If you’re a new author or have never worked with an editor before, you probably have a number of questions about what to expect. Every editor does things a bit differently, but I’d like to give you a brief overview here of what to expect when you work with me.
I give potential clients the option of getting in touch with me either via email or by scheduling a short Zoom call. This gives us a chance to discuss your book, your publishing goals, and the best path forward. Potential clients also have the option of scheduling a sample edit of roughly 1,000 words. I do charge a small fee for the sample edit, which I will then credit back to you if you decide to proceed with a full edit.
When you’re ready to schedule your edit, I’ll create a project agreement for both of us to sign. This agreement clearly outlines the services I will provide, payment terms, deadlines, and confidentiality protections. Once the agreement has been signed and the initial deposit paid, the dates will be reserved on my calendar.
I use Microsoft Word’s Tracking feature to make my edits. This allows you to review every suggested change and decide whether to accept it. My comments will be visible on the right side of the page as well.
In addition, I will create a style sheet specific to your book, which will contain an overview of some basic editing guidelines I’ve used as well as a record of things like character descriptions, timelines, spellings of names, etc. The style sheet also lists some minor changes that are “silent” (not tracked)—for example, changing any double spaces between words to single spaces. Making these small changes silent will save you time in the review process.
My edits are based on the current editions of Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, since that is industry standard for book publishing. For books with Christian content, I also utilize the current edition of The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style. If your book contains quotations from the Bible, I will always double-check those for accuracy and make sure you’ve included the necessary permissions statements on your copyright page.
Before the edit begins, it’s important to make sure you’ve finished any remaining self-editing before sending me your manuscript as a Microsoft Word document. Once editing is underway, I’ll be in contact with any questions about the manuscript. For longer projects (more than a couple of weeks), I’ll also provide periodic updates on the progress of the edit. And of course, you are free to contact me with questions at any time.
If you’re ready to explore how I may be able to help you turn your heartfelt manuscript into a professional-quality book, you can contact me here: https://robinlreed.com/contact/
I look forward to hearing from you!
