and where it ends.
Step in
How it starts
Send the manuscript, or the first three chapters. We read before we quote, so the price reflects the work the book needs rather than a package tier.
You bring
- The manuscript in Word, PDF, RTF or ODT
- A rough word count
- What you are worried about
- Whether you plan to publish independently or submit to agents
We send back
- An assessment of which levels of editing the book needs, and in what order
- A stage-by-stage schedule
- A written scope and quote before work begins
Step out
How it ends
You finish with a clean, consistent manuscript that you have approved line by line, ready for design or for submission.
You receive
- The edited manuscript with every change tracked
- A clean version with your accepted changes applied
- The style sheet for your book
- Your editorial report, if you had a developmental edit
Proof
A book that finally moved.
The Quiet Ledger needed a developmental edit. It cut two chapters, and the author approved every change. Below, a memoir that went through developmental and line editing on its way to press.
“The developmental edit cut two chapters and the book finally moved. I approved every change.”
The Quiet Ledger
Business · Hardcover
Case study · Memoir
Long Way from Kerrville
- Starting point
- Forty hours of recorded family interviews and no written draft.
- Challenge
- Turning oral history into a chronological narrative without flattening the narrator’s voice.
- Result
- A 68,000-word memoir in paperback and eBook, approved by the author before release.
68,000
Words
2
Formats
14 wks
To press
“They wrote it the way my father talked. That is the part I did not expect.”
FAQ
Questions about editing.
Which type of editing does my manuscript need?
Most manuscripts need some levels and not others. We read yours and tell you which, and in what order. The author guide has a plain comparison of the four.
Will you rewrite my book?
No. An edit improves what you wrote. Every suggestion is explained, and nothing changes without your approval.
What is the difference between line editing and copyediting?
Line editing works on style and flow, sentence by sentence. Copyediting corrects grammar, consistency and accuracy.
Do you edit manuscripts for agents and traditional publishers?
Yes. We prepare manuscripts for submission as well as for independent publishing.
Can I book proofreading only?
Yes. If the book has already been edited, proofreading on its own is often the sensible choice.
Start here
Send us the manuscript, and we will say what it needs.
Send the whole thing, or the first three chapters. We read it and tell you honestly which levels of editing it needs.
- We reply within two working days.
- No cost and no obligation to start the conversation.
- You keep every right and every royalty.