Manuscript Editing

Editorial Assessments

Developmental Editing

Line Editing

Copyediting

Proofreading

Editorial Assessment

An editorial assessment is an evaluation of the big-picture elements of your manuscript. For fiction, it focuses on elements such as plot, character development, pacing, scenes, etc. For nonfiction, it focuses on elements such as content structure, key takeaways, objectives to be met, delivery, etc. If your first draft is finished but hasn’t undergone any revision yet, an editorial assessment is where you want to start.

What’s Included

Feedback report (10-20 pages depending on manuscript length)
Recommended next steps
Market comps (3-5)
One-hour call with the editor to discuss feedback

$23/1,000 words

Get Started

What’s Included

A commented manuscript that highlights every suggested revision
A report with the comments organized by category
Recommended next steps
One-hour call with the editor to discuss the feedback

$27/1,000 words

Get Started

Developmental Editing

A developmental edit is similar to an editorial assessment in that it focuses on the big-picture elements of your manuscript (plot, character development, pacing, scenes, content structure, key takeaways, objectives to be met, delivery, etc). However, because the feedback is provided as comments in the manuscript, it also allows for feedback of a smaller scope, such as scene by scene.

Line Editing

Line editing is a high-level edit that focuses on the language, tone, pace, descriptions, voice, and writing style throughout the manuscript. A line edit includes a mix of direct edits and recommendations for additional content or cuts.

What’s Included

A line edited version of manuscript (using track changes)
An overview report of the edits made and their purpose (1 page)
Recommended next steps

$24/1,000 words

Get Started

What’s Included

A copyedited version of the manuscript (using track changes)
A style sheet for the syntax, grammar, terminology, and spelling applied in manuscript (adhering to the Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster)
Recommended next steps

$22/1,000 words

Get Started

Copyediting

A copyedit focuses on the readability of your content by correcting for grammar, inconsistencies, awkward phrasing, sentence structure, repetitions, etc.

Proofreading

Proofreading focuses on correcting typos, spelling, punctuation, and other small errors. This is the last phase of editing.

What’s Included

A proofread version of the manuscript (using track changes)
A style sheet for the syntax, grammar, terminology, and spelling applied in manuscript (adhering to the Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster)

$18/1,000 words

Get Started

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my manuscript need to go through all the above phases of editing?
It depends on what shape your manuscript is in and how well revisions are implemented throughout the process. Many manuscripts do not need to go through all of the above phases of editing. However, going through all of them will not be detrimental to your manuscript, while skipping some may be. At the end of an edit phase, your PassKey editor will recommend what phase needs to be done next for your manuscript.
What if I don’t know which phase of editing to start with?

We recommend always starting with an editorial assessment. If you are very happy with your first draft and don’t expect many big-picture revisions are needed, we still recommend starting with an editorial assessment, as it is a high-level, critical analysis that will identify any weak points in the manuscript, strengths, comps, and target market, in addition to noting genre and reader expectations, which will all help you competitively position your book in the marketplace. It will also provide a recommendation for the next phases of editing needed in order to make your manuscript ready for publishing.

Can I get a sample edit?

Yes, we offer a sample edit for all editing phases. When submitting your application form for the editing service you are interested in, mention in the Additional Notes section that you would like a sample edit, and then the PassKey team will send you further instructions.

What if I have another question not listed here?
Feel free to send us an email at theteam@passkeypublishing.com, and one of our team members will get back to you as soon as possible.