FAQ

Sometimes perspective is needed, spelling is wrong, or the message is unclear based on how a book or webpage is written.

Finding a glaring mistake or error in my content or books is like getting caught with a rip in my pants. It’s unflattering and distracting from what I’m trying to communicate. An editor/proofreader can help to catch those embarrassing mistakes that make you look unprofessional and untrustworthy.

An editor’s job is to make you look good. An editor’s job is to ensure your message is clear and impactful. And an editor’s job is to maintain your voice through it all.

And because it’s always worth having a second set of eyes on your work. Or even more!

(It delights me when authors tell me they’ve already had beta readers or others go over their book!)

I offer varying degrees of book editing (developmental, copyediting, line editing, proofreading) and even content editing (business, social media, scripts, etc.).

See my editing services here!

Proofreading is the final step of the editing process. It’s where any lingering typos, incorrectly placed commas, and straggling errors are combed up like flyaway hairs on a slicked-back bun. Proofreading provides the finishing touches to make your story shine! It’s the final step before you hit send or publish.

Copyediting comes before the proofreading stage to clean up sentence structure, grammar, and verb tense issues, as well as errors that might be swept up during the proofreading stage. My copyediting services also include a little line editing to ensure a fluid flow of language to keep the reader engaged with your story.

Each book goes through many stages and multiple drafts to reach that final pinnacle of publication. This is the order I suggest:

Developmental Editing: For structure, character development, and story arc analysis. This is crucial to make sure your story works as a whole. Whether or not you’ve written a book before, developmental editing catches plot holes and shallow characters.

Line / Copyediting: A scrub of sentence structure, readability, grammar, verb tense, consistency issues, and activating passive language. Overall, copyediting improves readability and impact. Line editing further improves flow by offering stylistic suggestions.

Proofreading: The final scrub after copyedits have been applied to catch any remaining errors in spelling, punctuation, minor grammar issues, typos, and other stragglers that make the reader stumble over your words.

If you’re interested in learning more, I have a special email series From First Draft to Publish Ready that will walk you through the different types of editing and what to do between finishing your first draft, hiring an editor, and publishing/self-publishing your book.

Absolutely!

For books, I offer a complimentary sample edit of 1,000 words from the middle of your book so you can get a feel for my editing style.

I also offer a complimentary copyedit for an article/blog up to 1,000 words for those interested in monthly retainers.

I want to ensure we are a great fit to work together just as much as you do. Sample edits allow me to see if I’m the best to help you and also to help you get acquainted with my editing style to see if the way I work is a fit for you too!

Once I get a feel for your writing and what to expect while editing your book, I’ll send over a free quote with an estimated delivery time and the total cost of the services.

For book editing:

• Proofread: 2-4 weeks
• Copyedit: 4-6 weeks
• Developmental: 8-10 weeks

For a la carte copyedits with Proof & Polish: within the business week.

An ETA/estimate is emailed to you once a service has been ordered/requested.

If you’re a monthly retainer client, you can expect to get your edited content back within 1-2 business days.

If it’s a Proof & Polish piece (blog, article, web page), usually within the week.

If it’s a book, my editorial calendar has availability through the end of 2024 and into 2025. Interested? Fill out the form at the bottom of the Book Editing page.

For copyediting work needed within three days, a 15% rush fee is added to your invoice if you are not a retainer client.

For book editing:

1. Fill out the book submission form here so I can get to know you and your book.
2. The Intuitive Editor will respond via email with an expected estimate of services and to discuss anything further needed for your book. Email is preferred, but there’s an option for a brief introductory call with The Intuitive Editor to confirm what’s expected and cover any questions you have.
3. An agreement is sent with terms for our work together for review and signing.
4. Work begins once the agreement is signed and the deposit/engagement fee is paid (via PayPal / Wave_.
5. First up is the initial read-through where I flag places for edits, comments, or suggestions. This is reading the book to read it and get acquainted with your book/world. Following the first read-through, I’ll send you an email with any questions I have about your manuscript.
6. Then, I do the second read-through and official first round of revisions with Track Changes on in Microsoft Word (and add GIFs for entertainment and to make the edits less scary). Any remaining Qs are emailed to catch any remaining inconsistencies or questions that arise.
7. A final polish is done from my flagged points and inconsistencies, running through a checklist to catch common errors.
   Then your manuscript is sent back to you with all of my feedback in two versions: a marked-up copy to show the changes and a clean version where the changes have been accepted.
8. If you so choose, we can hop on a call after your edit is complete to go over any questions you have about my edits and suggestions.
   
   (Basically, you get three pass-throughs of your book!)

For copyediting:

1. You purchase a Proof & Polish here and email your file to mikael {at} theintuitiveeditor {dot} com, either as a Google Doc or Word Doc.
2. Copyedits are done with track changes on, either in Google Docs or Word. The file is returned to you for review within the week (48-72 hour guarantee for retainer clients).
3. Should you require any changes or updates to the text or from my suggestions to the edits, email me what you’d like changed in the final proof.
4. I make the changes to the text, and I return a sparkly clean final copy so you can paste it wherever you need without issue!

For book editing and monthly editing retainers, a simple agreement is sent for your review and virtual signature.

For one-off copyediting projects, no contract is required since payment is made upfront.

You can find my path of how editing emerged as one of the most coveted skills in every job I’ve had here. That post is basically a story-form CV.

The Intuitive Editor’s copyediting and proofreading experience spans 15 years and several industries—from IT & cybersecurity, health & fitness, TV news, sports media, nonprofit, business, arts, literature, and more. I’ve found that my participation and training in storytelling mediums throughout my career has given me a unique grasp of story arcs, character development, and dialogue specifically.

As for books, I’ve been polishing up manuscripts since 2017 for The Bookish Fox, another boutique editing and coaching firm—that’s where I truly fell in love with book editing. They provided my training and mentorship in book editing, and If I’m not the best fit to help you, they are the first place I’ll send you! I’ve also worked with hybrid publishers as a high

I have a BA in English from the University of Utah, with an emphasis on creative writing and Victorian literature.

The best classes I took in college were Playwriting 1.0 & 2.0—I learned more in those classes about crafting a story than any other (I still have my notes).

Since then, I’ve also taken various courses on copywriting (sales writing), copyediting, and proofreading online from the likes of Edit Republic and The Middle Finger Project/Ash Ambirge.

Improving writing and stories has always been a passion of mine, and it’d be my honor and pleasure to help you polish yours.

For fiction books, my preferred genres are fantasy, sci-fi, suspense/horror, and adventure—especially if they fall in the YA or MG category (Young Adult or Middle Grade) since I have a soft spot for books designated for youth.

For nonfiction books, my most successful edits have been in the memoir vein. I’m keen to assist with personal/spiritual development books as well.

When it comes to content, I’m most familiar with topics in the following categories: spirituality, astrology/human design, health & nutrition, fitness, cybersecurity & IT, and writing & creativity.

In writing style guides, I’m well-versed in AP (mostly used in news reporting) and the Chicago Manual of Style (standard for book publishing).

Be aware that I’ve edited just about everything under the sun, from both non-fiction and fiction books, magazines, website content, news articles and broadcast scripts, resumes and cover letters, pitch packages for film and TV, business brochures and marketing emails, sports guides, and tons more. I’ve been proofreading and editing for my entire professional career (15+ years) in some capacity, so I am more than prepared to handle just about anything.

It is hard to pick favorites since I love editing so much—but that means I’ll enjoy the process with whatever is in front of me. Feel free to drop me a message if you’d like a consult! 

I know the editing process can be intimidating and scary, but I want to show you how it can be constructive in a fun, kind-hearted way. I’m not here to bash your book or to discourage you from writing. I want to help show you that your voice and your story matter and that it can and will find its audience.

I’m an editor who will tell you what’s working and what isn’t. I’ll gush about what I loved in your book, while also being kind and clear about what needs work. If something is incorrect or incorrectly used, I’ll flag it and explain why it should be fixed while also offering suggestions to help.

I want your book to be the best it can be, just as I hope you do too.

I’m also the type of editor who will likely drop a GIF or two in the comments if something you write reminds me of a movie reference—just for fun.

I hope when you work with me, you feel comfortable, safe, encouraged, and inspired to make your book even better than you may have expected. I hope I help return an element of fun and enjoyment to your writing and revision journey.

I believe we all have access to our intuition in some way or form. And I believe that our intuition is intrinsically connected to our creativity. It’s a very personal connection and process!

Through working in writing and editing capacities, I’ve found that my intuition guides me quite a bit in my work. It became clear that I couldn’t write or edit without relying on my hunches and instincts… What wants to pour through me. I trust my feelings to guide my work through and through, and the feedback I’ve gotten has always been highly complimentary.

My hope is that through combining my love for editing and trusting my intuition that you will be inspired to rely on your own intuition, creative capacities, and to pursue what you love most. To know that you innately have creative genius and innate intuition ready to guide you. And I’m here to help you get that second set of eyes and intuitive hunches on your work when you’re getting ready to send it out or hit publish.

It depends on the type of edit and the length of the project.

My editorial rates, particularly for books, are based on the length of the project by word count and also what kind of edit is required. Each project is customized to the manuscript in question, so the rates may be adjustable based on the state of the manuscript.

Here is my breakdown of starting rates per book edit: 

$.015/word – Proofread
$.023/word – Copyedit
$.030/word – Line Edit
$.033/word – Copyedit + Proofread
$.035/word  –  Developmental Edit
$.004/word – Manuscript Review

These are in line with the average rates outlined by the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA).

My signature copyediting package for web content, Proof & Polish, is $66 to start, and the rate increases with word counts of more than 2,000 words.

Monthly retainers are available in three different tiers, starting at $1,000 and up. Create a custom monthly retainer with me by applying today!

I accept debit or credit cards for payment through PayPal, Wave, or Found.

For book editing projects, payment plans are available in installments. A deposit is required to begin work on your book and final payment is due prior to the delivery of the edited manuscript.

No payment plans are available for Proof & Polish or Monthly Editing Retainers. Payment is due upfront for Proof & Polish. Monthly retainers are due on the first/selected recurring date each month.

For Human Design readings, payment plans are available only for the Your Creative Soul Map + Email Coaching package. Feel free to reach out to mikael@theintuitiveeditor.com to request one.