Copyeditor and proofreader of 
fiction, Christian nonfiction, 
and devotionals.

You have a story to tell.

Let me help you tell it well.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. (Proverbs 25:11 ESV)

Line edit.

This is a deep dive into how you and your characters use words. While a line edit will correct glaring grammatical errors, it is more focused on polishing your and your characters’ voices so that your story shines with the right words and not almost right ones.

Copyedit

This is focused on the three Cs: correctness, clarity, and consistency. A copyedit will make sure that your sentences, punctuation, and spelling are all correct. Any unclear or confusing sentences and paragraphs will be marked for you, and any inconsistencies in the story will be corrected.

Proofread

The final check before publishing, a proofread seeks to remove any errors that were missed in the previous stages of editing. A proofread corrects spelling and punctuation errors, but it will not clarify confusing sentences or ensure that details are consistent throughout the story or scene.

Book Description Writing and Editing

You’ve written a novel, but how are you supposed to condense that into less than 200 words for the back cover of the book? This provides the help you need, whether that’s getting the back-cover copy written from scratch or getting feedback on one you’ve crafted.

Learn more

Hey, there!

I’m Claire, a dreamer who deals in words. I believe that stories are powerful and have the ability to change lives. Of equal importance to the characters, plot, and theme, are the words you choose to tell the story. Have you chosen the best ones? Is your voice shining through on every page? Or are grammatical errors and not-quite-right words going to distract your readers and lessen the impact your story has?

My goal is to work with you so that you tell the best story you can, polishing your voice and freeing your manuscript of errors before you release it to the world.

See What Others Are Saying

“Claire polished my prose to highlight the best aspects of it and pushed me to improve while allowing my voice to retain its uniqueness.”

~ Travis Williams, author of Uly Quits His Job

www.BooksByTravis.com

“Not only was Claire efficient, but she also was able to show me why something needed to change, which taught me something I can use in the future. She’s definitely a go-to if you’re looking for effective editing skills that’ll improve your current and future work.”

~ Melissa Verreynne, Graphic Designer

“If you need a thorough, detail-orientated, sharp-eyed editor, you cannot go wrong with Claire. She not only offers corrections and suggestions, but also explains why so that you can avoid those pitfalls in the future. She also scatters comments of enjoyment and encouragement through the manuscript, which is a great morale booster!”

~ Vanessa E. Howard, Middle-Grade and Young-Adult Author

www.VanessaEHoward.com

 

“Thorough, detailed, understandable, helpful, insightful, knowledgeable—these are a few adjectives I would use to describe the editing Claire did for two books. I would love to sit at the same table with her in a writers’ group.”

~ Carolyn Dickinson

“Claire’s expertise was evident in her helpful comments and suggestions. She has a deep knowledge of how to phrase things better in dialogue.”

~ J. Phillip

My Commitment to You.

Excellence

As Christians, we have the call to proclaim Jesus Christ to the world. As an editor, this means seeking to eliminate grammatical errors from a manuscript so that the published book glorifies God with its excellence.

Education

Having your manuscript edited is an opportunity to learn as it will highlight the things you tend to do as author. As your editor, my goal is to thoroughly explain the grammar rules and suggested changes made to your manuscript so that you grow in your skill as a wordsmith.

Encouragement

People are quick to point out your errors. But there are things that you will have done well. My goal as your editor is to point out your strengths while catching typos and strengthening your prose.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will the edit take?

The short answer is that it depends. Some of the things that affect the length of an edit are the length of the manuscript, the type of edit needed, and how clean the text is. The longer the manuscript, the longer the edit. The more intense the type of edit, the longer it will take. And the more mistakes there are in the text, the longer it will take.

For an 80,000-word manuscript, you can plan on an editor taking 6–8 weeks for a line edit, 4–6 weeks for a copyedit, and 2–4 weeks for a proofread. But always chat with your editor to get an accurate estimated turnaround time.

How much will the edit cost?

This depends on the type of edit and the length of the manuscript. It also depends on the editor and how they charge. Some editors charge per hour, others per page, others per word, and still others charge a flat rate per project.

I charge per word for line edits, copyedits, and proofreads and per hour for book-description writing and editing. You can see my rates on my services page.

Do I have to get my book edited?

The short answer is no, you don’t. But I do strongly recommend that you do. This is because publishing is a competitive business, and with a growing number of high-quality and well-edited books available to readers, it is important to meet the standards they expect in order to satisfy them.

That, and you’re likely to miss mistakes in your own writing (I know I do). An editor will help you prepare your book to be the best it can be while banishing embarrassing typos.

How do I know what edit I need?

If you’re able to work with developmental editors, line editors, copyeditors, and proofreaders on your book—amazing! The more feedback you get and implement from industry professionals the better your book will be.

But I get it—editing is expensive. I recommend at least having your book proofread before publishing it if you’re only able to afford one. If you can add another, then it’s worth getting a developmental editor to work with you on the story as well (before getting it proofread). A good copyedit will always help tighten your prose, but if you really want a deep-dive into how you can improve your story, then a line edit is the one to go for.

Do you just make changes to my manuscript?

No, I don’t. I work in Microsoft Word and use the Track Changes feature to perform the edit. This doesn’t make any permanent changes to the manuscript but marks each one in red (which is why it is also called “redlining”). 

I then return the edited manuscript to you, and you are able to accept or reject every change I made. This keeps you in full control of your manuscript, as you don’t have to accept any change you disagree with.

How do I pay you?

I send invoices and accept payments via PayPal, as that has been the easiest for me so far.