SERVICES
Audition Edit
When you’re looking for an editor, you want a perfect match! Does the editor get where you’re coming from? Do they understand the way you use language? Do their edits make sense to you? Are their suggestions and queries thoughtful? Will they clean and polish your work without changing or compromising your voice?
With this in mind, Poison Pen Proofreading will provide a no-charge sample edit of your work, up to one thousand words, so that you can be sure we’re made for each other.
Content Editing
Content editing is about storytelling. It looks at the big picture elements: Are your concept and premise clear, original, and interesting? Is your story well told and well plotted out? Does the pacing work? Are your characters real and three dimensional, with believable traits, strengths, and flaws? Are they consistent, do they have understandable motivations, and are there real stakes for them in the story?
There are different levels of content editing:
Developmental Edit
A developmental edit is a deep dive into your manuscript. This will include a multi-page editorial report that details my thoughts and suggestions, broken down by Characters, Plot and Pacing, Storytelling, and Writing. You’ll also receive a book map, where you can see the whole of your story laid out on a timeline, and your manuscript with numerous comments and suggestions in the text that will provide concrete examples of issues noted in the editorial report, as well as suggestions and ideas to implement solutions.
Manuscript Evaluations
Manuscript evaluations receive the same detailed editorial report, without the in-text notes and suggestions.
Alpha or Beta Reading
An alpha read takes a very wide view of an early draft. With an alpha read you’ll receive a written report detailing in broad strokes what is working in your story and where it could be elevated.
Beta reads are where I put on my “casual reader” hat and leave comments in the text of your manuscript as I read. This might include notes on things that are working particularly well, or nice turns of phrase, or things that are confusing, unclear, or that don’t ring true.
Opening Evaluation
An Opening Evaluation will look like a developmental edit, but it will only review the first 10,000 words and your synopsis of the rest of the story.
All levels of content editing include a follow-up phone call to address any questions or thoughts you might have.
Line Editing
A line edit is about style and language—this is where your writer’s voice shines through! Line edits address unclear sentences, overused words and phrases, repetitive sentence structures, and awkward language. At this stage, we’ll ask questions like: Does the language match the tone of each given scene? Does it make sense? Does it flow? In the simplest terms, line edits ask, “Is each word the perfect word?”
Copyediting and Proofreading
Copyediting is about mechanics: grammar, punctuation, spelling, internal consistency, and logic.
Proofreading is the very last step – at this stage, the only changes made are to correct outright errors.
Audition Edit
When you’re looking for an editor, you want a perfect match! Does the editor get where you’re coming from? Do they understand the way you use language? Do their edits make sense to you? Are their suggestions and queries thoughtful? Will they clean and polish your work without changing or compromising your voice?
With this in mind, Poison Pen Proofreading will provide a no-charge sample edit of your work, up to one thousand words, so that you can be sure we’re made for each other.
Content Editing
Content editing is about storytelling. It looks at the big picture elements: Are your concept and premise clear, original, and interesting? Is your story well told and well plotted out? Does the pacing work? Are your characters real and three dimensional, with believable traits, strengths, and flaws? Are they consistent, do they have understandable motivations, and are there real stakes for them in the story?
There are different levels of content editing:
Developmental Edit
A developmental edit is a deep dive into your manuscript. This will include a multi-page editorial report that details my thoughts and suggestions, broken down by Characters, Plot and Pacing, Storytelling, and Writing. You’ll also receive a book map, where you can see the whole of your story laid out on a timeline, and your manuscript with numerous comments and suggestions in the text that will provide concrete examples of issues noted in the editorial report, as well as suggestions and ideas to implement solutions.
Manuscript Evaluations
Manuscript evaluations receive the same detailed editorial report, without the in-text notes and suggestions.
Alpha or Beta Reading
An alpha read takes a very wide view of an early draft. With an alpha read you’ll receive a written report detailing in broad strokes what is working in your story and where it could be elevated.
Beta reads are where I put on my “casual reader” hat and leave comments in the text of your manuscript as I read. This might include notes on things that are working particularly well, or nice turns of phrase, or things that are confusing, unclear, or that don’t ring true.
Opening Evaluation
An Opening Evaluation will look like a developmental edit, but it will only review the first 10,000 words and your synopsis of the rest of the story.
All levels of content editing include a follow-up phone call to address any questions or thoughts you might have.
Line Editing
A line edit is about style and language—this is where your writer’s voice shines through! Line edits address unclear sentences, overused words and phrases, repetitive sentence structures, and awkward language. At this stage, we’ll ask questions like: Does the language match the tone of each given scene? Does it make sense? Does it flow? In the simplest terms, line edits ask, “Is each word the perfect word?”
Copyediting and Proofreading
Copyediting is about mechanics: grammar, punctuation, spelling, internal consistency, and logic.
Proofreading is the very last step – at this stage, the only changes made are to correct outright errors.