Does your prose grab your reader and suck them into your world? Does every line immerse them while delivering your intent with a consistent voice and style? Does every word serve your greater plot while adding to tone and atmosphere?
Line editing is the most in-depth form of editing your manuscript will undergo. This service focuses on your story at a paragraph, line, and word level. Here, we’re not worried so much about spelling, grammar, and other mechanics. Rather, we’re dissecting each sentence to ensure the syntax, word choice, and tone are doing everything they can to enhance your intent and elevate your voice, all in a way that is concise and engaging.
What Does This Service Include?
- Line Edit of Your Submission. This edit focuses on writing on a line level. It is a content-focused edit, not a technical edit (aka copy edit). I use track changes (“suggestions” in Google Docs) to elevate your writing to the best it can be. This is a per-word service, meaning you can submit as many or as few pages as you want.
My Line Edits focus on:
- Voice & Style – I edit to your style and voice to ensure these story aspects are elevated and consistent.
- Tone – I check that the tone is appropriate for each scene and that tone choices remain consistent throughout the piece.
- Active vs. Passive Writing – I ensure active voice is used to engage your readers and that instances of passive voice are justified and accomplish what they are meant to accomplish.
- Syntax – I check sentence structure and verb tense consistency to help clarify meaning and intent.
- Word Choice – I look at each word to ensure every piece is contributing to clarity and engagement and remove any superfluous elements for concision and flow.
Who Is This Service For?
Line editing should be done after developmental editing is complete or once you feel confident in the plot structure, character arcs, and scene progression in your story. This edit does not look at how well these larger elements fit together but, rather, how these larger elements are conveyed on a line-by-line level.
If you don’t think the structure of your story is as good as it can be, I highly recommend doing a developmental edit before spending time or money on a line edit.
How Much Does It Cost?
This service starts at $0.02 per word.
Most manuscripts qualify for this starting rate, however, stories with extensive line-level issues may require a higher fee. This fee will be discussed and agreed upon before work begins.
The fee includes in-doc line edits plus comments where needed to explain why changes are recommended.
Interested In a Line Edit?
To learn more about this service or to sign up for a Line Edit, please contact me today.