Editing

CREATING A MAGNETIC PIECE OF WRITING can be a bit of a mystery. Using “correct” punctuation or following staid rules of language, grammar, usage, symbolism, or form, etc., only go so far. Creating that book you can’t put down or that riveting article or paper is also about voice, rhythm, and beat. Rendering complexity and depth into an engaging, readable form requires instinct. The rule is: there are always exceptions. Editing is the craft of creating a seamless, moment-to-moment flow—and many times, a narrative—balancing purpose, content, syntax, punctuation, shape, concision, word choice, structure, point of view, and mood, without losing sight of the whole. It all counts.

My approach is to organically coax and cajole your prose into completion, not to overwhelm it or tear it apart, as I help you de-clutter, de-cliché, and tighten your material, putting it all together coherently and clearly while preserving your own unique voice. Our mutual goal is to maintain your natural style while enhancing your material’s completeness, interest, and readability. In the end, capturing the reader in the distinct “world” of your prose is what matters most. And that is what we will do. In the process, you can become a better writer.

An editor who is also an astute, enthusiastic, well-rounded reader (like me) will be able to recognize when a piece has become that potential page turner, that great story, that riveting and immersive book, article, letter, or paper you can’t put down, what it should look, sound, and “feel” like. There is a lot of interplay and many details big and small to consider in getting it right.

I work at all levels, from basic copy editing, to developmental and structural editing, to complete rewriting. I’ve experienced every stage of the writing/publishing process, blank pages to published books, so there aren’t many content knots I can’t untie.

I’ve worked with first-time novelists, academics, students, professionals, doctors, artists, and creative writers on enhancing their books, manuscripts, dissertations, short stories, LinkedIn content, articles, screenplays, novels, personal statements (residency, fellowship, and grants), introductions, cover and application letters, queries, vision statements, memoirs, narrative nonfiction/history,, project proposals, essays, and presentations. I am versed in adhering to the guidelines of the major style manuals—CMOS, NYT, APA, and MLA—and have studied the elusive subject of style from the standard to the arcane. I also edit and polish translations, primarily deriving from Portuguese, Japanese, and German, with bilingual partners.

My no-nonsense, flat project rates are affordable and based on a sliding scale of approximately 15¢ per word down to about 3¢ per word, depending on length, genre, required editing level, complexity, and subject matter. Generally, the longer the material, the lower the rate. I charge a minimum of $40 (usually, very brief material that only needs light editing) and offer better rates to repeat clients. I turn around drafts in Word or PDF form, and tend to work ahead of schedule, with seamless, easy communication. Manuscript critiques with detailed commentary run $350 flat up to 100,000 words. (Note: editing rates do not directly apply to ghostwriting rates.) Once we establish a writer-editor relationship, I open up all my “hotlines”—cell number, text, Skype, Zoom, and WhatsApp—for ongoing coaching, writing emergencies, grammar or style puzzle solutions, and, just in case, that extra kick of creative motivation. My one-on-one service is a notch or two above what you might have encountered at the many self-published author services out there. I’m an experienced, seasoned creative coach who has worked with creative people my entire adult life, not one of those dodgy gurus. Feel free to reach out via email at pauleditnyc@fastmail.com to discuss your project. We can make something good into something great.