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When we edit your printed manuscript (hard-copy editing), we use red ink and repair errors in grammar, punctuation, syntax, clarity, and compliance with Chicago Style. In addition, we send you an evaluation that explains our suggested changes and addresses marketability. The evaluation is a road map to take your manuscript to its highest level.

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VIDEO: The Differences in Editing Fiction and Nonfiction

Fiction

For fiction our evaluation covers plot, characterization, dialogue, point of view, creative issues, and other issues, including marketability.

Nonfiction

For nonfiction, the elements include organization, pacing, grammar, punctuation, syntax, and other issues, including marketability.

People who choose hard-copy editing are eager to improve their books as much as possible, learn from the experience, and apply what they have learned to future books. They like total control over all changes to their manuscripts, or they have an assistant who will make the changes to the electronic file. Some people find added peace of mind in the fact that we do not duplicate or keep copies of printed manuscripts.

For hard-copy editing the manuscript must be in standard manuscript format, printed, and mailed. Standard manuscript format consists of 12-point Courier or Times New Roman type, double-spaced, with margins of at least an inch on all sides. Print your properly formatted manuscript and ship it to us.

Costs

Hard-Copy Editing Cost

$8.95 per standard manuscript page (12-point Courier or Times New Roman type, double-spaced, with at least an inch margin on all sides) plus shipping and handling ($200 minimum per submission)

Return Shipping & Handling

$14.00

Printing

$0.15/page

We can even print it out for you, if you wish. You can send us your manuscript as a Microsoft Word file in SMF and we will print it out. You won’t have to bother to package or mail your manuscript and will save on shipping costs to us.

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Advantages of Hard-Copy Editing

  • You receive a permanent reference manual. We send you a valuable, printed report that addresses every element of the manuscript, as well as suggestions for improvement. The report even includes creative writing tips specifically geared to your writing style. You can use the information to upgrade your current manuscript and all your future manuscripts.
  • You learn more. You get to see every suggestion clearly. We correct errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and noncompliance with Chicago Style, and the written evaluation explains the rules behind the technical flaws, so you can avoid them in the future. The evaluation also teaches you a great deal about the elements of a book or story and gives you tips regarding your writing style.
  • You get the highest quality of editing available. The human eye sees more when items are printed, rather than displayed on a screen, so our eyes naturally catch more issues, so we can make suggestions for improvement.
  • You maintain complete creative control. In hard-copy editing we do not touch your electronic file. Instead we make suggested changes on the hard copy, and you can choose to make the changes to your electronic file, as you see fit and in your own words. You can even ignore our suggestions, if you disagree with them.
  • Your mastery of writing increases. You learn a great deal through the process of reading the report and applying our recommended changes. Many of our clients say our hard-copy reports are better than any creative writing class they’ve ever taken.
  • You can rest assured that no duplicates of your manuscript exist.

Drawbacks of Hard-Copy Editing

  • You must format the manuscript correctly. You must format the manuscript correctly. You have to format the manuscript in Standard Manuscript Format (12-point Courier or Times New Roman type, double-spaced, with margins of at least an inch on all sides with all pages numbered), print it out, box it up, and ship it to us.
  • You pay for shipping. You must to ship the manuscript, both to us and from us.
  • You may waste a little time. Shipping does take a few days, even though we ship by Priority Mail when available.
  • You do more work. You are responsible for making our suggested changes to your electronic file.
  • You don’t get any added protection. We keep no copies of your work, so if you lose the edited manuscript, it is lost forever.
Perhaps You’d Prefer:
Electronic EditingHybrid Editing

Let’s Get Started

Fill out the form below to get started with Hard Copy Editing. Upon filling out the form and submitting payment, you will receive an email with further instructions based upon your choices.