BOOK EDITING SERVICES FOR AUTHORS & PUBLISHERS

“Each age, it is found, must write its own books; or rather, each generation for the next succeeding.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am just so darn impressed.”
– Fiction author, on behalf of Hillcrest Media Group

At TPC, we understand the courage it takes to submit your manuscript to an editor. You’ve spent months—likely years—crafting your book, and consulting an outside party can be daunting, to say the least.

Fully respecting the inherent vulnerability in the process, we go out of our way to treat our authors with the utmost care and discretion, always keeping in mind the “person-to-person” aspect of our work. We are honored that you’ve chosen TPC to help you on this leg of your journey, and will make every effort to ensure your book becomes the best it can possibly be in a kind, supportive environment.

Below, please find information about our editorial services, which range from proofreading to heavy developmental editing/ghostwriting. We also offer Manuscript Critiques, as well as assistance with a range of book-related tasks, including book proposals, indexing, and Back Cover Copy.

For a list of frequently asked questions about TPC’s editorial services, please visit: Frequently Asked Questions about Our Services.

Please note: TPC uses Microsoft Word’s “Track Changes” system to ensure all of our changes are transparent to our authors. Authors working with TPC will be required to have Microsoft Word 2003 or higher. 

Editing Services:*

  • Proofreading (Light editing – a final “polish”)
  • Copyediting (Light/medium editing – correcting mainly for grammar and syntax; includes some “developmental” comments)
  • Developmental Editing (Heavy editing – correcting for grammar, syntax, and overall structural issues)
  • Heavy Developmental Editing (Heavy editing, as well as ghostwriting certain passages )
  • * Note that manuscripts with 5,000 words or fewer will be assessed a flat fee of $300.00.

Proofreading (1.5-2.0 cents/word – One round of editing)

Time to completion: Approximately ten business days

Our proofreading services include lightly correcting a manuscript for punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors. Proofreading is most appropriate for manuscripts in the final stages of production.

Copyediting (2.5-3.5 cents/word – Two rounds of editing)

Time to completion: Approximately forty business days, including author’s response time

Our copyediting services include a line-by-line check for punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors. Depending on the level of copyediting (light, heavy, or medium) we’ll also restructure sentences and alter word choices where appropriate. On occasion, we will also make “developmental” comments.

Developmental Editing (4.5-6.5 cents/word – Three rounds of editing)

Time to completion: Approximately 80 business days (four months), including author’s response time

If your manuscript is complete, a thorough developmental edit before contacting publishers and/or agents is an excellent investment in your book’s future success.

Our post-writing developmental editing services include:

  • Re-arranging text to ensure proper logic and flow
  • Providing ideas for how to escalate tension, conflict, and suspense
  • Clarifying the soundness of your book’s argument (in the case of nonficion)
  • Offering suggestions to improve the book’s story arc (in the case of fiction)
  • Querying areas that may need additional fact-checking
  • Checking for consistent pace
  • Advising on dialogue omissions/submissions, and characterization

A thorough developmental edit will check for inconsistencies, redundancies, and repetitions in your text. We’ll also examine sentence style, and make suggestions for adding active voice where necessary. All of our developmental edits include an editorial letter submitted after returning our first round of edits.

Heavy Developmental Editing (6.5 cents to 9 cents/word – Four rounds of editing)

Time to completion: Approximately 120 business days (6 months), including author’s response time

This level of editing includes a full developmental edit, as well as ghostwriting certain sections of the book.

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Manuscript Critique ($2/page – double-spaced; 12-point font with 1-inch margins)

Our Manuscript Critiques (Editorial Assessments) are designed to help authors go more deeply into their books, and to troubleshoot areas that may need additional fine-tuning. In each of our 7- to 10-page Manuscript Critiques, we closely examine several aspects of your work, including:

  • Writing Style
  • Characters
  • Voice
  • Plot
  • Pacing
  • Dialogue
  • Title/Chapter Titles/Subhead Titles

Our thorough, in-depth Manuscript Critiques serve as an essential “guidepost” on your journey toward becoming a successful author. Each of our Manuscript Critiques include a complimentary one-hour phone call discussing your work.

Book Proposal Assistance ($60-100/hour, depending on the scope of the project)

We help authors compose clearly written book proposals specifically designed to help get agents’ and publishers’ attention.

Query Letter Assistance ($50-$150/letter, depending on the scope of the project)

Our carefully crafted query letters will help you get your foot in the door with agents.

General Service Fee ($60/hour):

TPC’s General Service Fee includes the following book-related tasks:

  • Book indexing
  • Transcribing books from handwritten/typewritten copies to Microsoft Word
  • Composing Back Cover Copy for books
  • Providing feedback on typed story outline notes
  • Editing author website copy

For editorial payment policies, please click here.