Manuscript Evaluation
Assesses greatest strengths and weaknesses and recommends next steps
If you've completed a first draft (or second or seventh), and you know something is not quite right but you're not sure what, a manuscript evaluation is a smart investment. You'll get honest, professional feedback on your book that will give you direction and could save you time and money down the road.
Editorial Report
I'll read the entire manuscript and provide you with a 6-page editorial report (~1,500 words) that gives you insight into overall strengths and the top five things to work on.
Zoom Call
We'll meet on Zoom at the beginning and end of our work together to discuss your publishing goals and priorities for revision.
Cost
~$1,500 CAD (~$1,070 US) for manuscripts between 50k and 85k. If your story is shorter or longer, we can discuss pricing.
“I took my manuscript as far as I thought I could, then sent it to Ellie. Her insights and comprehensive feedback allowed me to take it so much further. She understood what my story was about, and helped me see where I needed to go deeper. I could not have stepped back and looked at the book from this perspective without her keen, impartial observations.”
Pearl Richard
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Developmental Editing
Helps you to see and to solve all the big-picture issues in your manuscript
Developmental editing delves into all aspects of the story. I affirm the fantastic parts, identify what could be improved in order of priority, demonstrate how to revise with examples from your manuscript, and recommend next steps.
Each developmental edit is as unique as your story and addresses your particular concerns. Often, writers need feedback on the premise (what the story is fundamentally about), structure, narrative arc, beginning and ending, pacing, moving around in time, scenes and dialogue, writing about other people, voice, and your perspective as both the narrator and the protagonist.
Editorial Letter + Comments in the Margins
You will receive a comprehensive editorial letter (~12 pages) plus comments in the margins. The comments draw your attention to specific passages, ask questions about clarity and meaning, affirm moments that are funny or moving, and suggest changes attuned to your voice. Together, the letter and comments serve as a clear blueprint for you in revising your book.
Zoom Calls
We’ll meet on Zoom at the beginning and end of our work together to talk about your writing and publishing goals, strategies for revision, and next steps.
Cost
$3,500 CAD (~$2,500 US) for manuscripts between 50k and 85k.
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“As a novice writer working on my first major work, I can’t thank you enough for guiding me through the editing process to ensure that my manuscript was as good as it could be. You were amazing to work with. Your skills in all the aspects of editing brought For a Better Life to a level that would never have been possible without you.”
John Van Immerseel
Line Editing
Clarifies meaning, improves flow, and keeps readers turning the page
You've tinkered with the words for so long that you no longer know what sounds good and what doesn't. You need an outside reader — someone attuned to story elements, the language, your voice, and the readers’ experience. That’s where I come in. I listen to both the music and the message, smoothing the language artfully but invisibly. The edited manuscript will sound like the best and truest version of you.
Unlike developmental editing, which looks at the big picture, line editing zooms in on sentences and paragraphs. This level of editing sharpens word choice, corrects grammar, smooths the syntax (the order of words), reduces wordiness, finetunes the pace of scenes and dialogue, and nudges you to more fully embody your story on the page.
Is a line edit a good choice for me?
Yes, if you are satisfied with the overall structure of your memoir
Tracked Changes, Comments, + Editorial Letter (~4 pages)
A line edit is hands on. It’s communicated mostly in tracked changes and comments in the manuscript itself. The editorial letter coaches you on recurring elements of craft.
Cost
$2,500-$3,500 CAD (~$1,800-$2,500 US)
The cost depends on the length of your manuscript and the shape it's in. Please contact me for a custom estimate.
No, if your memoir needs significant structural work
“I am very grateful to Ellie Barton, my editor, who provided a detailed focus on the arc of my story as well as words and nuances. Her insightful edits, laced with sensitive direction, added immeasurably to the memoir.”
Henry Blumberg
Copy Editing
Corrects small errors and polishes the prose
Copy editing catches mistakes that would distract readers from your story or argument, such as errors in grammar, punctuation, and usage. Copy editing also applies a consistent editorial style for things like spelling, capitalization, and references.
I am well versed in the Chicago Manual of Style, the industry standard for book publishing in North America.
Is copy editing a good choice for me?
Cost
~$30 to $40 per 1,000 words (CAD)
The cost depends on the level of editing – heavy, medium, or light. For example, a manuscript with dozens of references that need checking will cost more to copy edit than a book with accurate and complete references. Please contact me for an estimate.
Yes, if the structure of your book is solid.
Yes, if you are self-publishing. Copy editing doesn’t guarantee perfection, but it will result in a book you’re proud of.
No, if your writing is pretty good and you want to get an agent or traditional publisher. Traditional publishers cover the cost of copy editing and production.
“I found Ellie’s editing instincts and rigour to be exceptional. She corrected the text and brought to our attention a number of passages that were either far too abstract or simply did not make logical sense. She not only alerted us to these problems but proposed solutions – often rewriting paragraphs to make the author’s point more lucid and compelling (and one should bear in mind that the authors we selected are international leaders in their fields). She went above and beyond the call of a copy editor, and in so doing, significantly enriched the final product.”
Paul Bramadat