Free Sample Edit – Utopian Editing

Guidelines for the Free Sample Edit

NOTE: I primarily edit works of fiction. Although I do take on other types of projects occasionally, I do not edit academic or scientific papers.

Choosing an editor is a big decision, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the professional editing process. You might not be sure what kinds of editing your manuscript needs, and you definitely want to make sure you’re comfortable with your editor’s skills and personality.

You can read more about my services and view my portfolio to get a feel for how I can help you.

I am also pleased to offer a free sample edit of your manuscript and a free email or phone consultation to help you decide whether we’re a good fit.*

Guidelines – Developmental Editing and Book Coaching

I will need the following files in Word or Google Docs:

The book manuscript (finished or unfinished, if there is one)
An outline of the book
A list of important characters with key info about each

For the free sample edit, I will do the following:

Carefully read the outline and character data
Skim parts of the manuscript
Email you my first impressions and what kind of work I think your book will need
Provide a quote for my services

If you haven’t begun writing or planning the book yet and need someone to help you get started, then we will talk on the phone for 15-20 minutes about your ideas, goals, and writing process.

Guidelines – Line Editing, Copyediting, and Proofreading

Please send me your full manuscript in Word or Google Docs. I will do the following:

Skim it to get an idea of its overall condition
Select a representative section (~1,000 words or 5% of the text, whichever is lower)
Paste that section into a new document
Edit the same way I would the whole project
Include additional comments that explain some of the edits (I only do this occasionally in a full edit, but I like to do more of it in the sample to help you decide)
Provide a quote for the full edit

Still have questions? Feel free to ask via my contact form.

Request a free sample edit