Editing International
Professional Editing Services Since 1988
Novels, Nonfiction Books, Proposals, Queries, Book Editor Mentor's Program
• About Editing International
• Substantive and line editing
• Critical read-throughs
• Consulting and marketing assistance
• Evaluations
• Policies
• Fees
• Scheduling
• Book editor mentor's program
Scores of our editing clients have seen their dreams come true, through publication of their novels, nonfiction books, articles and short stories, and through winning contests. A few have secured movie options. On behalf of our clients, Elizabeth Lyon sometimes works in a team editing arrangement with associate editors; in other words, both she and the associate work on a manuscript. In addition, Lyon has established positive relationships with scores of literary agents, many of whom give preferential reading to her client's books.
About Editing International. We live and work in a global writing community. We have worked with writers who live in countries throughout the world, but our largest client base is in the United States. Not infrequently, novelists from the US often create foreign-born characters or set their stories in other countries. Writers of memoirs may include events from the author's upbringing in a foreign birthplace or with roots to another country. We only read and edit books that are written in English.
Substantive and line editing. Expect abundant corrections and detailed comments on your pages. Substantive editing refers to analysis and constructive criticism about your execution of the elements of craft and style, and to the conventions of your writing genre. Line editing refers to correction of mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and format.
Critical read-throughs of books. This service provides a professional assessment of your manuscript's strengths, weaknesses, and what changes need to be made before marketing. These findings are covered in an evaluation. The critical read-throughs do not include substantive comments or line editing on the pages. This service is a best match for published authors or for writers who have already revised after thorough editing and feedback.
Consulting and marketing assistance. You may be surprised how often getting a few questions answered can lift the fog and reveal a clear path forward. Elizabeth Lyon consults, via phone or e-mail, about the industry, marketing, literary agents, stumbling blocks in writing, and how to mesh the writer's needs with the demands of life. Often a one-hour session for $125 will save you months, even years, of unproductive directions or writing.
Evaluations. Comprehensive editing and evaluations of client manuscripts have become the trademark of Elizabeth Lyon and her associates. Evaluations are custom courses in craft and range from 15-40 pages (single-spaced) as needed. We also indicate where we think you are on the learning curve, from beginner to apprentice to a professional writer who is ready to publish.
Policies. After e-mail or phone agreement, we request submission of your book's first 100 pages and a synopsis. (Critical read-throughs may range from a partial to the whole book.) The synopsis reveals your plan for the book and signals potential other problems regarding your conception of the whole book. There are several reasons why we prefer to limit our first editing work to a partial: Writers reveal nearly all of their strengths and weaknesses within the first 100 pages and then repeat them for the rest of the book. It is less costly for you and more time-saving for us to do substantive editing on a partial, write a comprehensive evaluation, and then ask you to revise your whole book based on this feedback. After you have revised, we can discuss your next best step.
Nonfiction book proposals are a special type of manuscript. We edit these in their entirety, which means the the proposal including the first three sample chapters that are usually about 60 pages. In some cases, it makes sense to edit the sample chapters prior to the proposal. As well, editing the whole book is sometimes best. We recommend that you read Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody Can Write prior to arranging to submit a proposal.
Fees: We prefer that you know our fees up front. For editing work, we ask $100/US per hour. Writers often ask two obvious questions: "Well, how fast do you work? How long will it take?" Thorough editing with the level of correction, comment, and evaluation that we offer involves about 10 pages per hour, for the first time through a manuscript.
According to the industry guideline, The Chicago Manual of Style, comprehensive editing requires two times through a book. Writers skills vary tremendously. Sometimes we may reread the beginning of a manuscript two, three, or more times while reading and editing the final fifty pages only once. On average, 100 pages plus a synopsis will involve 15-25 hours.
Scheduling: A three-month backlog is not unusual, although consultations and shorter manuscripts can be worked in more quickly. As soon as you decide to seek editing, contact Elizabeth and she will pencil in a soft commitment for you, and hold your "spot." She will send a contract for editing your manuscript prior to beginning the work. At that time you will be asked to pay a retainer of one half of the low end of the total estimated time. Credit cards, checks, and postal money orders are accepted. .
Book Editor Mentor's Program: The skill of editing is different from the skill of writing or reading, even though both writing and reading are the foundation for becoming an effective book editor. Elizabeth's preferred method of editing is highly instructional, offering writers not only correction and constructive criticism but also explanations of craft and modeling how to make improvements.
She has been instrumental in training half a dozen editors who in turn have launched their own businesses. She has also advised editors and sometimes given "private lessons." Some of her present associates are published authors and accomplished editors that she formerly mentored, or professional editors, in some cases former in-house editors at publishing houses. Summer 2012 is the target for the program's beginning. Contact.
