Editing Services

View the Flipbook for Editing Here

Can you use an insightful coach to call forth your best writing?
Need a creative partner to “frost icing on your writing cake?”
Do you need motivation and energy when you run into snags?

Critiques

Evaluate the strengths, unity and appeal of your manuscript.

Line/Copy Editing

Ensure correct grammar, punctuation, facts, and thematic integrity.

Coaching

Remain focused, and on track with objective counsel during rewrites.

Marketing

Select your news release, query letter, synopsis, cover copy, promo materials, promotion plan and social media plan.

Additional Services

Author Bio
Book Jacket Promotion Copy
Book Launch Promo Plan
Copywriting
Ghostwriting
Speechwriting

What People Are Saying

“I really value the counsel that Judy shared to improve my story. She gave me a better, objective perspective of my book, and now I feel it has more meaning and magical enjoyment for readers.”
– Chris Rader, Author, “Josh’s Adventure”

“Judy is a wonderful writing coach and confidante. Her perspective, enthusiasm and knowledge are bringing forth the powerful writer within me.”
-- Taaji Rauf, MFA, Los Angeles, CA, author, “Before Life”

ELEVATE YOUR WRITING FOR

Critical, Commercial and Artostic Sucess
Partner with an editor who gets you and feels the flava of your work.

Editing Guidelines

Our partnership allows your creativity shine through on every page

Correct mistakes in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, number use and style.
Revise sentence structure to place the subject at the beginning. (Active/passive voice).
Delete repeated words in the same sentence and paragraph and insert synonyms.
Awareness of triple adjective constructions. Example: The man was a, b and c. The sky was x, y and z. This is acceptable, but your communication should be varied with constructions that contain one, two or four adjectives.
Prune unneeded words and strive for clear, incisive communication.
Assist with exciting, "Bingo! On the money!" expression of your communication.
Suggest a variety of “signal verbs” to accompany dialogue vs. “He said,” and “She said.”

Suggested changes usually fall within one of these seven areas. Changes are shown in red ink and/or balloon callouts, or are indicated on a separate page. I leave all decisions for revising copy up to you, by saying "Your call.

Elements of Copy/Line Editing

These areas are addressed in a line/copy edit.

Apostrophes
Brand Names
Capitalization
Consistency
Continuity
Contractions
Dialect
Dialogue
Events
Fact Checking
Foreign Phrases
Formatting
Grammar
Historical Accuracy
Homonyms
Jargon
Number Usage
Paragraph Line, Page Breaks

Plurals
Possessives
Powerful Sentences
Prune Extra Words
Punctuation
Repeated Words
Signal Verbs
Slang
Spelling
Style
Synonyms
Tense
Timing
Trademarks
Voice (Active/Passive)

Components of General Editing for Subject and Content

Evaluation of title, beginning, middle, end, character development, plot, pacing, dialogue, consistency, continuity and other relevant aspects for strengths and areas for improvement.
Suggest corrections, changes, areas to emphasize, areas to minimize and other ways to enhance the commercial and critical appeal of your manuscript.
Suggest improvements to the storyline, character development, conclusions (and alternate endings), the arc of the work, and on how to enhance service to readers.

Our Special Features

Good Feeling

My editing does not offer criticism and point out mistakes, but provides constructive suggestions, examples of the best expression, and instructs how to turn a weakness into a strength.

Approach

I act as your partner, coach, big sister, and team member who ensures your manuscript’s artistic, critical and commercial success. I provide advice and insights gleaned from working with other authors, my work as a book reviewer, my love of reading, my own writing, and from my efforts to continually improve my services and make them valuable to my clients. I care for your work as if it were my own.

Standards of Excellence

I instill the highest standards of excellence in my work. I edit your manuscript based on Modern Language Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines.

Practical Experience

My work for you is influenced by my experience as a practitioner. I am a professor of communications, instructing correct word usage, grammar, punctuation, and other language skills. I also am a speechwriter and copywriter for numerous commercial projects.

Regular Communication -- No Surprises

You will always know where you are in the editing process via regular Status Updates and pre-scheduled Skype teleconferences.

You Evaluate My Service

My business is built via referrals and repeat clients. You will evaluate my services after editing has been completed.

Time Frame

We can comfortably complete editing your manuscript in six-to-twelve weeks.

Marketing Background

One of my "extras" is my experience as marketing professional employed by Fortune 75 corporations. My marketing expertise has refined my sense of what will make your manuscript commercial, and enables me to suggest targeted ways to promote your book.

My goal is to edit your manuscript
with all of the enthusiasm and integrity it deserves.
I strive for excellent service and a pleasant working relationship with you that will lead to additional assignments and referrals.

I edit a ten-page sample from your manuscript for free to provide you with an example of my work, and evidence of
how my services can advance your manuscript.
I can share several examples of critiques I have written.

“All About Excellence” Editing Blog

7/25/18

Get the Best from your Editor -- and the Most for Your Editing Dollar

The relationship with your editor should be deeply satisfying, but many writers obtain an editor without a clear understanding of how to best use them.

First, understand your needs (such as help with grammar, punctuation, similes, structure, etc.), then interview editors with a seriousness similar to selecting a physician or dentist. Give your editor specific direction at the outset of your working relationship. Expect two to three go-rounds in the editing process, depending on how much work your manuscript needs.

SIX SUGGESTIONS

Your editor is a professional and is not your BFF. It is imperative that you both keep it real and focus on the manuscript as the “baby” that must be nurtured to be the best it can be. You cannot have your feelings hurt if your editor points out that a phrase is a cliché. It is better to have your editor correct weaknesses before publication vs. having acquisition editors, reviewers and readers make negative conclusions about your work and abilities.
2The most satisfying editing relationships arise from serious writers who want to imbue excellence in their work. If you are writing to grind an axe or settle a score, you do not need a professional editor to “rubber stamp” your wish fulfillment. If your manuscript cannot withstand improvement you should forgo editing altogether.
Commit to the deadlines indicated. If a deadline must be adjusted, request an extension in advance.

4. Please don’t be “funny with the money.” When you are late with a payment because you are “waiting for your next paycheck,” you are messing up your editor’s livelihood. Set aside the entire fee for editing and commit to a payment schedule that you can fulfill.
5. Please don’t diddle with your editor’s time. Do not make inquiries or request a sample edit if you are not serious and if you do not have sufficient funds for editing.
6. The editing process should be fun, similar to icing a cake. Much intimate thinking is being considered, and your interaction with your editor – a meeting of the minds -- is something which you should both anticipate with pleasure.

ENHANCE THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MANUSCRIPT
Your editor’s job is to elevate the content and enhance the spirit of your manuscript. They should edit your manuscript with all of the enthusiasm and integrity it deserves.

Your manuscript should reflect your best effort. Lack of objectivity is expected; this is why you need the eyes of a knowledgeable professional. But your editing fee is wasted when you use your editor as a “clean up” person; you will not obtain the most for your editing dollar.

While they are seldom formally acknowledged, your editor will take just as much pride in your beautifully completed, published work as you will. Your editor is here to be the “Wind beneath your wings.”

YOUR THOUGHTS? TALK TO ME…
Share your ideas on how to get the most from the author – editor relationship. Please contact me if you would like to discuss further how EZMS can assist you with your editing project.

Thank you for reading. I wish you continued success and excellence.
Stay focused. Keep writing.

Judy, Judith C. Allen, MBA, President, Excellence Zone Marketing Strategies, Inc.

Links:
From Ragan’s PR Daily: Try these tactics for coping with horrible editors
https://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/23669.aspx

Please join us next time for more information on writing and editing.

Blog goal: Provide service to the writing and editing community. I would like for you to know me, my flava and how I do biz.