Do I really need a freelance editor?

That’s up to you. There are no rules about it, but I personally think that every book will benefit from editing by an experienced professional editor. Traditional publishing houses have editors on staff, and if your book is acquired by a big publisher, it will be looked at by many editors. If you’re self-publishing your book, you should have a professional editor look it over at some point. Readers prefer books that have been edited.

Is every editor right for every job?

No. An editor who specializes in your genre will do a better job for you. Not every editor is a good fit for every writer. Shop around! Find the best editor for you. Most editors will give you a free sample of their work. I’ll edit your first thirty pages for free, to see if we’re a good fit.

What kinds of editing are there?

There are three levels of editing that most books need: a developmental edit, a copyedit, and a proofread. A developmental edit looks at the big picture issues of characterization, plot, story beats, setting, story logic, theme, etc. A copyedit covers things like word choice, consistency, repetition, and grammar. A proofread catches spelling errors, punctuation errors, and typos.

What kind of editing do you do?

I’m a developmental editor.

What about those other two kinds of edits?

That is a separate service, and not one I provide.

How much do you charge?

I charge a flat fee of $1600 per book. For that price, I will do two rounds of developmental editing. This is an extremely affordable price for this service. See my pricing page for more details.

Why a flat fee?

Experience. I have been an editor long enough to know how many hours it will take to get a manuscript into shape. Getting two rounds of developmental edits for this price is almost unheard of in the industry, but I’m good at what I do and I work quickly. This also means that the better your book is when you hire me, the more I can help you.

What kinds of books do you edit?

I edit fiction and memoir. My specialties are mystery, romance, science fiction, fantasy, YA, and memoirs of all kinds. I have also edited thrillers and literary fiction in the past, although they are not my specialty. You should hire an editor who is a good fit for you.

What kind of guarantee do you offer?

I guarantee that my edits will be honest, clear, kind, and most of all, helpful. My goal is the same as yours: a better book. I do not guarantee publication. (I wish I could, but I can’t.)

Do you provide a contract?

Yes. If we decide to work together, I’ll send you a two-page contract, written in plain English, that spells out exactly what work I’m doing for you and what my fees are. The contract also covers time to deliver the manuscript and confidentiality issues. You can be sure that your manuscript is safe with me.

Will you look at an unfinished manuscript?

If your manuscript is finished, I’ll happily do a sample edit of the first 30 pages for free. However, if your book isn’t finished yet, don’t hire me! An edit on an unfinished manuscript is not a good use of your money. Please finish the book first and then contact me. I’ll still be here when you’re ready.

How do I get started?

Send me an email at AlexKourvo @ gmail.com. Introduce yourself! Tell me about your book. What genre is it? How long is it? You can send the first thirty pages if you’d like. I’ll edit those for free. If the sample edit goes well and we’re a good fit for each other, we’ll go from there.