Writing and Editing Services
When you are faced with writing and editing, let John and Carolyn do the work! They’ve been there, done that! Whether it’s an article or press release, promotional material or a novel, they can provide you with the support you need. Do you need a ghost writer? They can do that too!
They’re the experts in helping you observe the tenants of good writing: knowing your audience, clarity, directness, active voice, relevant tone, appropriate word choice and just the right degree of formality.
Editing
Their editing services encompass substantive editing, copyediting, and proofreading.
Substantive Editing
If it’s fiction, they pay close attention to your plot, narrative, characterization, and tone. In cases where your stories or novels have been rejected for publication, you probably are looking for substantive editing.
If it’s non-fiction, they pay close attention to the organization and logic, as well as how compelling your message is. In cases where your book or articles have been rejected, it may be that your writing lacks the impact it requires, and substantive editing is what you need.
They can add vigor to your text. Some well-chosen adjectives or adverbs can breathe extra life to your text, as can well-placed action verbs or powerful analogies.
Copyediting
In the cases where your the content is basically sound, but you need someone to review the manuscript for grammar, usage, style, and punctuation, you need a copy editor.
They can proofread your manuscript for you:
- correct spelling
- correct grammar
- correct punctuation
- correct word usage
We also ensure consistency, whether your style is formal or colloquial, we help you to maintains your style throughout.
Proofreading
They can review your manuscript for typographical errors.
Do you need help with layout?
Once your manuscript is edited and ready to go, it needs to be keyed in and formatted. They can help with that process.
The Nuts and Bolts
If you considering requesting assistance with your writing or editing project, there are a few organizational issues to nail down.
What is the scope of your project?
Is the project a single book, an article, or a series of pieces to be written over a matter of weeks? Is it copy for a website? Is this a one-time read or an ongoing need to read copy as it is created for the site?
What is your time frame?
Do you need for the assignment to be completed in weeks, days or hours? Will it be delivered all at once or piecemeal? Do you expect it to be returned all at once or piecemeal?
Payment
Do you want to pay by the hour, by the project (a flat fee), or by the page? After reviewing your project, they will give you a preliminary estimate and ultimately a firm contract.
In the event of hourly compensation they specify a cap on how many hours they could bill.
Payments are made to them through PayPal. Depending on the project, we may ask for a percentage of the total payment up front or after they have received a specified proportion of the edited material.
If desired, you can request that they contract for and complete a sample edit of one chapter or a single article that you can evaluate before contracting for the complete assignment.
Listen to Satisfied Customers
“Carolyn proofread the manuscript of a book I wrote entitled Abominable Grace. The proofreading was excellent and comprehensive including extensive footnotes…. I welcomed her suggestions as to form and content as well as grammar and syntax. These were very helpful. The book is now published by Createspace, a division of Amazon.com.” (from author, Donn Crail)
“I want to sing the praises of Carolyn Shadle and John Meyer, Ph. Ds., who edited my newly published novel, Lady of the Deep. Not only did they do a thorough, professional job in their edits, they communicated well with me in the process. They also had a feeling for the story, which made their edits even more valuable and appropriate. I would encourage any writer, especially novice writers, to submit their work to these two knowledgeable and literary people. I am one of those writers, new to the novel game, who has written for years and no matter how many times I edit my own work, there’s always something when in print that I missed.
Thank you John and Carolyn, for your help with Lady of the Deep and thank you for your help in promoting my novel. Christopher Rubel , Claremont, California.”
For further information or for a quote, send an email to cshadle@mac.com, or call 858-450- 5343.