Editing Services
Whether you’re a published or unpublished writer, a novice or a veteran, getting words on the page can beat you down. I’m here to lift you up.
Are you revising a manuscript and don’t know if you’re making the right stylistic/plot choices?
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I’ll give you an expert review of your manuscript to make sure you’re on the right track.
Are you unsure if your revised manuscript is ready to query agents or be self-published?
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I’ll give you thorough feedback to push your manuscript the last mile.
Are you looking for a professional eye on your work without investing in a full intensive edit?
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I’ll give you a combined big-picture and intensive breakdown of your project.
Are you faced with query rejections, unsure where you’ve gone wrong?
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I’ll help you polish that baby until it shines.
Writing is hard. Writing solo is even harder. As an editor, I’m here to help you craft the book you were meant to write. This is your baby. Your heart and soul is in every word you type. My job is to help YOU shape YOUR story, so others will get swept away in the riveting world you’ve imagined.
Why work with me?
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Character development
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Voice
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Plotting
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Pacing
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Dialogue
My strengths lie in helping build strong characters your readers will care about. The elusive quality known as “voice” is one of my favorite things to help develop. Without a compelling voice, it’s near impossible to snag an agent or editor or keep a reader invested. Untangling rough plotting and pacing is at the heart of my wheelhouse. If your book suffers from the dreaded saggy middle, I’m your gal. Lacking tension? We’ll ratchet it up. Dialogue! Sharp and snappy is my sweet spot. Tackling formatting issues, use of garbage and crutch words, and general grammar problems are my jam. I'm not a copy editor, but I'll flag all issues I see.
My editing style:
I’m honest to a fault, even if it isn’t what you want to hear. I’ll also cackle over your hilarious lines and swoon over your brilliant prose, so you can see where your writing shines. I'll give you the good, the bad, and the ugly and promise to always do my best to keep you inspired.
My favorite genres to edit:
I have experience working with writers of diverse genres, from middle grade to YA to adult. Women’s fiction and romance are near and dear, but I love suspense, speculative fiction, science fiction, mystery, and fantasy. All stories need strong structures, and I can help you strengthen your foundation. If you write non-fiction or horror, another editor will be better suited to your needs.
My writing stats:
I’ve been published since 2016. I'm a hybrid author with both traditional and self-publishing experience, giving me an informed bird’s-eye-view of the ever-changing publishing landscape. My work has been translated and sold in Italy, Germany, and Poland. I’ve worked as a Pitch Wars mentor, helping writers like you edit their books to pitch agents and get book deals. I get ridiculously excited to help writers reach their goals!
"I sent a draft of my romance manuscript to Kelly because I was struggling with the latter half and felt I needed a second opinion. She gave me the good, bad, and ugly. She was able to provide not only stylistic and dialogue edits on the manuscript, but also provided brilliant suggestions on pacing (how to fix a sagging middle) and how to keep tone and character ARCs consistent. Her edit letter was so detailed and provided ample guidance, as she took the time to understand my vision for the story. She also provided her edits well within our agreed upon time frame and was so responsive throughout!
A month following the receipt of her edits, I tried my hand at querying my top 10 literary agents. I ended up receiving multiple full requests and 3 offers of representation within 3 days. It was surreal, and I am so grateful to Kelly for her hard work on this story with me! I highly recommend Kelly's services, especially to newer writers trying to find their voice."
~ Amy Lea, author of Set on You
TESTIMONIALS:
"Working with an editor or coach can sound scary but here's the deal: working with Kelly is *fun*. You'll come away from your meetings with a full idea of how to make your book better, but also what makes your work good, what to keep, and places that you made her laugh or swoon. And because it feels like working with a smart friend, and not a scary industry person, you feel comfortable asking the questions you need to move forward. I can promise that Kelly will make you laugh, inspire you to make your work better, and she'll give you expert guidance that seems achievable every step of the way.
I can't recommend a better person to partner with on your work, whether you're an aspiring writer, or a published author dealing with a temperamental project."
~ Meghan Scott Molin, author of The Frame-Up
"Kelly played an integral role in the process of getting my story query-ready. She caught so many things I missed and really helped me fine-tune my plot and characters. Her style is tough but fair, with equal parts encouragement and cheer! Thanks to her help, I was able to find a wonderful agent for my book!"
~ Stephanie Eding, author of The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale
PRICING
MANUSCRIPT EVALUATIONS
You have a completed manuscript and want to make sure it’s the absolute best it can be.
General MS Evaluation - 10% off listed rate for first-time clients!
Cost: $0.007/word
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You’ll receive a 3-7 page editorial letter outlining character/plotting/pacing/writing issues, with suggestions on how to fix the problems. There are no in-line editorial notes with this evaluation.
Intensive MS Evaluation - 10% off listed rate for first-time clients!
Cost: $0.015/word
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You’ll receive a 3-7 page editorial letter outlining character/plotting/pacing/writing issues with suggestions on how to fix the problems.
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You’ll receive detailed in-line notes, guiding you through the revision process.
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Includes a one hour phone call to discuss the manuscript and suggestions.
Combo MS Evaluation - 10% off listed rate for first-time clients!
Cost: $190 flat fee plus $0.007/word
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You’ll receive a 3-7 page editorial letter outlining character/plotting/pacing/writing issues with suggestions on how to fix the problems. This covers a read of the entire manuscript.
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You’ll receive detailed in-line notes on the first 50 pages of your manuscript, giving you insight into specific trouble areas. I’ll point out grammatical issues, crutch words, clunky wording, and where characters and plotting are struggling. I’ll also tell you everything I love about your piece. You can then use these markers to guide the rest of your revisions on your own.
SUBMISSION GUIDANCE
Let me help you polish your pitch.
Query Evaluation – 1 pass
Cost: $27
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You’ll receive detailed feedback on one pass of your query letter.
Query Evaluation – 2 passes
Cost: $44
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You’ll receive detailed feedback on TWO drafts of your query letter.
Synopsis Evaluation
Cost: $44
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You’ll receive detailed feedback on your synopsis. Synopsis must be written in 12 pt, Times New Roman font, double-spaced, maximum 3 pages.
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A synopsis evaluation can often help identify big-picture developmental issues in the manuscript, without a manuscript evaluation.
Submission Package
Cost: $110
*This is a discounted price, because I want to help querying writers tackle the basics.
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You’ll receive detailed feedback on one pass of your query letter.
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You’ll receive detailed feedback on your synopsis. (See Synopsis Evaluation for specifics on length.)
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You’ll receive detailed in-line notes on the first chapter of your manuscript, up to 12 pages.
*All prices are in USD.
*All payments are made through Paypal.
*All bookings require 50% deposit, with the balance paid upon return of the work, prior to any scheduled phone calls, if applicable.
*Manuscripts must be in correct formatting: 12 pt, double-spaced, Times New Roman font.
To purchase one of these services, fill out the contact form below with the following information:
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Which service you’re interested in.
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Your ideal timeline.
Make your dream a reality!