Page-turning prose starts here
Trying to publish a book without line editing is like trying to sell a drawing without erasing the sketch underneath; we might see the big picture just fine, but all of the mistakes take away from the beauty of what you’ve made.
I know that you’ve been working on your book for a long time—you just want to publish it already!
But that impatience will result in a book that readers don’t want to pick up.
If there are too many typos, confusing punctuation, or sentences that are hard to read, even your target audience will put down your book.
They won’t recommend it to their friends.
And you’ll have a hard time marketing a book that you know you didn’t give all of the TLC it needed.
That all sounds awful. Let’s keep that from happening.
can you relate?
You’d rather spend time writing something new than combing through hundreds of pages for missing quotation marks.
You’ve tried to edit your manuscript, but you’ve read it so many times that your eyes skip over the mistakes.
You’re afraid that you switch tenses or points-of-view without meaning to.
You’re watching authors write and publish multiple books a year and thinking it would take you that long to check that you don’t use the word “chuckled” too often.
You want to know for a fact that every word in your book means exactly what you think it means.
You’re not sure what your writing voice is and you for sure don’t know how to make sure it’s consistent.
let me put those fears to rest and give you back weeks of creative time and energy!
Imagine the weight it would take off your shoulders if you didn’t have to worry about compound subjects, semi-colons, or whether or not to hyphenate colors. (Yeah, colors need hyphens sometimes.)
That’s a weight I’ll gladly toss over my shoulder. It sounds weird, but those little details are seriously my favorite part of editing.
I give your book baby the glow-up it deserves. Once it’s back in your hands, it’ll be a little prettier and you’ll be a lot more confident.
I understand if it seems like “self-publishing” means you have to do everything yourself. There’s a lot that you do need to do yourself.
But line editing doesn’t have to be one of those things.
And, honestly, unless you’re willing to put in tons of time to learn a lot of obscure grammar and punctuation rules, I don’t think it should be.
Even the most successful, intelligent authors have editors. You’re not a bad writer for wanting or needing one.
In fact, I’d say you’re in pretty good company.
It’s no mistake to say that I can take you from
Seeing those red underlines whenever you close your eyes ➡️ Hours of carefree creativity
Fearing for your book’s success ➡️ Knowing readers will have no reason to put it down
Dreading every page that needs edited ➡️ Literally not needing to worry about it at all
have you Ever reached the comment limit on Google Docs?
I have.
That’s how many errors I fix in a manuscript. An average manuscript requires more than 1,000 little tweaks here and there to make it presentable.
You can imagine how time-consuming that is. How laser-focused I have to be.
And that’s when I don’t have to constantly look up English’s goofy rules.
That’s all time I want to give back to you so that you have time for book signings, new projects, and author interviews!
In 2023 alone, I combed through more than 3,000 pages for mistakes to correct and little changes I could make to get the author’s voice to really shine.
Most of those were books for clients I’ve already worked for. The outliers were their friends they sent my way.
why do they keep coming back?
I don’t believe your dreams of being a published author should break the bank.
All you have to do is click a little checkmark to make a change to your book. No more searching for answers.
I don’t only focus on punctuation, but style as well. This makes my line editing a unique combination of line and copy editing.
You’ll still get comments highlighting something I particularly liked. Some of my clients use those comments to help them market their book!
When you hire me to edit your book, you receive:
Your manuscript with recommended changes to help you improve its overall flow and readability.
Suggestions to make sure your words create the perfect atmosphere and the most impact possible.
Notes about any “crutch” words that I noticed as I edited (so you can find synonyms).
A summary of the major changes I made to help you with not only this project, but future ones.
As if that wasn’t enough already, you’ll get weekly shout-outs on my social media during our time together, a free video call to clarify any suggestions I made, and more!
My inbox will always be open if you ever want to discuss the editing process, ask questions, or just chat.
Here’s how you become one of my
proud and successful clients
Book a discovery call (optional)
If you don’t know if we’d be a good fit to work together or you have questions about me (or my editing process), this call is a perfect for you! In this free call, we can address any questions you have, and you’ll walk away with the knowledge you need to choose the editor who is right for you and your book.
SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL
Fill out my project submission form and wait for a response!
Depending on how busy I am, it might take me a little while to do your trial edit, but I’ll keep you posted!
I’LL DO A TRAIL EDIT
When you submit your proposal to me, if we haven’t worked together before, you’re required to send me a sample of your writing.
You’ll send me the scene that’s given you the most headaches and I’ll send you my feedback ASAP.
If you love my feedback and we both feel like we’ll work well together, then…
WE’LL MAKE IT OFFICIAL
Based on the information and writing sample you give me, I’ll let you know if I think we’d be a good fit.
If I think we would work well together, I’ll let you know when I can schedule our work!
If I accept your proposal, I’ll contact you about the projected timeline, the quote for your project, a payment plan, and send you any necessary contracts.
I’ll also ask you for a small deposit at this time.
If I don’t think we’re the right match at this time, I’ll send you a list of other editors who would be better suited for your manuscript! 💜
SEND ME YOUR MANUSCRIPT
The week before our projected start date, I’ll send you an email reminding you to send me your manuscript.
I do my editing in Google Docs, so please format accordingly.
RECEIVE YOUR EDITS
This includes your manuscript with the proposed changes made with Google Doc’s suggestion feature, any fun comments I make along the way, and your unique style guide.
Depending on your preferences, your project’s timeline, and/or file size, your edits may be sent to you in pieces, either as I finish them or all at once.
CHAT ABOUT IT
I would love to talk to you about the edits you received and the thoughts you have about them. Send me an email or DM!
You can also schedule your free video call at this time!
This is a great time to clarify any suggestions and ask questions.
ENCOURAGEMENT
Whether I hear from you or not after you get your manuscript back, I’ll send you an email a few weeks later to see how it’s going.
I’ll also ask you for a review of my services at this time! 😊
Even after this email, I’m always just a quick message away.
Your investment
It depends on your project and how much work it will take, but you can use the calculator below to get a guesstimate at my starting rate!
return clients get a discount!
testimonials
“Working with Lavender Prose was a delight. This was my first time hiring a professional editor and my first published work, so I was very nervous going into the process. RaeAnne held my hand and helped me feel comfortable with the edits she was making. I appreciated her suggestions and felt that she respected my author voice, while trying to make my work the best it could be. I felt proud of what my first published work knowing she’d combed through it. Would definitely recommend her!”
“Working with RaeAnne is always a delight, and she has become my go-to editor. She’s affordable, detailed, and kind in her edits—with helpful suggestions that never put you down as a writer but encourage you to step up into your potential and empower you.
One of my favourite things about RaeAnne is how easy she is to work with. She’s been flexible when I’ve needed more time to get chapters to her, and her easygoing personality makes the entire experience wonderful.
I highly recommend RaeAnne for any author looking for an affordable and quality editor.”
“RaeAnne is delightful to work with!! She is a thoughtful editor with a wealth of knowledge, and always so incredibly sweet. Sharing any writing project with the world for the first time is tough, but RaeAnne makes the editing process feel easy! I would recommend her services to anyone looking for a great editor, cheerleader, and friend!”
“RaeAnne exceeded all of my expectations. She is efficient and accurate, but perhaps one of the most important things to me is how gentle she is in her critiques. Sharing your work can be a frightening and anxiety-inducing experience, but RaeAnne is a kind communicator, so the entire process from start-to-finish was beyond easy. I couldn’t be happier with the work she did for me and I highly recommend her to others with no reservations!”
“Working with RaeAnne was an absolute delight. Her recommendations, suggestions, and advice took my manuscript from good to amazing. She has fabulous attention to detail, and her changes still preserve the author’s authentic voice in their writing. I’m absolutely thrilled with the work RaeAnne has done for me, and I can’t wait to book her for every single project I have in the future!”
this is good for you if
Your manuscript has been through developmental editing and/or you know the story itself won’t change any more
You’re ready to pursue publishing
You want to refine your writing style and clean up your prose with the click of a button
You want to build a lasting connection with an editor
You don’t have the time or knowledge for self-editing
You want more time to spend on new projects and the fun parts of being an author
this won’t be a good
fit for you if
You’ll find the revision process too overwhelming
Your story might still undergo big changes to its content
You aren’t willing to see this through to the end
You’d rather try to make up for experience and knowledge with months of Googling and head-scratching
who am i?
Follow me!
I’m RaeAnne, and I’ve been an editor for more than five years!
I’ve worked with more than 50 different authors to take their books from “it was okay” to “my favorite read all year.”
Those characters you draw fanart of?
That beautiful writing that makes you breathless?
The book boyfriends who make you weak in the knees?
Those books that you stay up way too late to finish?
I’ve been a part of it all.
When I’m not working, I’m probably writing something smutty, walking my dog, cooking, or doing whatever craft currently has my attention!
are you ready to give your book a makeover?
💖 FAQ 💖
What genres do you have experience editing?
Most of my clients write fantasy books, but I’ve edited everything from middle-grade novels to new-adult thrillers and paranormal romances!
I’m especially on the lookout for monster romances right now! 😂How long have you been editing?
I’ve been editing professionally for six years now. (I can’t believe it’s been that long!)
What are your editing strengths?
My attention to detail!
My enthusiasm. I’m your biggest fan!
My relationship with my clients.
I edit both British and American English.What manual do you use for your editing?
I use Chicago Manual of Style for my editing.
What’s the difference between copy editing and line editing? What about proofreading? What is this?
Copy editing focuses on the mechanics; spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Line editing is the more in-depth copy editing, focusing on style and all of the copy editing stuff.
And proofreading is to catch everything a copy or line editor missed!
This service is a combo of line editing and copy editing.
It will mostly focus on the mechanics, but if I see style things that need fixed, I’ll point them out to you.
What is your turnaround time?
It depends on the length of the manuscript and how much work needs done. I can edit an 80,000 word novel in four weeks.
What if I need a job done quickly?
Depending on the timeframe you want, how busy my calendar is, and the length of your manuscript, there will be a rush fee (+25% of the overall cost.)
Do you accept first drafts?
Nope. I don’t accept first drafts for any of my editing services.
Here’s why: Editing isn’t the final step of publishing, but it’s a big step, and I can almost guarantee that your manuscript needs more TLC before it’s ready for that step.
I don’t want to waste my time and your money suggesting changes on scenes that you might cut later, and I want to make sure you won’t be adding in big chunks of text that would need to be edited later.
Come back to me when you’re done with your second draft, at the very least.Do you offer sample edits?
Absolutely! In fact, I require them if we haven’t worked together before. Please send me the scene that you’ve found the most challenging and I’ll edit it for you for free.
What software do you use for editing?
Google Docs! It makes it really easy for both of us!
Is there a minimum word count?
Nope! I love short stories!
Is there a maximum word count?
Also no! Keep in mind that a long manuscript (more than 100,000 words) might take longer than my usual four-week turnaround time.
Are there any late fees?
If you’re a little late in sending me a manuscript, that’s okay. If I take a little longer to finish editing than I thought I would, I’ll let you know ahead of the projected deadline. All I ask is that there’s clear communication by both of us.
There are late fees on invoices.How do you accept payments?
I use Square to accept payments. I send you an invoice and it’s easy peasy!
Do you offer any pricing deals?
Returning clients get a 5% discount!
And my newsletter and social media will sometimes have promo offers!What if I’m not a returning client?
My prices are fair and attainable for almost anyone, so I don’t offer deals too often--but keep an eye on my Instagram Stories and newsletter, where I offer promos now and then. I also offer custom payment plans!Do you offer any payment plans?
If you need to set up payments differently than what I’ve laid out here, let me know! I offer absolutely custom payment plans.
I don’t want your book to go without editing because of money.
Can I book both services at once?
No.
Here’s why: My developmental editing is the “big picture” editing. If there’s a character whose arc needs changed, there can be big sections of your book that get rewritten. If you need to add more details to your worldbuilding, you’re going to be writing new words all over the place.
During developmental editing, not only does your total word count change, but there can be big changes to your book. If I were to fix the typos in your manuscript at the same time (or right after) I suggest edits, what would happen to the things you change during those big edits?
I would miss words, or I would edit things that you immediately cut.
If you want to work with me for both kinds of editing, you can let me know during the application process. We can discuss a timeline for when you might be ready for the second part of the editing process (the line + copy editing!) and I’ll jot that down in my calendar.