So in my ongoing efforts to avoid getting a day job, I’m going to start offering more services to other writers here on this blog. There is a huge gap missing in the independent writing scene, and that’s developmental editing. This is the hardest type of editing, the kind that makes writers willing to give up the vast majority of their revenue to New York publishers. This is the kind of editing that every writer needs, and very few places offer.

So I’m offering it. Call it book doctoring, call it developmental editing, call it comprehensive story development, whatever. Here’s the long and the short of it. I offer the following editorial services, all quoted on a per-project basis built on an hourly rate and how long I think the job will take.

Developmental Editing – multiple passes to get the story right. This isn’t a line edit, or a copy edit, and it certainly isn’t a good proofread for grammar. This is taking the book apart and putting it back together. This might include killing off a character that’s not working, reworking point of view, adding or removing fights, nothing is off limits. This is going to be expensive, and time-consuming, and I can only do a few books each month.

Line & Copy Editing – This is where we make sure that the book is written well. We go through and make sure character names are consistent, that weapons tech is correct, that people are the same height throughout the book, that the sentences make sense and we know who is talking and who they’re talking about. This is a lot easier than developmental editing, and I can do a couple of these each week.

Proofreading – This is the grammar edit. We’ll go through the manuscript twice to make sure that everything is spelled right, the commas are in the right places, and that the place names are correct.

Formatting & Ebook Conversion – I can do this, too, and quite inexpensively. I can format for Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Kobo. I can job it out for Smashwords. I can also format your book for print.

I don’t do cover design. You can look at my Bubba covers and see the truth in that statement. That said, if you like the Bubba covers and would like something in that vein, let me know.

If you’re interested in any of these services, contact me at johnhartness AT gmail DOT com.

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