Services
Manuscript Evaluation – Have you finished your first draft and aren’t sure what to do next? Want to know if you’re on the right track in terms of plot, characters, tone, and other big-picture aspects? When doing a manuscript evaluation I’ll read your book wearing two hats—both a reader’s and an editor’s—and provide both broad and specific feedback describing what’s working, what’s not, and examples of each to help guide you in your next draft. $12 per 1,000 words
Copyediting – You’re confident that your manuscript is solid – the plot is solid and cohesive, your voice is distinct, your characters are vibrant and three-dimensional. Now how about that grammar and punctuation? The part of your brain that creates worlds, adventures, conspiracies, and passionate romances is not the same part that remembers where the apostrophes go, if you spelled your character’s name Fishburg or Fishberg, or whether Chad put his wallet in his pocket or on the table. That’s the job of a copy editor. I will correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, capitalization, sentence structure, dialogue tags, and word usage (just to name a few!), and leave comments and suggestions regarding clarity, consistency, continuity, and style. $15–$25 per 1,000 words
Proofreading – This is a final check for the type of issues addressed in the copyediting stage, after other professionals have completed their work. Proofreading catches anything missed due to human error and mistakes introduced during the author’s revisions. This should be completed after copyediting is complete, just prior to publishing. $12 per 1,000 words
“Discovering the services of Shadowcat Editing is one of the best things to happen to me as a writer. A great editor can make all the difference in the world of independent publishers. Robin is not only a tremendous talent, she is reliable, easy to work with and good with communication. I highly recommend her services to any writer who is serious about their craft.“
“I was impressed by a sample copy-edit from Robin, but our timelines didn’t mesh. Instead, I hired her for the final proofread and am so glad I did. She caught issues of language consistency, punctuation, and grammar that both the copy-editor and I missed.
She delivered well before the promised deadline, responded quickly to my emails, and at all times behaved like a true professional. She made the book so much better. I hope to use her again for my next project.”
