If you’ve hit a wall and you’re feeling your manuscript has structural problems, an assessment and revision plan from a professional developmental editor can help get you back on track.
Here’s what you will receive in the manuscript assessment (editorial letter) and revision plan:
- A detailed summary of conceptual, structural, and stylistic strengths and weaknesses, including an analysis of the strength of synergy (coherence) between these elements. (I’ve found it’s often the central concept or thesis that requires revision and fine-tuning.) The goal is tight coherence, which can give your manuscript the best chance to gain a publisher’s interest and secure a wider readership.
- An assessment of the logic and flow of arguments and how their internal structures—theses, arguments, reasons, evidence, and warrants—could be improved.
- Concise evaluations of stylistic matters related to tone and consistent voicing with suggested solutions.
- A detailed plan for revision that helps you restructure the argument and narrative while also maintaining a clear focus on central theses and concepts. I also leave comments and placeholders on your manuscript to provide you with specific, concrete suggestions for revision at the paragraph and sentence level.
The assessment and revision plan can be up to 20 pages long, single-spaced (book/monograph) or less for a chapter. My fee is based on manuscript length and also includes at least two Zoom/phone discussions: one after I’ve read the manuscript (or chapter) so I can learn more about you (and you about me), your perspectives and objectives for the topic, your target audience, potential publishers, and so on. The second occurs after you’ve reviewed the assessment and revision plan and we can then decide upon the best way forward.
I currently charge $75/hour for this work, and this is at the lower range of fees charged by professional developmental editors in the US. Please call me at 267-335-7343 for a free consultation.