The relationship between editor and author is uniquely personal. As such, I offer a sample 1,000-word edit at no charge so that we can determine if we are a good fit for each other. All editorial work will be done in MS Word using the review & comment functions to offer suggestions for corrections and improvements.
My reading and editing happy place is any sub-genre of romance, but I also edit general fiction, fantasy, historical, and women’s fiction. I am a safe space for LGBTQIA+ authors and I celebrate diverse stories. However, I am not a sensitivity reader, so I encourage all authors who are writing outside of their lived experience to seek out those services.
Please note: if you write on-page noncon or sexual coercion, extreme violence including on-page sexual assault, gore, serial killers, or childhood illnesses, abuse or traumatic deaths, I am not the editor for you. I am comfortable with characters that need to reconcile deep emotional issues but I require content warnings in advance of submission so I can assess your manuscript properly.
Novel Services
Developmental & Structural Editing
- Analysis of plot, themes, tone, pacing
- Review of novel and chapter structure
- Plot summary and beats analysis
- Emotional arc analysis of main characters
- Analysis of Goals, Motivations, Conflict (GMC) and characterization of protagonists
- Suggestions for story improvement and flow
- Consistency in style and voice
- 2 passes – one initial manuscript review and one review of re-writes
- Feedback to be provided via comments in the manuscript, an editorial letter, and a plot beat sheet with suggestions for improvements
- Basic stylistic analysis to identify major style issues including:
- Filter words
- Info-dumps
- Active vs passive voice
- Repetition
- Grammar and spelling
- Awkward phrasing
- Review of unnecessary modifiers and phrases
- Consistency in names, physical features of characters
- Verification of factual details
- Confirmation of scene choreography with a special focus on physical scenes indicating movement
- Please note the stylistic analysis does not replace copy or line editing, but it will assist you in identifying your most common style issues
- Due to the nature of this type of edit, quotes are provided on a per project basis in USD, but you should budget for $.02 per word (2 cents/word).*
Detailed Beta-reading
This service is for someone who has a limited budget but still wants an expert opinion to critique their manuscript.
- A detailed reading of the manuscript with comments provided within the manuscript. I will give you positive and negative feedback from an editor’s and reader’s perspective.
- $.01 USD per word for one round (1 cent/word). If you require a second round of beta-reading to review revisions, the charge is $.005 per word (1/2 cent/word).
Video or Phone Call Consultation
This service is perfect if you need a follow-up call to any of the prior services or if you want an editor’s help to work through an issue with your novel. You set the tone for conversation: we can brainstorm your plot, analyze a character’s GMC, or we can talk about self-editing tips & tricks.
$100 USD per hour
Resume and Cover Letter Services
- Formatting
- Active language
- Brevity with detail
- Grammar
- Consultation to highlight your achievements
- Tone
- $120 USD*
*Please contact me at grayplumeediting@gmail.com for a quote. A project rate will be determined after a sample edit.