Embedded Files
Are you looking for someone to read over your novel and put the final touches on it, making sure there aren't nasty grammar mistakes, misused, or missing words? Maybe you've just finished your first or second draft and need help with content and developmental editing?
Hi! I’m Emerald Barnes. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing from Mississippi University for Women. I am passionate about the English language and am a self-proclaimed grammar nerd.
I offer three different types of edits: content editing, line editing, and proofreading. Read below for more information on each, and if you'd like to discuss which option is best for you, please contact me via my email.
Referrals will receive a 10% discount for every customer who books and tells me who sent them.
Content and Developmental Edits
Content and Developmental Edits
For a Content/Developmental Edit, I will ensure the following:
I will check your manuscript for plot holes, inconsistencies, and character development.
I will do two rounds of editing.
Round one will include checking the basic content for errors, plot holes, and character development.
For round two of edits, I will check what you've fixed and make sure that it sounds correct and what was a suggested edit is also corrected. I will look for overused words and make sure your paragraphs and sentences are coherent. Consider this a light line edit (though it cannot take the place of a line edit itself).
Round two will not be a line edit or proofread. I suggest hiring a line editor and/or proofreader after my content edits are done.
Proofreading
Proofreading
As a proofreader, I will ensure the following:
Use of correct punctuation, grammar, and spelling
There are no missing words, misused words, or confusing sentences.
What I won’t do in a line edit or proofread (and if you have these issues as I proof, I will email you in regards to switching over to a content edit):
Read for structure, plot, and developmental issues
Beta read for character development, pace, etc.
I suggest you re-read your manuscript after you have made the suggested changes or have another proofreader do so, as we are all human, and we simply cannot catch every detail. Often, when an author is making revisions, they make other changes that sometimes cause errors.
Line Editing
Line Editing
For a Line Edit, I will ensure the following:
I will check your manuscript for grammar mistakes.
I will revise sentences and paragraphs if they're incoherent or simply don't make sense.
I will improve the readability of the manuscript.
I will also check for overused words, misused words, and misspelled words.
I suggest you re-read your manuscript after you have made the suggested changes or have another proofreader do so, as we are all human, and we simply cannot catch every detail. And often, when an author is making revisions, they make other changes that sometimes cause errors.
I do not read erotica or most horror books involving demons. Please send me a blurb when inquiring about services for your book. I read both fiction and non-fiction. I reserve the right to deny services based on blurb description and genre.
To see if we are a good fit for each other, I will proof 2 pages, or for edits, I will edit 10 pages of work for you to preview for free, so you may make a more informed decision. If you want a more in depth sample, I charge $10 (proofreading) or $20 (content editing) for the first 25 pages. Price will NOT be deducted if I'm hired and if I have to re-read the 25 pages and edit again.
What are my prices for PROOFREADING and LINE EDITING? **
500 – 2,000 words: $10-$20 USD
2,001 – 5,000 words: $25-$50 USD
5,001 – 7,000 words: $75-$125 USD
7,001 – 10,000 words: $100-$145 USD
10,001 – 20,000 words: $150-$200 USD
20,001 – 50,000 words: $220-$275 USD
50,001 – 80,000 words: $300-$370 USD
80,001 and 120,000: $375-$390 USD
120,001 and up: $400-$450 USD
What are my prices for CONTENT EDITS?** (All prices will depend on actual length of manuscript and condition of the manuscript.)
10,000-20,000 words: $350 USD
20,001-40,000 words: $420 USD
40,001-60,000 words: $500-700 USD
60,001-70,000 words: $700-800 USD
70,001-90,000 words: $800-900 USD
90,001-120,000 (or more) words: $900-1,000 USD
**Fees have been included in the price. I will require half of the fee upfront and the other half when I return your manuscripts. I will invoice you through PayPal. I accept Venmo and Zelle, as well. If there are issues with this payment plan, please discuss it with me, and I'm sure we can work something out. E-checks will not be accepted, nor will paper checks unless discussed previously and they clear prior to the edit.
All fees are non-refundable.
If you have a problem with my proofreading/editing, I will do my best to fix whatever issues you may have.
Turnaround time?
It depends on the length of your work and the amount of work I'm doing (proofreading vs editing).
Usually, one to two days for works between 500 – 2,000 words. Three or four days for works between 2,000 – 7,000. For anything under 30,000, roughly two weeks. For manuscripts over 30,000 words allow 3-4 weeks. I will contact you if I require more than 3-4 weeks.
Turnaround times are estimated, not guaranteed.
A rush fee of $50 will be added to ALL forms of editing.
Testimonials:
"[Emerald] gave me a lot of helpful pointers, and [her] suggestions are helping me to improve my writing. Having [her] eyes on my manuscript helps me see it in a new light." - Terese Thompson, Author
"Emerald Barnes is strong where I am weak, and isn’t that exactly what you look for in a proofreader? Her knowledge of grammar and eye for repetition helped give my novel a more professional presentation. I highly recommend you let her sift your novel of errors before hitting the publish button!" -- Pauline Creeden of Alt Wit Press and Author of Sanctuary
"Emerald Barnes is a grammarian and can ferret out those problem punctuations that seem to elude most of us writers. She will give your manuscript the thorough house cleaning it needs and help you present a polished end product to a publisher, or agent. After all, isn’t that what we all want, to present our creations in the best possible form possible?
Her keen eye for point-of-view errors, plot flow, and general sensibility of a character development is mandatory, in my writing, for getting past the draft stage and on to the end-of-edits stage. I honestly, don’t know what I’d do without her. As tight as a writer’s budget can be, this is an investment you will want to include. I am proof that her skills are valuable. I have published two books and am about to publish two more. My Publisher/Editor knows my work will be ready for review because I run it through Emerald Barnes first. You should too." Lynn Donovan, Author of Christmas Grace, Signing Seeds
What's next? Need help formatting your novel for publication on Kindle, Smashwords, in epub format, and/or paperback? Check out Rachelle Ayala or Jerri Schlenker.
Any questions? Please feel free to send me an email.
I am available to answer questions Monday through Friday from 10am-4pm Central Time.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse