I do not use ChatGPT or any other AI tool to generate reports or to analyze client manuscripts. Everything is by hand using spreadsheets that I have developed myself in Excel or Google Sheets. All reports and comments are personalized to the writer, with comments being direct from the "human" editor that you're working with.

I use ProWritingAid (a program similar to Grammarly) and the built-in spellchecker with MS Office. Neither of these tools use ChatGPT or anything like it.

Due to recent changes in the Terms of Service for Google and Microsoft (and other software providers out there), it is getting harder and harder to ensure that files that just happen to pass through their systems aren't being scraped for AI training. I do what I can to ensure that the data on my computer isn't included in this mess, but I can no longer 100% guarantee it.

While client work won't intentionally be added to the AI training pool by me, it is possible that settings have changed on my systems (due to provider system changes and their default settings) that will inadvertently permit such a transfer of data anyway. This enforcement of AI on all computer users is a concern for everyone. There is a lot of talk on the technical forums about how to remove this AI insistence from our systems, but there are very few solutions at this point in time.

If you would like to have a chat about AI and its uses in the publishing industry (including my personal uses and interpretation of the situation), just reach out and let's discuss it.

Due to the copyright issues involved, I have elected to not work on AI-generated stories, but I will work with AI-assisted stories.

I define AI-generated stories as those stories that were created by an AI program from a prompt but without human intervention. If you are using AI tools to spark your imagination but your stories are still your own words, then likely have either an AI-assisted story or a human-generated story. For more information about how I define the line between AI-generated and AI-assisted, visit this blog post.

If you are unsure if you have an AI-assisted or AI-generated story, please reach out to me and let's have a chat. I can help you get it straight in your mind, so you know what checkboxes you need to check moving forward.

I'm sorry, but no, I do not offer free sample edits.

As a developmental editor, I examine story elements like story structure, characterizations, pacing, dialogue, narrative voice, among other things. To truly assess the level of work required with the big picture things, a 1000-word sample is not enough.

It is common for a writer to start their story in the wrong spot, making those first 1000 words redundant. And taking a sample of 1000 words from the middle of the manuscript will have little meaning or context. To understand the relevance of what happens in the middle, I need to read the words leading up to it. In addition, it has been my experience that for a manuscript of 80,000+ words, it takes in the order of 10,000 words before any major developmental issues start to show. In some cases, story structure problems don't show up until the midpoint (with the famous saggy middle). That's at 40,000 words.

It is a function of the type of editing that I do. 1000-word sections are not enough to showcase what I can really do for a story.

Let's have a chat about any concerns you might have, and I can point you in the right direction from there.

Editing and mentoring packages are tailored to suit your individual needs, with charges based on the length of a manuscript and the level of editing required.

As a rough budgeting guide, rates are in the order of $0.03 to $0.07 per word. Shorter pieces are quoted at the higher end of this range. Private mentoring and coaching is charged at $70/hr. These rates are in USD and are in line with the pricing guidelines proposed by the Editorial Freelancers Association.

If you require a more specific quote, please contact me regarding editing and coaching services.

Like all editors, I have my preferences for the stories I like to work with.

Do you write action? Bring it on. Are your scenes filled with the gruesome? I’m loving it even more. Do you weave in the fantasy, science, or technology into that action-filled story? Okay, I’m sold.

Genres I like working with (in no particular order)

• Suspense / Thriller (including romantic suspense)
• Fantasy (all sub-genres, including paranormal romance and fantasy romance)
• Science Fiction (all sub-genres, near-future is my favorite, but a good space opera has me salivating)
• Horror (bring on the heart-stopping fear)
• Mystery / Crime (including violent crime, if the story demands it)
• Comedy
• Middle grade (chapter books)

And there is no topic that I’m not willing to consider within stories. As long as the story treats those topics with respect, I’ll happily go there with you.

Check out my full list of preferred genres and commentary on various potential sensitive topics.

If, for whatever reason, I'm not the right editor for you, I can make enquiries on your behalf to my editing network, but I can not guarantee that I can find someone able to help you. I am in regular communication with editors from around the world, and we all have our own specialty, but we also have our own editing calendars.

No, there no limit to the maximum size of a manuscript that I will work with. While the industry does have a recommended length for published novels, I often see manuscripts during the developmental phase of editing. As such, the manuscripts I work with commonly have issues with story structure, excessive backstory or description (or not enough description), and other elements that impact on the reader's experience.

While I will work with short stories, I charge based on a minimum of 5,000 words. That said, I won't take on flash fiction. There is a poetic, literary nature to flash fiction that I just don't understand.

If you are concerned about your word counts, let's have a chat. This particular form of editing is what I excel at.

I'm a developmental editor and writing coach. While I'm capable of copyediting and proofreading, I don't offer these services to new clients. And I don't offer formatting services at all.

If you are confused about the types of editing, then I recommend my blog post, The Stages of Editing.

This is just another way to ask the previous question.

As a developmental editor, it's not my job to fix any typos. That said, I will point them out if I see them when doing a substantive edit.

I recently posted a blog post that discusses my editorial process, which always includes an initial read through on paper and that trusty red pen in hand (now done using a reMarkable tablet). But what I do with my notes will depend on the contract.

And if I feel that a manuscript is moving out of the developmental editing phase, getting ready to move into copyediting, then I will pull out ProWritingAid for some sections. However, I don't do this with every manuscript.

While I do maintain a list of testimonials from previous clients, if you would like to talk to one of my other clients directly, that can certainly be arranged. Just ask.

Writing and editing is a subjective thing. While I try to honor the specific qualities of a writer's voice, sometimes my advice might not be suitable for a given manuscript.

When taking on new clients, I always ask to see a sample of their writing, so I can assess your understanding of cohesive writing, and determine whether my particular skill set is what you require. Any sample sent is not edited in any way.

The time it takes to edit a manuscript will depend on a variety of factors, but as a rough guide, I typically allow 1 week for every 25,000 words, rounding up. So, a manuscript that is 40,000 words typically takes 2 weeks, but so too does a 50,000-word manuscript. A 100,000-word manuscript is allotted 4 weeks, whereas a 120,000-word manuscript is allotted 5 weeks.

That's okay. While I offer editing services, I am also a writing coach.

Whether it is help with learning your craft and developing your story, or getting your head around the industry and trying to understand what it's going to take to become published, I am able to guide you along your journey.

Let's have a chat to discuss your needs.

Definitely!

All editing clients are invited to participate in a one-off mentoring session (included as part of your editing contract) where you can ask any questions you would like and seek any clarifications. After this, I will continue to provide email support while you are working through your edits.

At any point in time, if you have a question about edits that I have suggested, please ask.

Yes and no. I can certainly mentor you through what you might need, helping you understand the content needed for your website. And I will happily share my knowledge and experiences on working with various social media sites and with websites in general. However, I am not a web designer.

While I know my way around WordPress sites and can make my own sites do some fancy things, if you require someone to build a website for you or manage your social media on your behalf, you will need to find someone else.

Let's have a chat about your circumstances, so I can point you in the right direction.

Yes and no. I can certainly mentor you through the process of publishing your book, guiding you through the editing, typesetting, and proofreading phases. And I will happily share my knowledge and experiences on book covers and marketing materials. However, if you are looking for someone to publish your book on your behalf, you will need to seek a traditional publisher.

Why don't we have a chat about your circumstances, so I can point you in the right direction.

Yes and no. I can help you polish your query letters and sample pages to the nth degree, and I can help you write a synopsis that showcases your story. I can even guide you through the process of finding the right agents to potentially query. However, when it comes to the querying process itself, your work needs to stand on its own.

An agent signs YOU, not your mentor.

Let's have a chat about your circumstances, so I can point you in the right direction.

Everything connected to your manuscript is 100% owned by you, including the edits. It was your ideas, and you were the one who put in the hard work to actually write the thing. I might have given you suggestions on how you might improve your story, but I didn't write it.

Please take comfort in the fact that you are actually covered under copyright laws on this one, even in the US. The moment your story is in a tangible format (i.e., you have written it), your story is protected under international copyright laws. You do NOT need to apply for copyright registration to be covered under the law. The registration process in the US only provides you with additional rights to compensation should you be forced to go to court.

While I recommend you register your copyright for published works, your pre-published novels are still protected under international copyright law.

I have been working as a developmental editor since 2015. In that time, I have worked primarily with newer writers who are still developing their craft. A few of them have published, but not many.

I gained a Certificate in Editing and Proofreading in 2016 and became a professional member of the Institute of Professional Editors Ltd (IPEd) in 2018 (meaning that I was judged by a panel of my peers and found to be acceptable to join their ranks). I joined the Editorial Freelancers Association in 2022.

(I have since left IPEd as the organization wasn't right for me, providing me the support and professional development opportunities that I needed.)

For full details on my qualifications and affiliations, visit my About page.

While I do maintain a list of testimonials from previous clients, if you would like to talk to one of my other clients directly, that can certainly be arranged. Just ask.

Yes, I am. My personal writing possesses strong thriller roots, filled with adventure, dark monsters, humor, romance, and the occasional science fiction. Meanwhile, my non-fiction is taking on the scientific world.

Check out my list of publications.