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Book Editing Services

Book Editing Services

If you have a manuscript that is ready for a round of editing, critique, and/or proofreading, then please submit a request for a Free Sample Edit... The sample will be done by the editor who will work on the full manuscript, giving you a crystal-clear understanding of what he or she will do to improve your work before paying for the actual service.

At TotalEditors, we offer a free sample edit of up to 1500 words of your manuscript (please only submit if you have a serious intention to use the service). This gives the fiction or non-fiction book author peace of mind as to the quality and value of the full edit, whether you are looking for a final polish to your manuscript with our professional book proofreading service or looking for a more substantial edit. We guarantee a thorough editing of your book manuscript, including detailed comments regarding all aspects of the work. Contact us via email or call one of our staff to discuss your project. Let our seasoned professionals optimize your chances of publication with our book editing services.

North America: 1-866-864-8642

United Kingdom: 0-845-528-1200

Email: admin@totaleditors.com

The Benefits of a Book Editing Service

Having a professional book editor with years of experience and a range of qualifications engage in a detailed edit of your work can help develop it in so many ways. The best writers in the world usually engage an editor to provide a fresh perspective and a frank analysis. The bottom line is that having your book or novel edited can significantly improve both tone and content, providing a real boost to your prospects of success.

We offer three levels of service:

Book Proofreading Service

Our Book Proofreading Service is our most basic and is included in each of the services below. Essentially, your book manuscript will be checked for spelling, grammar, punctuation, logical consistency, and syntax errors. This results in a well-polished manuscript with a high level of clarity maintained throughout. This service is ideal for confident writers who just want to give their work that extra edge that can make all the difference.

Book Content Editing Service

Our Book Content Editing Service is our most popular for fiction and non-fiction book editing projects alike, including all the benefits of proofreading but with editorial comments and suggestions aimed at improving all aspects of structure and content. This is an excellent service for mid-development manuscripts. For both fiction and non-fiction authors, a strong emphasis is placed on considering the manuscript from the perspective of the acquisitions editor.

Premium Manuscript Editing Service

Our Premium Manuscript Editing Service brings all the benefits of the Content Editing Service but also includes substantive rewrites and highly detailed plot and character suggestions. This is for someone looking for more of a collaborative project. Once the initial edit/rewrite has taken place (during which the editor will communicate with the author), the author can review the manuscript, making changes at their discretion, and then resubmit for a final proofread as part of the service.

Conventional Formatting

Each of the above services includes conventional formatting for submission to publishers or formatting to specific publishers’ criteria at the client’s request.

Increase Your Chances of Success

Having your manuscript picked up and published is definitely an uphill struggle. Some of the greatest works of literary fiction were not "discovered" until well after the demise of the author. Your manuscript may come within a hair’s breadth of being picked up but not quite make it. Having a professional book editing service refine your manuscript (by either proofreading for technical perfection or editing for an incisive line-by-line analysis of your work) does not guarantee success. However, it can, without a shadow of a doubt, dramatically increase your chances of success.

Try a Free Sample

At TotalEditors, the free sample service is one of our most important features for authors of larger works. By having the opportunity to see the work of your prospective editor in the context of your specific book, novel, screenplay, etc., you can ensure that you will receive a depth and style of editing that you find useful. Our free samples are absolutely non-obligatory. If you apply for a free sample, you can submit some or all of your manuscript and leave specific notes concerning how you wish the editor to proceed. We will then assign your task to an editor who has experience in your particular field of literature, and you will receive your sample edit within 48 hours.

Book editing services are relatively expensive. Before you invest the time, money, and emotional resources into having a professional undertake a detailed edit of your manuscript, it is essential that you understand what s/he will bring to the table and ensure that s/he has an editing style that meets your requirements. Different book editors offer different styles of services. No editor is Aristotle, Shakespeare, and a magic proofreading machine rolled into one. While all of our editors excel in the key areas, each has his or her particular strengths. Thus, it is important when requesting a sample that you give a brief account of what type of work you are looking for (from a final polish to suggestions for a substantial rewrite). As ever, we take pains to point out that you should only be willing to do what you can afford. Using a book editing service will undoubtedly boost your chances of success with your manuscript as well as help you develop as a writer; however, it should never be considered a guarantee of success.

One thing that should be noted about the sample edit is that the editor will be making fewer substantive suggestions than in the full edit since s/he will have a very limited understanding of the plot and characters of the work as a whole. Nevertheless, we strongly suggest submitting your work for the sample if you are serious about engaging an editing service.

We actively seek editors who specialize in specific genres. From fantasy book editing services to non-fiction book manuscript proofreading, we will always have numerous editors available to offer sample edits whatever your subject, genre, and target audience (unlike most companies, we know our samples will impress enough to make it worth our while, but please only put in a request if you actually mean to engage the editor if you like what you see!). We also offer screenplay proofreading and editing services (see our screenplay editing tips to enhance your own self-editing skills and get an idea of what an editor can do to refine your work).