Two Different Editors of Value for your Manuscript

Today I want to discuss two different editors for your manuscript. One covers any type of manuscript including screenplays. The other is for the YA writer.

Imagine a professional proofreader who checks grammar, style and keep you on track with tried and true suggestions. She is a full-time novel and script proofreader, analyst, writer, ghostwriter and editor. Her name is Tammy Gross and in her own words:

My entire career has been a mix of creativity and entrepreneurship. After 25 years providing music transcriptions worldwide while dabbling in freelance writing and proofreading, the transition is now complete with writing in the forefront and music in the proverbial background.

Her skills include Writing & Ghostwriting: books: novels, how-to, historical biographies; screenplays: shorts, historical biopics, action-adventure, Christian testimonial; plays: musicals, skits; other: short stories, newsletters, blogging, research reports, and copywriting.

What she offers is

• Detailed proofing (spelling, grammar, punctuation...).

• Editing (consistency, word-smiting, page appeal...).

• Formatting (notes on format, technical direction...).

• Story notes (continuity, structure...).

I know what you are thinking. For all of the above services on your manuscript I can’t afford it. Not so my pretty. Tamera charges only a dollar a page or .005¢ per word.

I have been using her to edit my own manuscript, and boy, does it look different now. Her web site is http://proofmyspec.com/. If you mention my name and manuscript (Edwin D Ferretti III/MYSTERIOUS GIFT) she will give you fifteen percent discount off of your entire manuscript.

The second editor specializes in TEEN novels. Her web site is at http://www.tarynalbright.com/p/teen-eyes.html . I will let them introduce themselves.

Teen Eyes is an editorial service for your YA manuscript. We bring a dual perspective that your critique partners and beta readers may not have: we are the age demographic of your future target audience, teens, as well as experience writers ourselves.

About Kate: Kate has completed eight novels to date. Her fifth novel, tentatively titled LIKE CLOCKWORK, won the 2010 PUSH Novel Contest. It is currently undergoing revisions with Jody Corbett at Scholastic Press. She is represented by Edward Necarsulmer IV of McIntosh & Otis. In addition to having extensive experience as a freelance editor, Kate works as an intern at Scholastic Press where she reads many (agented and unagented) submissions. She is 18 years old and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

About Taryn: As of July 2011, Taryn has completed eleven novels. They range from YA contemporary to fantasy to YA thrillers to everything in between. She has done a number of paid critiques, and she interns as an assistant at a nationally renown literary agency where she reads lots and lots of slush (yay). Taryn is 18 years old and lives in Seattle, Washington.

Reading their credentials makes me humble. Their price is very reasonable. Her’s their take on what they offer.

What We Offer

• Would I read on? AKA the Submission Package

o In this case, you would send me your query letter and first ten pages.

o I will read the query letter as if it were the back of the book, tell you whether it worked or not (AKA would I read on) and WHY, and then move into the first pages. At this point, I would stop whenever I lost interest as if it were traditionally published. I will, of course, tell you why I stopped and any other thoughts.

o This is a flat-rate service of $10.

o Expect your package within 3 business days of my note saying I received your submission.

• Reader Report

o Your submission length would be up to you.

o I would return to you a couple pages of what I liked and didn't like from your submission. I will read as a reader, rather than a writer, so this is not the right package if you are looking for an in-depth critique or editing. I will also include where I would have stopped as a reader.

o After the first 20,000 words, this service is $0.50 per 1000 words. Under 20,000 words is a flat rate of $15.

o Expect your package within 5 business days of my note saying I received your submission.

• In-depth Critique

o Your submission length would be up to you.

o I would return to you the full manuscript with in-text comments in addition to a reader report (defined above).

o After the first 20,000 words, this service is $1 per 1000 words. Under 20,000 words is a flat rate of $25.

o Expect your package within 7 business days of my note saying I received your submission.

• Line Editing

o Your submission length would be up to you.

o This service focuses on the small things, like grammar, spelling, word overuse, and cliches. Unlike the other service, the Line Editing package has little to do with my teen perspective and uses me instead as a competent copy editor. Both of us received near-perfect scores on the writing portions of our SAT and ACTs scores.

o After the first 20,000 words, this service is $1 per 1000 words. Under 20,000 words is a flat rate of $25.

o Expect your package within 7 business days of my note saying I received your submission.

• Double Teen'd

o Want both of us to read your manuscript? We can perform the same services as stated above, but you'll get 10% off each critique.

• Free Packages

o Query help! Always, always free.

o 2-page synopsis read through. Does it make sense? Have you hit on everything important?

That’s it for today and thanks for stopping by.