Sarah Edits

Editorial Services

Helping to perfect your work

Help for authors like you

Whether you have just completed your first short story or you are an experienced, published author, I can help improve your work and get it ready for publication. If you plan to self-publish your book, I can also provide guidance, recommendations on free tools, and resources to help you with the process.

As a freelance editor, I tailor the engagement to meet your specific requirements — so you only pay for what you need.

Do you need an editor?

...probably yes!

There are different types of editing which can assist you at different stages of your creative process. From a manuscript appraisal, a developmental or substantive edit, through to a copyedit — each has a role in turning a good manuscript into a great piece of fiction.

With everything in life, it's always good to have a second opinion. It is extremely hard to be ultra-critical of your own work, especially when it's a labour of love that has taken many months or even years to write. As a minimum, it is worth asking a few trusted readers to beta read your work before publishing.

Is it worth paying for?

An in-depth, constructive developmental edit will identify any areas of weakness and will consider the overall effectiveness of your story including character consistency, plot, pacing, viewpoint, tense, subplots, writing style and dialogue.

A good editor provides you with practical, actionable feedback, specifying why something may not be working and suggesting ways to address those areas. They will always respect your voice and vision, keeping your unique style, whilst helping with its consistency.

CHOICES

HOW TO CHOOSE AN EDITOR
Jane Friedman has written an excellent guide on how to find and work with an editor. It is key you find an editor who understands your brief, agrees clear deliverables and deadlines upfront. They should instil you with confidence and above all be 'on the same wavelength'.

IS GENRE IMPORTANT?
Yes. An editor who is used to working with writers from your genre can assess whether your book's voice, format and style matches the genre expectations. They also help with feedback on aspects such as the target audience and marketability of the book.

What an editor checks

Here are some examples of what an editor will check for:

Does the structure of the book make sense; is it presented in a logical and understandable way?
Are there any holes in the plot and does the timeline work?
Is each character believable and consistent; does the character development make sense?
Are the narrative viewpoint and tense both logical as well as consistent?
Are the narrative techniques correctly applied and do they follow the genre expectations?
Is the writing style logical and consistent?
Is the writer telling, rather than showing?
Does the pace keep the story moving for the reader?
Are there continuity errors and are loose ends tied up (if applicable)?
Has the writer correctly formatted paragraphs?
Will shorter or longer paragraphs better suit the style or genre of the book?
Are there errors or inconsistencies in spelling, punctuation, grammar, style and usage?
Are the basic facts and arguments plausible, consistent and reasonable?
Is any language non-inclusive or problematic from a legal point of view?
Is the formatting consistent, for example, italics, bold and capitals?
Can the text be improved by rewording or reformatting if it is confusing or convoluted?
Does the manuscript need cleaning up/formatting or does the structure need marking up using Word styles?

It is important to discuss and agree on what you want from your editor, based on both where you are in the publishing process, as well as your experience as an author. I make sure the writers and publishers who I work with, understand what to expect both in terms of output as well as the timeline. When I work with new clients, we often spend a long time discussing these expectations. I will look at a manuscript sample which helps me to assess and recommend the services needed. This is especially important for authors wanting to publish their first work.

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