Each author has special editing needs. To save yourself time and money, look at the choices below and decide which kind of editing suits your needs.
Line editing.
Use this final professional edit after you have already revised your work three times.
Your first revision excludes all redundancies, reducing your copy by one-third.
In your second line edit, rework all the words and sentences so they are your finest. Reduce passive verb constructions (aim for 2-4%) and create relatively short sentences. A standard sentence length is 15-17 words. Longer sentences with multiple phrases and clauses make the reader slow down to understand. As the author, you want your reader to flow along with ease. In your final line edit look at your headings, paragraphs and transitions to make sure your message carries power through placement and is easy to read. Place your most dramatic words and phrases at the end of the sentence, the end of the paragraph and at the end of the chapter. While charges vary, you can expect to pay $50 to $70 for this service from a professional.
Developmental editing.
While you put your writing, ideas and sentences forth, a developmental editor will not just polish your syntax, but fill in gaps you don't want to take time for. It's practically like ghostwriting and you need to choose an editor who specializes in either fiction or non-fiction. You can expect to pay around $65-$75 an hour.
Ghost writing.
You give your topic, thesis or theme and chapter focuses to a person you want to finish the research, put it together in chapter form, and write it to sell well. Again, you need to hire a real professional who specializes in ghost writing for your kind of book, whether it is a novel, memoir, how-to, or history. Most ghostwriters don't write on speculation. Prices vary, but they are usually hourly at around $65 up.
If you want to write a salable book, you will need some professional editing. If you have contacted a book coaching partner for ongoing format and writing input, you will already be a professional writer and only need a bit of line editing when your book is ready to publish.
Don't waste your time and money choosing the path that doesn't serve your needs.
---
Judy Cullins ?2004 All Rights Reserved.
Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," "How to Market your Business on the Internet," and "Create your Web Site With Marketing Pizzazz," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The Book Coach Says..." and "Business Tip of the Month" at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 155 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com.
Tips for your writing journeySo, you'd like to be a... Read More
On the first day of a bright and shiny new... Read More
[When I was a nineteen-year-old high school student and budding... Read More
Each author has special editing needs. To save yourself time... Read More
During the past few months I have received many questions... Read More
The Hottest Word on the WebDid you know marketing people... Read More
What possibly could I have to write about? I never... Read More
Have you been guilty of procrastinating on your book project,... Read More
First, let's tackle the question that is uppermost in many... Read More
Over the past eight years or so, I have tutored... Read More
Not long ago, I went to an Internet Marketing Seminar.... Read More
Ah, writing. For those of us who love to play... Read More
Have you ever wondered how you can adapt your screenplay... Read More
Every hero has a seminal insight - the apotheosis. Once... Read More
Virgil, the great Roman poet, wrote "Practice and thought might... Read More
I've seen it time and again. One of the most... Read More
If you want to be a writer, you must write... Read More
Self-examination is brutally honest. Self-indulgence is brutally maudlin.Writing requires the... Read More
Not all writers write good grammar. That's a fact. It's... Read More
Prolific authors write; they don't just dream about it. A... Read More
Have you ever considered writing a book? If so, maybe... Read More
So, you want to freelance as an editor, writer, copy... Read More
You have just completed a draft of an article. It... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?It should.A theme is a one-line explanation... Read More
I call it cheap therapy. That gushing, near-religious, poured-from-the-body stress... Read More
I've noticed a big shift away from traditional horror recently,... Read More
Today Norm Goldman, Editor of sketchandtravel and bookpleasures is honored... Read More
Verb and SubjectIncorrect:"I bet you two had a fine time,"... Read More
And a dreadful thing from the cliff did spring, and... Read More
A writer writes. Bet you've heard that one... Read More
How do you describe a scene without slowing down the... Read More
If you're a writer, you're in business. It doesn't matter... Read More
Is your book nearly finished, finished, published, or even in... Read More
It was reported that the great American author Sinclair Lewis... Read More
A book coaching client recently emailed me that she was... Read More
It turns out that "tips and templates on how to... Read More
If your cash is running out fast and you have... Read More
Characters in a good novel really carry the story along... Read More
Want to write a how-to article but can't come up... Read More
How many times have you checked out a job board... Read More
Mix a martini, don't forget the olives, or pour yourself... Read More
Day after day, writers tend to sit for hours writing... Read More
For many authors just starting out, it can be a... Read More
How to avoid mistakes that undermine your credibilityYou're probably already... Read More
Written communication is often the first impression you make on... Read More
Here are 3 journaling or diary ideas that can contribute... Read More
The Hottest Word on the WebDid you know marketing people... Read More
There are various forms of structure, including frameworks, work processes... Read More
Writing is a muscle that needs exercise to stay in... Read More
There's nothing that kills a scene like hackneyed dialogue. Just... Read More
Writing |