What kind of nonfiction editing do I need?

Editors need editors too

When clients come to me, they don't know the answer to that question: what type of nonfiction editing do I need? Which is fine. I'm happy to explain the ins and outs of editing.

Typically, they land in one of three buckets:

1.     They want to tell me their story and have me write it. Great! That's Ghostwriting. I love doing that. Okay, that's not actually editing. It is, however, a service I offer that comes in handy. I'll come back to that . . .

2.     They have a book written and they need someone to advise them about what could be better on a high level. When I make comments about things like tone, scope, or structure but don't touch the words, that's called Developmental Editing. I have a brain that was born to do that. (Seriously. I'm looking at operational flow in every dang security line I stand in. Airports, please do better.) With regard to your manuscript, I can tell you what should go where, what's missing, and why. 

3.     The book is written but it needs some punching up. Line Editing is my jam! Let's say you know what you mean but it's not coming across correctly, or your tendency to overexplain is making your readers nod off. I can fix it. 

I specialize in memoir, self-help, and business books from authors who, for the most part, are self-publishing. Sometimes, I just do one of the above services and we call it a day. Most of the time, clients need a blend of the above. They need a developmental pass, and then need someone to wind back through their fixes to clean up the repetitious examples and misused words. Or, I'm line editing while also filling in the blanks in flow with a wee bit of ghostwriting—all with client knowledge and advanced permission, of course. 

Every author is different; every book has its own arc and approach. That's the beauty of being independent. My methods can adapt to your needs, not the other way around. 

That's a short and sweet explainer on what I can do for you. But don't hesitate to reach out if you have other questions. That's why I'm here.