Hello!
As a seasoned book reviewer, beta reader and developmental editor, I have worked with dozens of writers – both new and experienced – to polish their books and bring them to publication. This is a passion of mine and I cannot wait to work with you.
- Click here if you are interested in a list of recent books that have been edited.
- Here’s a link if you’d like examples of feedback that I provide for authors.
- Check this out if you want to read testimonials from authors who I’ve read for.
- Here’s a link if you are more interested in beta reading or would like to know more about the difference between beta reading and developmental editing.
Services Provided (Developmental Editing):
My goal is to provide authors with the final developmental edit prior to publication. This is ideal for authors who are nearly ready for publication and need a fresh set of eyes to closely read and provide feedback on the final touches of the manuscript.
As an experienced developmental editor and book reviewer, I will provide detailed comments and feedback (approximately four to six per page). As part of the developmental edit, I will pinpoint specific examples of what works well or what may need to be changed as well as provide explanations for why I felt that way and suggestions for how passages may be changed. I will address the core pillars of book – plot and character development, writing style and dialogue. I will also address pacing, setting and other aspects that impact the enjoyment and structure of the story. I will pay particular attention to any plot inconsistencies or plot holes.
I have a PhD in biophysics, therefore I will provide accurate and reliable feedback for stories that involve various scientific concepts. I am a skilled researcher, therefore even if the concepts are outside of my base field, I will still be able to provide an expert’s opinion on the scientific realism.
In addition, I will provide a summary (4 pages min, single spaced) regarding overall thoughts, impressions of the manuscript and greatest barriers to publication. I will use the summary to explain exactly why I feel certain changes need to be made and provide suggestions on how to implement those edits. If desired, authors can provide a list of questions regarding their manuscript and I will provide full and detailed responses. I will be available for further discussion regarding my comments.
With developmental editing, I provide two rounds of editing. I can either do both rounds of editing on the same manuscript or the author may choose if they would like to make changes based on the first round of edits then resubmit the changed manuscript for another round of editing.
Limitations of Developmental Edit:
I firmly believe that any developmental edits to a book should solely be up to the author’s discretion therefore I will not directly change your words. Instead, I will leave comments throughout the book. All of my comments will be suggestions and it will be up to the author whether to implement them. When suggesting changes, often I will provide options for resolution or alternate text for the passage. The author is free to use any suggestions or alternate text word-for-word if desired.
I will not be acting as a line editor or proofreader – I may comment here and there about a particularly tangled sentence but I will not be commenting on spelling mistakes or punctuation errors. Ideally, the manuscript will be sent with few errors because it becomes difficult to focus on the story when it is littered with grammatical errors.
Format & Genres
I prefer to work with google docs or Microsoft Word. I am open to all genres except for erotica or poetry.
Pricing & turnaround time:
Market price for developmental editing is about 3 to 7 cents per word according to Google. While I am building my portfolio for developmental editing, I will charge 1.5 cents per word.
Payments must be made to Paypal and I require half-down before beginning my edits. After the first round of edits, I will send over the current manuscript. The author will have a chance to decide whether they want the second round of edits to be on the same manuscript or to make changes and resubmit an edited manuscript for the second round. Prior to beginning the second round, I will require the second half of payment.
Turnaround time is 3 weeks per edit. Please allow additional time for manuscripts over 60k words.
What if my book isn’t the first in a series?
Given the importance of a developmental edit, I will only edit for books that I’ve read the entirety of the series. I find trying to provide a developmental edit without prior knowledge of the series to be detrimental to the book series on a whole and leads to me not being as effective of an editor.
If the book that needs to be edited is not the first of the series, I will read up to two books in the series for free (no additional cost). Any additional books would be $25 per book. I will need digital copies (Microsoft Word, PDF or Google Docs) of the earlier books in the series in order to effectively fact-check the book I am developmental editing. I will need an extra 2 days per book.
For example, if the author wants me to edit the fourth book in a series, I will need digital copies of books one through three. I will read the first two at no additional cost then it would be an additional $25 for reading the third book plus the cost to edit the fourth book. With needing to read three books before editing the fourth, I will require an extra six days added to the turnaround time.
Miranda Reads 