Trauma-informed editing services

Fiction & non-fiction editing

Every manuscript has its own voice, vision, and needs. Whether you are drafting a first novel or polishing a memoir or full-length work for querying or publication, I tailor my editorial approach to the goals of your project and the stage of your writing process.

As a trauma-informed editor, I bring particular care and sensitivity to manuscripts that engage with difficult or personal material, ensuring the editing process supports both the integrity of your work and your wellbeing as the writer.

My prose editing services range from manuscript-level assessment to detailed sentence-level refinement and final proofreading, or the combination that best suits your project.


Read testimonials from past clients →

  • Beta reading

    Beta reading is useful for a work in progress when you need fresh eyes and a thoughtful reader's perspective. Much like a book review, a beta read is the best way to know how a reader reacts to your story for the first time.

    I'll read through your manuscript and respond to its narrative voice, story arc, character development, and any unclear areas, along with other elements of the piece as they arise.

    You'll receive an editorial letter identifying what's working and what isn't. Beta reading is based on a single read-through and does not include detailed analysis or thorough solutions for the issues identified.

  • Manuscript assessment

    Manuscript assessment is the next step up from beta reading: a thorough editorial analysis that doesn't just tell you what isn't working, but why, and what to do about it.

    Like beta reading, this is a big-picture look at your manuscript as a whole, examining narrative voice, story arc, character development, pacing, and structure. The difference is depth: where a beta read identifies the problem, a manuscript assessment also offers editorial guidance and concrete recommendations for solving it.

    You'll receive a detailed editorial letter outlining the manuscript's strengths and weaknesses, along with practical next steps for revision.

  • Developmental editing

    Developmental editing is where the real structural work happens.

    Working at the chapter and scene level, I dig into the architecture of your story: pacing, structure, character arcs, point of view, and how each scene earns its place. You'll receive inline notes and comments throughout your manuscript, alongside an editorial letter addressing the work as a whole.

    Developmental editing is a collaborative, hands-on process suited to writers who are ready to revise with a guide at their side, working through the manuscript section by section rather than receiving a single overview.

  • Stylistic editing

    A thorough stylistic edit (a.k.a. line edit) helps your writing flow smoothly, so readers don't get stuck in a jagged sentence or a muddy paragraph.

    Working line by line, I bring an objective set of eyes along with careful changes and suggestions that draw out the clarity of your work, tightening weak areas and smoothing inconsistencies in voice along the way.

    After stylistic editing, you'll receive your manuscript with tracked changes and inline comments, with suggestions to strengthen clarity, flow, and style. Stylistic editing focuses on language and flow rather than changes to structure or story content.

  • Copy editing

    Copy editing is all about the details. This is where my inner grammar geek shines.

    A careful copy edit ensures the correctness and accuracy of your writing, checking every bit of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage, along with consistency in details like place names, character traits, and other story elements. Small slips like a character's eye colour changing halfway through, or a street name spelled two different ways, are exactly the kind of detail I catch.

    There won't be structural changes or questions about your characters' life choices. Copy editing addresses correctness and consistency, not content or structure.

  • Proofreading

    Proofreading is the final polish.

    When your manuscript is typeset and about to be published, this is the chance to review the proofs and find that one elusive typo, or the extra paragraph break, or the spelling mistake in the chapter title that slipped past every reader.

    Proofreading ensures that your final formatted or typeset proofs are flawless.

    It's often recommended that the editor who does your proofreading is new to your manuscript, so they can see it with completely fresh eyes.

Prose editing

Next steps

  1. Choose the type of editing or assessment (above) or combination thereof that feels like the right fit, or write out your goals and how I can best support you to achieve them.

  2. Contact me via email or my contact form to tell me about your project.

  3. Send me a sample of your work so I can give you an accurate cost estimate and timeframe. Alternatively, let me know your budget, and I can work within it.

  4. Review and finalize the contract and payment schedule.

  5. Send me your manuscript (preferably in Microsoft Word format), and I’ll complete the editing or analysis within a specified time frame.

  6. Review the suggested changes and feedback, and then share your finished work with the world.

Let's begin