You write it.
We perfect it.
I don't think everyone should be a writer.
But certainly we should all give it a go.
You never know, you might be wasting your life as a banker when you could be bringing joy to readers everywhere through carefully crafted poems.
Or maybe you should just stick to approving loans.
- your very honest editor -
hello, author
I'm Alexa, and I'll be your dedicated guide through the vast world of editing today. No, I won't answer to "Alexa, turn on the light". I am human, quite the selective reader and a literary editor, and I will do my best to help you as such.
brief note on literary genres
As those readers with negligible social life will know (with me being one), there are many literary genres and even more subgenres and a stupid amount of crossovers among genres. I personally loath the term "genre", in the same way some gag at the word "moist". Besides its irksome pronunciation, it forces both the author and the reader to pick one, or a specific combination of them, when writing a story or buying in store.
Yet, the cruel truth is that when you, author, want to sell your story, chances are that if you do not make it clear which genre (ugh) it is in, no publisher will give you the time of day.
I will always encourage writers to push the boundaries of literary conventions, so that the only use we'll have of those neat boxes is as stepping stones.
Consider the standard a reference, not a guide.
Whatever tickles your fancy, I can help (and if I can't, I'll let you know). Just for the fun of it, see the list below to get an idea of what literary categories I like to think I specialize in.
FICTION (short stories and novels)
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Fantasy (high, low, urban, dark fantasy)
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Science fiction (post-/apocalyptic, soft, hard, alternate history sci-fi)
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Romance (dark, fantasy, comedy romance)
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Mystery (detective fiction, thriller)
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Horror (ghost stories, supernatural fiction, horror comedy)
NON-FICTION
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Creative non-fiction (travel writing, memoirs)
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Essays (cultural criticism, ekphrastic essays)
introduction to editing services
You may need someone to check you work over one last time, be stuck at the 6th revision this month or need comprehensive and guided editing that checks all the boxes.
Don't worry, we've all been there. Well, I haven't, but it seemed like a nice thing to say.
A WRITER'S JOURNEY TO PUBLISHING
WRITING
EDITING
PUBLISHING
The editing phase can be quite daunting, but it is definitely one you cannot skip (nobody wants to read that first draft you wrote at 3 a.m.).
Placing your manuscript in the care of an expert editor (me!) not only takes this burden off your shoulders but also benefits your work, as an external eye most often catches on to things you might have missed or taken for granted while reviewing. It's like betareading but with the added benefits that I will always back up my claims (rather than just telling you something because it "feels" so) and provide sound suggestions and instructions on how to implement them.
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Now let's get to it.
PROJECT
ASSESSMENT
What you get:
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Full report detailing the assessment results
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Project roadmap
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Two-hour call to discuss findings
If you skipped the introduction above or you're just stubborn, let me repeat: Delineating your project beforehand is as important as writing the first draft of the manuscript. Working on it with the help of an editor (again, me!) can help you address technical stuff (it's my job). Here's what we'll do: You send me all the materials you have produced so far, such as all plot lines, character sheets, outlines of settings and random thoughts; the more you show me, the better. I'll perform the following:
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Determine how relevant your project is to the current literary market. This part of the assessment will include an analysis of current national and international trends to give you a better idea on whether you are likely to be commercially published (and in what region).
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In a novel/short story, assess how well the plot, characters and everything else in the story work together. Are your characters coherent? Are there enough plot twists to make the project (whether it is a standalone or a book series) sustainable? In non-fiction, assess the cohesion and coherence of all the points and sections. It is better to ascertain these aspects in the early stages of writing rather than address multiple inconsistencies in the developmental editing stage.
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Formulate advice on next steps. According to the results of the assessment, I will outline a roadmap for you to follow to make the most of your time and energy while developing your project.
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For an exhaustive list of all the sort of things I will look at (thus what the materials you send me ought to include), get in touch.
If you have already written a draft, send it over for me to assess the following aspects:
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Where your manuscript sits in terms of the current literary market. This part of the assessment will include an analysis of current national and international trends to give you a better idea on whether you are likely to be commercially published (and in what region).
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Developmental critique. Especially if you are looking to self-publish, this part of the assessment will give you an overview of which big-picture aspect you should focus on in terms of plot and character development, flow and scene framework.
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English language quality (if applicable). Especially if English is not your first language, a language assessment can point out general grammatical and syntax errors and oversights, as well as stylistic inconsistencies, that you ought to resolve before submitting your work to a publisher or prior to self-publishing.
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Advice on next steps toward publishing or self-publishing. Depending on what your objectives are and based on the assessment of the above-mentioned areas, I'll advise you on the next steps.
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Note: It goes without saying, but better safe than sorry: if you want me to give you the best, most accurate advice, send me your manuscript once it's completed (no partial drafts!).
FOR ITALIAN
AUTHORS ONLY
English-speaking readers far outnumber Italian-speaking readers—okay, this is not a statistic, but surely, we can agree it's a fairly good guess. So why not publish your work in this beautifully complex language?
How you get it roughly translated—with AI software or the I-have-an-English-speaking-relative tool—matters not, as lucky for you, I happen to be a professional English language editor that will meticulously check your translation and improve the following where necessary:
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Accuracy. The first step is obviously making sure that Chat G** has not overturned and distorted the content. Yes, that can happen—see examples here.
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Style. It is essential that your writing style (your voice!) is maintained in the translation. I'll check that it is and adjust any instances where it isn't.
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Localisation. Many Italian expressions, references, etc., lose their meaning if translated into English literally (which is something that AI or your aunt would do). I'll ensure that the text is correctly localised, that is, adapted to the target audience's region.
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​​Note: For this editing service, you will need to send me both the original manuscript (Italian only) and its English translation. Also, note that Post-Translation Editing can only be performed in conjunction with Line and/or Copy Editing (it is an add-on service).
Developmental editing deals with plot, overall flow and characterization. The following aspects may not be applicable to all works or to all genres but can give you an idea of which areas are the object of this editing stage:
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Plot. Development of main themes, main plot and sub-plot denouement, story arc, genre conventions, world building foreshadowing (if you're thinking "what the hell is all this?!", same; kidding, I can explain everything if you feel like chatting).
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Flow. Appeal, rhythm, story structure.
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Characterization. Characters' credibility, consistency, mannerisms, backstory, goals.
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If you are confident that you don't need help in the above-mentioned aspects, firstly, good for you (although I would check with an editor anyway if I were you); secondly, if you are instead concerned with more specific story aspects (dialogue, chapter structure or style) or language aspects (grammar and syntax), get in touch for Line Editing or Copy Editing, respectively.
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Note: Developmental editing is performed on whole manuscripts (again, no partial drafts, but you should have got this by now).
Line editing deals with consistency, flow and language:
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Consistency. Coherence of text, dialogues, logic.
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Flow. Purple prose, paragraph structure.
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Language. Word-choice appropriateness (style, setting, genre) for effectiveness.
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As this is a service that looks at your manuscript chapter by chapter and line by line, I recommend seeking a line editing service only once you are satisfied with the content and have performed Developmental Editing.
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Note: Line editing should be performed on whole manuscripts; however, you may submit shorter sections of text (one or more chapters) if you want a better idea of how this type of editing can benefit your manuscript.
Copy editing deals with grammar and syntax:
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Grammar. Errors are corrected, including those relative to punctuation usage.
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Syntax. Sentences are restructured where needed to improve readability.
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Before you say anything, I know syntax is a part of grammar—who do you take me for; I just want to highlight just how important a part it is.
As this is a service that looks at your manuscript line by line and word by word, I recommend seeking a copy editing service only when you are satisfied with the content and have performed Developmental Editing and Line Editing. I think you might have gotten an idea as to what will be written at the end of the following section.
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Note: Copy editing can be performed on whole manuscripts or shorter sections of text (one or more chapters).
Proofreading is the final stage prior to publication. With my proofreading glasses on, I'll check the following:
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Text. Anything that has slipped through the cracks during copy-editing is fixed (happens to the best of us).
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Chapters and figures. Consistency of page numbering; chapter titles and numbering; figure citation, numbering and captions.
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Front/back matter.
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Proofreading comes at the end of all other editing stages (Developmental Editing, Line Editing and Copy Editing), which of course you have already completed (yes?), and before the final version of the manuscript is handed over to the publisher or is published (in the case of self-publishing).
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Note: Proofreading can only be performed on whole manuscripts (no partial/unedited drafts).
literary editing faqs
I've written my first book, but I don't know if it's any good.
Wondering if you weren't born to be a banker after all? Let me have a look at your manuscript: I'll assess it and give you feedback on content, form and market readiness. Then, it'll be up to you to decide whether to keep at it.
I have a good grasp of English, but I'd still like to have an expert eye double-check my manuscript for errors before I send it to a publishing house.
Can you help?
Of course! Your manuscript deserves to shine. And what an exiting stage you're in!
Send it right over to get a quote.
I'm an Italian fantasy writer and I really really want to reach a wider, international audience, but translators are way out of my budget. What can I do?
You might want to have a look at the Post-Translation Editing add-on, which is definitely less expensive than a traditional translation service: it might just be what you need!