MANUSCRIPT Editing
For writers with rough drafts.
INDIE AUTHORS NEEDING tO ENSURE WORK IS PROFESSIONAL FOR PUBLICATION.
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MEMOIR & NOVEL WRITERS SEEKING FEEDBACK ON STRUCTURE & STYLE.
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SELF-HELP Authors wishing to enhance credibility.
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writers seeking an agent in today's marketplace.
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PLAN TO SELF-PUBLISH?
YES, YOU NEED AN EDITOR.
Working with a professional editor:
The competitive edge
Who can benefit from manuscript editing?
Ensures work is polished and error-free before submission to agents or indie presses.
Elevates ideas into art using craft.
Gives your book an edge in today's crowded marketplace.
Great content remains the most important element of a successful book.
And in an age where anyone can publish quickly—there are nearly 49 MILLION books for sale on Amazon—it’s more important than ever to publish well.
That makes a good editor an indispensable member of any writer’s team.
After all, authors published by big houses benefit from the insight of not just a single editor, but an entire department.
Why should you go it alone?
Many indie authors miss out when they confuse editing with proofreading (a final step that ensures an already-edited manuscript has no typos before it goes to print).
By contrast, The Writing Cycle’s editing services use proven methods to shape your book’s story and structure, evaluate the quality of technical elements and strengths, and provide opportunities for artistic improvement, in addition to ensuring correctness of grammar, mechanics, and punctuation.
with me
WHy work
I'm Carol, an editor based in Scottsdale, Arizona. My specialty is helping authors structure compelling memoirs and novels while improving the artistry of their writing at the line level. I've edited titles published with big houses, small presses, and self-publishers, and understand what readers want.
There are dozens of online editors eager to help indie authors publish professional work. The reality is, few are MFA-trained, award-winning writers themselves. Fewer still have taught creative writing at colleges, universities, and conferences for over a decade.
When it comes to editing, remember: you're not just trading time for money: value comes from artistry and expertise as much as hours logged on any project. I bring my full background to your book when we work together.
My goal is simple: to help you publish a book you're proud to share.
I am selective with projects, and I never take on more than one manuscript per month to ensure I hold exclusive space for your story in my thoughts.
Not sure if your book is ready for editing? Create a custom outline with me instead to master your manuscript's story structure!
My Bio, Testimonials, and Blog should reveal if I’m a fit for you.
Ready to get on my schedule?
Includes: detailed six-page letter of expert developmental feedback, extensive margin notes, line editing for style and correctness, free query or pitch, and 60-minute virtual consultation.
Service reviews one draft. Revision reviews available for an additional fee. Need ongoing feedback? Consider COACHING.
70,000-100,000 words. (The average published book runs 80,000 words. Reach out regarding manuscripts that fall outside this range.)
NOVEL OR NONFICTION MANUSCRIPT
option 1
$3,000
Includes: expert analysis of structure and craft, detailed two-page critique, polishing line-edits.
Quick turnaround. All via email!
The perfect way to sample my services or polish your book's opening!
EXCERPT, ESSAY, OR SHORT STORY
option 2
$300
Maximum 4,000 words. One piece per service.
Pricing
Prices set at industry-standard rates
A 50% retainer is due prior to the start of a book-length service to reserve time in my calendar. The balance is due upon receipt of your edited manuscript and evaluation letter. Full payment is required up front for excerpts/non book-length works. Services include one pass through material; review and editing of REVISIONS available at an additional fee. Please allow one month for completion of book-length projects from agreed-upon start date; shorter projects can be turned around quickly.
Quick Turnaround
Benefits
All-Virtual
Big-Picture Developmental Critique
Line-editing for GMP
Free Query or Pitch
60-min Zoom Consult
Upon approval, pay the deposit above. Email your completed manuscript as a double-spaced Word document in Times New Roman, 12-point font to the secure address I provide.
I will read your manuscript twice, first as a reader, then as an editor. In a six-page critique, I will provide a thorough assessment of its strengths as well as any technical elements in need of improvement.
Upon receipt of your edited manuscript and letter, pay the balance to schedule your one-on-one feedback session. Use Microsoft Word to accept or reject individual changes, and choose whether to incorporate bigger-picture suggestions.
Schedule your one-on-one 60-minute virtual session here. I will answer questions, provide clarification, and brainstorm next steps with you. It is in these sessions the most valuable breakthroughs occur.
Carol knows how to help writers find and shape the essential in their work. She understands what makes a good story. Her talent for narrative structure shows in her consulting and her own work, which she approaches with intelligence and humor.
— Corey Campbell, Award-winning short story writer
Carol is a consummate professional and pleasure to work with. Her guidance was extremely insightful in pinpointing areas to develop in my first book. The hallmark of Carol’s approach is character development. Her use of the elements of writing is spot on. Her advice is worth its weight in gold!”
— Isabella Maldonado, Award-winning author of the Vera Cruz series & THE CIPHER, a soon-to-be Netflix feature starring JLo.
Since we were together at graduate school, I have admired Carol’s craft, her commitment to the life of the mind, and the intelligence of her conversation.
In workshops and afterwards, as she has continued to read my work in draft, I have found her perceptions and comments regarding my work to be razor sharp, delivered with great good will, and cutting to the heart of the matter. Both as a reader and a writer, Carol is exceptional.”
— Daniyal Mueenuddin, National Book Award & Pulitzer Prize Finalist: Other Rooms, Other Wonders
“I came to Carol to critique and edit my novel because she is imaginative, thoughtful, and humane. You can trust your prose to her; she’ll make it better in ways you will understand and enjoy.”
— Sheila Grinell, Author, The Contract & Appetite
Carol is an astute professional editor, current on standard industry formats and knows what agents and publishers are looking for.
I’ve had the pleasure to attend a few of her presentations: she truly motivates writers who have found themselves stuck in the revision process or lost during their quest to publication.”
— Deborah J Ledford, Award-winning Suspense Novelist, including 2014’s Best Audio Book, CRESCENDO, narrated by Christina Cox.
Submit
LET's GET STARTED.
Hi, I'm Carol,
an Arizona-based editor who turns ideas into art. Need to get your book publication-ready?
