Proofreading and copy editing is essential
for the professional presentation of creative writing.
Ensuring spelling, punctuation and grammar are as good
as they can be helps form that vital good first impression.
And yes, that goes for self-published work too: errors
make the work look amateur and put off readers!
proofing
Our proofreading service will eliminate distracting typos
and mistakes in spelling, punctuation and basic grammar.
We take great care with manuscripts and ensure they’re
proofread to the highest standard.
copy editing
Our basic editing, an integral service and at no extra
cost, provides a little bit more. It will suggest where
different words can be used to better effect, where a word,
sentence or paragraph is clumsy, out of place, ambiguous
or repetitive, and where questions of fact, sequence, timeline
or logic need to be addressed. It flags up and suggests
changes where tense or viewpoint is used inconsistently.
Please
note the editing service is not at the same level as
a publisher or agent’s editor will provide; it
does not highlight major problem areas with characterisation
or plot. It will, though, make your manuscript much more
likely to grab attention on submission. Poor grammar, spelling
and punctuation are a major turn-off for agents and publishers.
Your
manuscript will be returned in Microsoft Word with all
proofreading amendments shown and with the editor’s
comments visible. This gives you the chance to go through
the manuscript and consider the editing comments. It also
means you can see what changes have been made by our proof-reader,
enabling you to apply what you learn to future writing.
All
customers who have used any Fiction Feedback service
within the previous 6 months receive a 12% discount
on
our proofreading and editing service.
Our editing charge is usually £6 per
1,000 words.
We reserve the right to amend this on sight of the work.
We’ve also been known to say no to some editing where
we can’t, hand on heart, justify taking the customer’s
money. However, that level of work is in a tiny minority
and most writers pay £6 per 1,000 words for our service.
We’ve had excellent feedback on our editing service.
One of our writers went on to get published after her manuscript
was edited, and others are on their way.
We also offer a book doctoring and book mentoring service.
Please email
us for details.
How do I submit?
Simply attach your Word document to an email and send to
us at info@fictionfeedback.co.uk,
and in your message tell us it’s for editing. Please
remind us if you’ve
used our critique or editing service in the last 6 months
and you’re claiming your 12% discount. (Please note
we can only offer one 12% discount on any one submission.)
We
then send you a payment request.
Please see How to submit for a guide to manuscript presentation.
How long will it
take?
We can’t absolutely guarantee deadlines as each manuscript
requires different levels of work. However, we work to
these guidelines:
Up to 15,000 words 3 weeks
Up to 40,000 words 4 weeks
Up to 80,000 words 5 weeks
Up to 120,000 words 6 weeks
I need a faster service. Can
you help?
Email us and we’ll check availability.
Can I post the printed-out manuscript for
editing?
No, sorry; for this service we must have digital files.
Do you offer this service for non-fiction
writing?
Yes we do. For biographies and other non-technical manuscripts
the prices are the same as above. For instruction manuals,
academic papers or other writing which includes a lot of
technical terms we'd need to see the manuscript before
we could quote.
