Thank you so much for responding to my inquiry; your information is invaluable and you have no idea how much better I felt after reading your advice.--Michelle
I recently sent my first historical romance to Wings ePress. They sent me a letter saying they generally liked the manuscript but it was replete with typos, incorrect words, plot holes and various other sins. Would I please revise it and resubmit it? I knew I needed a professional. I asked Cindy to critique it. She did it so competently that when I resubmitted the revised version they sent me a contract. Golden Love was published in March 2008. Thanks, Cindy.--Sue Bennet
"What's wrong with my manuscript?" is a question I hear frequently. My answer, "I don't know. You have to let me read it--only then can I tell you."
My qualifications? I've been a professional manuscript evaluator, in-depth critique giver, copy editor and book reviewer for a well-known literary listing service since the beginning of this century. Yes, people actually pay me to read their manuscripts and tell them what's working and what isn't. I've even helped a few land publishing contracts. It's a great feeling. I've also published non-fiction works, novels and novellas of my own under three different pen names, so I understand what editors are looking for and how to go about giving the reader what she or he wants in a good story.
I'm willing to do the same for you. Contact me at cynthianna@hotmail.com with the words "Editorial Services" in the subject line. Tell me what you need help with and I will tell you what I charge for that service.
I charge according to the type of editorial service you need for your manuscript. Do you need a complete manuscript evaluation or a simple line edit? Are you submitting your work for professional publication or simply trying to sell it to your friends? If the former, then a complete evaluation might be the most productive and help you sell your book by presenting it in its best possible light.
A complete manuscript evaluation includes things such as pointing out plot holes, logic gaps, structural problems, weak characterization, pacing problems, failing to meet genre expectations (not meeting the target audience's expectations), etc. These problems are not addressed in a simple line edit, where an editor proofreads only for typos and corrects grammar and misspellings, etc. While a "clean" manuscript is good, if the basic structure of the story is weak it can be easily rejected by publishers and agents. And a poorly structured book can be easily ridiculed by critics and readers if you self-publish. (If you truly believe in your work, you won't want to rush it out there ill-prepared, which is why having a publisher/agent on your side is always to your advantage.)
I charge by the standard 250 word per page, 12 point font, one inch margins, double space. For example, a 40,000 word manuscript comes in at 160 standard pages. I can do a partial edit (such as the first chapter or first 50 standard pages) for a flat rate. Depending on how much work needs to be done, I usually charge between $2 - $5 a standard page.
Publishing is a tough business. You can't afford to waste an editor's or agent's valuable time. Get your book in shape! Contact me today at cynthianna@hotmail.com with the words "Editorial Services" in the subject line.
For more tips to help you break into print, read Defeating the Slushpile Monster: http://tinyurl.com/slushpile
Links to both print and Kindle editions are on my authors page at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/author/
