Editing Services
Fees:
Payment should be made either by direct bank transfer (details on request) or via Paypal to derekprior[at]yahoo.co.uk (please add 2.9% if paying from the US or 3.9% if paying from outside the US)
It is recommended in most cases that you begin with a Content Edit as there will likely be suggestions for redrafting.
Content Edit: $0.020 per word.
Focuses on plot, characterization, style, pace, narrative voice, continuity and structure. The content edit involves three read-throughs of the text. Note: This does not include corrections to spelling or grammar. You will be provided with detailed notes in the margins of the text and a summary. Content edits typically take 4-6 weeks.
Full Line Edit: $0.020 per word.
Line by line scrutiny of grammar, spelling, repetition, word choice, capitalization etc. Issues such as dangling participles, comma splices, split infinitives will be highlighted, and suggestions will be offered for corrections. There will be multiple sweeps of the text. Unless otherwise instructed, I will be following the Chicago Manual of Style. Note: This service does not include content issues, such as plot holes, continuity errors etc. Line edits typically take 4-6 weeks.
Literary Edit (Content and Copy): $0.032 per word
The Literary Edit combines a full line edit with content editing. The focus is very much on structure, plot, characterization, continuity, grammar, syntax, spelling, voice, and pace. You will receive detailed notes in the margins, as well as a separate report, which includes first impressions, and may include suggestions for redrafting. Literary edits typically take 6-8 weeks, depending on word count. Timeframes will be negotiated with the author.
Editing Redrafts: $0.016 per word
Following a literary, content, line, or copy edit, any redrafted passages may be submitted for further editing. Each re-submisison will be charged by the word. This is particularly useful for fine-tuning your manuscript. You may submit passages of any length, from a single line to the entire manuscript.
Final Proofreading (after using the Literary Editing service or Copy Editing service): $0.015 per word. Without using Homunculus’s Literary Editing or Copy Editing services first: $0.020 per word
Prior to using this service, your manuscript should have been professionally copy-edited as proofreading is concerned with picking up any human errors that may have crept in during the editing/revising process, as well as ensuring stylistic consistency. If you still have concerns about grammar, capitalization, style etc., you should arrange for a line edit before booking your proofread. No content issues are looked at during the proofread.
Beta Reading: $0.012 per word. This is a single read-through for overall flow and consistency from the reader’s perspective. I will provide a one page report with my impressions of the story, identifying any issues I feel impede its telling (e.g. inconsistencies). All manuscripts should already be professionally edited and proofread prior to submission for beta reading. I will not be correcting typos and other errors with this service, although I will include any recommendations in that respect in the report. This is NOT an editorial or proofreading service.
First Five Pages Critique: $40
Send me a Word or Pages document of your first five pages (see format below), and I’ll provide you with notes in the margins and a report of no less than 500 words on content and copy issues, including but not restricted to: plot, pace, time, place, person, point of view, themes, prose style, and structure. This is a great entry-level service that will give you a place to start from if editing your own work. If you decide to book a full edit afterwards, the price of the critique will be deducted from the cost.
Please submit in the following format:
Times New Roman 12 pt font
Double line spacing
Standard margin widths
Text left aligned
If you are unsure of the above, please email me the five pages as you have them, and I’ll render them in the correct format and let you know where the critique will start and stop.
BOOKINGS and ENQUIRIES:
derekprior[at]yahoo.co.uk
