PLEASE NOTE: I am not currently available for editing, and do not expect to have any availability throughout 2024.
Hi, I’m Amy Laurens. I am an award-winning author, CEO of Inkprint Press since 2015, Inkprint’s chief line editor and formatter since 2012, a freelance editor since 2008, and I’ve been an English teacher in three of my state’s top schools since 2010.
I specialise in line, copy and proof edits. What’s the difference? I’m so glad you asked.
LINE EDITS (1c/word)
In line edits, the focus is on making your voice sing. A line editor seeks to improve both the clarity and the quality of the prose, aiming for a consistent and effective voice throughout.
Comments at this level focus on things like word choice, ensuring that descriptions are clear to the reader, effective use of figurative language, varying sentence and paragraph length for pacing and tone, and pointing out areas that either need to be further developed, or pared back. Feedback can also offer advice for maintaining consistency of character and setting, advice on scene/chapter structure for optimal pacing, and is likely to comment on information flow.
Note that this type of editing may pick up typos, spelling errors, and grammatical issues, but is not guaranteed to as this is not the focus.
And nor should it be; a good line edit usually means a fair bit of rewriting, tweaking, and rephrasing on the author’s part, so correcting grammar and spelling at this level is a waste of time – that comes AFTER the author has had a chance to process the line edits!
COPY EDITS (0.8c/word)
Copy edits focus on consistency of both information and style. If you have a particular style guide you need your word edited to (e.g. Chicago Manual of Style), this is where it happens.
Comments focus on correct use of punctuation, accurate (or at least consistently inaccurate for effect) grammar and spelling, and consistency of things such as hair/eye colour and book-specific spellings throughout.
PROOFREADING (0.5c/word)
If you’re 100% sure that you’re happy with your phrasing and with the style of your manuscript, you might be after someone to simply do a spelling and grammar check.
An English teacher with over a decade of experience in schools where the Year 12 mean result is routinely more than 15% above the state mean is the perfect person to hire for this aspect, especially when she happens to be an award-winning author on the side!
PRICE LIST
TERMS & CONDITIONS
All prices in USD. Invoices will be sent via PayPal. A 25% deposit is required to secure your booking. This will be refunded minus a 5% rebooking fee if you cancel your edit at any time before it is scheduled to commence.
The 75% balance is due within 7 days of receipt of the final files. If you choose to cancel your edit at any time after the edit has commenced (you will be advised of this date on booking), you will receive the edited files as is, and will be refunded pro rata for the unedited pages.
If I have to cancel for any reason, you are entitled to a full refund but not the edited pages, though edited pages may be returned to you at my discretion.
Files to be edited must be provided in .doc or .docx format. You will receive edits both as in-line corrections/suggestions with track changes on, and as comments using the Microsoft Word review function.
MINIMUM FEE: $100 — Word counts as counted by Microsoft Word.
Proofreading only: 0.5c – 0.8c/word
Copy editing only: 0.8c/word
Line editing only: 1c/word*
* Line edits include the option to submit up to 10% of the total word count a second time for free. For example, if there is a chapter that requires extensive rewriting or a passage that requires clarifying and you want to check if you’ve fixed the problem, you may submit up to 10% of the book’s total word count again free of charge. If you want me to do a second check of more than 10% of the book, the first 10% is free and the remainder is charged at half the price of a full line edit.
PACKAGE DEALS:
Line edits + copy edits + proofreading, conducted in three separate rounds: 2c/word
Line edits + copy edits, conducted in two separate rounds: 1.5c – 1.8c/word
Multi-book discount: Book in edits for more than one manuscript at the same time and receive at least 5% off the total cost. This discount will be applied in the final invoice.
RUSH FEE, to either skip the queue or to have your edits completed in less than the standard 6 weeks: $100
MORE INFORMATION/FAQ
What genres do you accept?
Fantasy (contemporary fantasy and urban fantasy are my favourites) and soft sci-fi (including SFR, space opera, sci-fi fantasy, dystopian and near-future sci-fi) are my specialties, for any age group (adult, YA and MG). Hard sci-fi, contemporary, romance and historical fiction are great too, as are most genres.
I do not accept erotica (though sex scenes are fine) or “sick lit”.
If your manuscript contains significant reference to or depictions of children under the age of 15 being injured, abused in any way, or dying, please let me know upfront. I don’t object to these in a story, but appreciate being forewarned.
What is your goal as an editor?
My goal is always, only, ever to make the author’s voice and original intent for the story shine. I don’t believe that you should change your words just because they’re not the same words someone else would use, and unless you are required to adhere to a certain style guide in order to be published with a particular publisher, I don’t place much stock in style guides created by someone who hasn’t read your novel.
You are the author. You have the final say, because you are the one who knows what you ultimately want the book to look like. My job is to help you find the best words to convey the information you need in order to put the reader into the emotional state that you want.
I already hired an editor to help me with plot and character and pacing and stuff. Why do I need a line editor as well?
A line editor’s job is to comb the manuscript for fine detail. Whereas a content editor will look at major structural issues and make suggestions about how to strengthen the bones of your work, a good line editor will ensure clarity and consistency in the presentation of your ideas.
I fix grammar errors, typos, punctuation and other superficial errors, but I also work with you to clarify and refine phrasing, ensure that terminology unique to your book is consistent, make sure your descriptions of character and place are consistent, and help you look for ways to improve your showing rather than telling. This is one MAJOR area that makes the difference between ‘published’ and ‘nearly published’; getting your ‘showing’ wrong can be a significant barrier to reader engagement, and I can help you with that!
Can I submit a sample before hiring you? Is there a fee for this?
Yes, you can and no, there isn’t. Email me three pages from your manuscript along with your enquiry and I will return them, edited as per your requirements (proofread or line edited) for FREE. You are under no obligation to hire me after utilising this service.
Please note that sample edits are limited to one free sample per client.
Can you guarantee my manuscript will be published?
Absolutely not. No editor is able to guarantee this, because publication has so many factors involved. Always ensure that you follow the publisher’s guidelines or seek feedback and advice from the person to whom you are submitting your manuscript.
How long will my edit take?
As a general rule, please expect 6 – 8 weeks for editing. If your requirements fall outside this scope, please contact me to see what we can arrange. Depending on my schedule, I can often manage 4 – 6 weeks without extra charge, and if you need it even faster than that or my schedule wouldn’t usually accomodate a 4-week turn-around at that point, “rush” edits may be available for a fee.
Why do you spell some words strangely?
I’m an Australian living in Australia, so you’ll be sending me an enquiry to discuss utilising my services 😉 Please note, though, that I am very used to editing in both Australian and US spelling (and British, of course!) and will do either depending on your needs.
BOOK NOW
Head to the contact form to make a booking. In the message, please let me know the genre and length of the manuscript, as well as your preferred date/s for completion.