is a TOTAL REWRITE or GHOSTWRITE best

for your client?

When your author has a story to tell or insight to share, but doesn’t have the know-how or time to write the book, hire a ghostwriter. A ghostwritten manuscript is created from scratch. A total rewrite is a major overhaul of an existing manuscript.

I am a professional ghostwriter, and below is my process.

does your author need a MANUSCRIPT EVALUATION? 

The manuscript is mostly complete, but there are big-picture errors or elements missing. The author needs developmental help. A manuscript evaluation is a developmental edit in report form. It does not cover HOW the manuscript reads, HOW words form sentences, only WHAT the manuscript says, WHAT message the author is trying to get across to the reader. Unlike a developmental edit where the editor provides detailed notes and comments within the manuscript using Word’s track changes and comment tools, a manuscript evaluation is a summarized report. It covers big-picture issues, allowing the author to understand what needs work.

The process involves a thorough read-through of the entire manuscript while taking notes on big-picture elements such as genre, theme, title, premise, voice, point of view, organizational style, tense, writing habits, size, and overall strengths and weaknesses. For nonfiction, content, openings, endings, and research are covered as well. With fiction, setting, dialogue, character development, and plot are evaluated in addition to the above elements.

A manuscript evaluation results in a ten to fifteen-page written report, clearly noting suggestions for improvement and implementing change. The author considers the recommendations and works on the manuscript in his or her own time. This is a great option for catching holes and flaws in the entire manuscript before a developmental edit or copy edit. Mostly, it saves time and money.

Manuscript evaluations are one of my superpowers.

maybe a DEVELOPMENTAL EDIT would be better?

A developmental edit (aka structural edit, substantive edit, content editing, etc.) covers the same big-picture elements a manuscript evaluation covers but is a lot more detailed and takes place within the manuscript.

It does not cover HOW the manuscript reads, HOW words form sentences, only WHAT the manuscript says, WHAT message the author is trying to get across to the reader. A developmental edit is not a copy edit, which focuses on grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation (to name a few). The developmental process involves a thorough read of every word, paragraph, and page while noting big-picture elements such as genre, theme, title, premise, voice, point of view, organizational style, tense, writing habits, size, and overall strengths and weaknesses. For nonfiction, content, openings, endings, and research are covered as well. With fiction, setting, dialogue, character development, and plot are evaluated in addition to the above elements.

A developmental edit happens within the manuscript using Word’s track changes and comment tools, so the author sees exactly where the issues fall but has full control over changes. It provides suggestions, examples, and tips for implementing changes and strengthening the manuscript’s core elements.

If you’re looking for a developmental editor with a true understanding

of the reader, I’m your gal.

ready for a COPY EDIT, the shine cycle?

If the manuscript is developmentally sound but needs a good cleaning before submitting to publishers or publishing, a deep copy edit will work wonders. Unlike manuscript evaluations or developmental edits which focus on improvements to the manuscript as a whole, copy edits are precise, editing HOW words form sentences, not WHAT those words are trying to say. Think of a copy edit as the shine cycle. It’s where a solid, refined manuscript comes for a deep buff. This in-depth line-by-line edit will not only cover spelling, punctuation, and grammar, it will target clunky words, fix tense issues, correct sentence structure, fine-tune phrasing, flow, and tone, and ensure format consistency. A copy edit happens within the manuscript using Word’s track changes tools and comment boxes, so the author sees every editorial suggestion. While some suggestions might be optional, like word choices, most will be errors needing attention.

Copy edits are sometimes called line edits or substantive edits. Some editors even divide copy edits into soft/hard edits, light/heavy edits, or standard/difficult text. You know why there are so many versions of one type of edit. Because every manuscript is different, and every writer has unique writing habits–both good and not-so-good. Throw in industry-specific words (think engineering or tech), an author whose first language is not English, or epic-fantasy worldbuilding, and the edit gets complicated. The harder the edit, the more time the editor needs to pay close attention to details. And an author wants an editor who pays close attention to details.  

These days, subpar books get crappy reviews and struggle with sales. We know this, and yet poorly-edited books are published every day. As a publisher, you want to publish a top-notch book. As an agent, you want a bidding war. Don’t fight the odds by skipping this essential step. 

I will buff the manuscript until it shines.

time to publish, does the manuscript need a PROOFREAD?

By this point, the manuscript has been fleshed out developmentally, the structure is sound, and a professional editor has copy edited the final draft. The book has been formatted for publication and this is the last chance to catch errors.

Need a proofreader with inhuman vision? I’m your gal.

prefer a hybrid edit, the GOOEY STUFF BETWEEN THE SOFA CUSHIONS?

Sometimes what you or your client needs doesn’t sit well on the couch. It falls between the cushions. Need a developmental edit and copy edit combo? I’ve got you covered. Prefer a partial edit or partial manuscript evaluation to catch habits early? Great ways to cut problems at the knees. Worried about the budget? Don’t worry, there are always options.

We’ll chat, look at the work, and decide how to tackle the issues together.

I’ve got it covered.

would your client benefit from AUTHOR COACHING?

Writing is a craft, a journey versus a destination. The road to publication is not quick or easy. It takes years for an author to hone his or her craft, and writing and editing a manuscript is not the end. But authors don’t have to walk this road alone. I will take their hand no matter where they are on their journey.

Maybe the author has a book idea but doesn’t know how to get it on paper. An author coach will help the author create an outline. This is not as simple as it sounds. It involves more than just brainstorming and taking notes, as you know. There’s a whole lotta stuff between page one and three-hundred. An author coach is an experienced expert who guides the author through the writing and editorial process from start to finish.

And today, there’s so much more after writing the end. An author coach educates an author regarding marketing, public relations, author platforms, and a myriad of launch decisions. 

Most of all, an author coach will encourage an author to write when their muse is on sabbatical or they’ve hit a roadblock. I’ll set deadlines and provide the motivation to reach those goals.

As a professional editor, I understand manuscripts and the written word. As an award-winning author, I’ve walked the path for decades. Let me help your authors succeed. I’m an author coach and I sing their tune.

Take my hand.