Book Editing
I’m here to help you keep your readers engaged from cover to cover. Developmental editing is how we do it, together.
It's all about Clarity,
Pacing, and Flow.
Reading a good book is a delight because it feels like an experience, doesn’t it? As readers, we wish to be fully engrossed in a book. We want to know what the author thinks, deepen our understanding through their examples and stories, and walk away appreciating not only what we’ve learned, but who the author is as a person.
However, that experience doesn’t just happen on its own. Most writers know that a best first draft is only the beginning. Getting a manuscript to that “engaging experience” and “ready-to-be-published” level requires thoughtful analysis and revision.
In my opinion, clarity, pacing, and flow are the keys to creating an engaging experience for readers, and influence everything from content choices to chapter and topic order to word usage. Clarity, pacing, and flow help readers connect with authors.
Make Your Book More Engaging
Clarity
Clarity is achieved not only through good sentence structure (Are your sentences and wording actually relaying what you want them to say/your intended meaning?), but also through the organization of your book. We will work together to find the ways to best express your ideas, messages, examples, opinions, and more, too. Clarity does not impinge on style. Clarity facilitates a connection between the author and the reader.
Your book shouldn’t feel like it’s “going too fast or too slow.” Pacing has as much to do with the rhythm of your writing style as it does with the speed at which the ideas, concepts, examples or case studies, etc., in your book are presented to the reader. As we work together, we will find the “sweet spot” per pacing for your book; it will reveal itself through the work we do to ensure clarity.
Just like the pleasant experience of walking through a large, formal garden, we want readers to feel a sense of flow from the first page of your book to the last. With clarity comes flow. I’ll help you sort out anything that feels jumbled or disjointed.
Engagement is a big part of what makes reading fun and pleasant. Through working with a developmental editor and putting in the time and effort to achieve the best clarity, pacing, and flow you can, you can give your readers that happy experience too. Remember, your readers will want to understand you. Readers not only want to understand the information you are providing them, especially if your book is about something they’re unfamiliar with or are keen to learn more about, but they also want to feel a connection with you, to have a sense of you, too.
Pacing
flow
Are we a good fit to work together?
Here's who I work with:
I’m not the right editor for you if ...
It lights me up to work on adult nonfiction that is meant to help others better their lives or contributes to the conversation in an author's field.
You’re writing fiction, poetry, memoirs, biographies, children's books, or your academic thesis. I also do not edit books that are only/primarily marketing tools.
The first good draft of your book is complete. Or at minimum, you’ve got a complete outline and TOC, and at least 2 full chapters written.
You haven’t started writing your book yet, or you’ve never written a book before and you don’t know where to start or what to do.
You’re ready to dig deep and work on your book now. You’re committed to the weeks, or months, it will take to complete this stage of editing.
You’re really busy. Your book is not a priority to complete and publish right now.
You understand that no editor can guarantee a book will sell or be accepted by a publisher. But you are looking forward to making your book more engaging to read.
You want a guaranteed best-seller and publishers banging down your door!
EDITING SERVICES
Manuscript Evaluation
A Manuscript Evaluation will give you a bird’s-eye analysis of the piece. You'll receive practical, constructive queries and feedback on what’s working, what’s not, and why. We also provide you with ideas and ways to solve the areas/aspects that are not working. Everyone begins here.
How We Begin
- We have an initial 30-minute consultation where we talk about your book, audience, and your intention and reason for writing your book.
- I read your book summary, TOC with chapter summaries, and the sample chapters—no more than 50 pages (12,500 words)—you have sent me over 2–3 weeks.
- About 2–3 weeks after our initial call, I will send you your manuscript evaluation. This typically contains 3–5 or more pages of written recommendations.
- We meet again for 30 minutes to discuss any questions you may have about your manuscript evaluation, as well as best next steps for your manuscript.
Typically 2–3 weeks from start to finish.
$300
Click to get started
How we continue
Your Manuscript Evaluation will determine the best next step for you to take in your book publishing journey. Please see below to get an idea of some of the ways we may choose to work together as you continue through the editing process.
Developmental Editing Report - Full Manuscript
A Developmental Editing Report will give you a bird’s-eye analysis of your entire manuscript. You'll receive practical and constructive queries and feedback on what’s working, what’s not, and why, and we provide you with ideas and ways to solve the areas/aspects that are not working. Subsequent rounds of editing will be charged by the hour.
$0.06 cents per word
Your first good draft is complete (congratulations!) and you want a high-level overview of what’s working, what’s not working, and why, regarding the structure, content, and context; and learn what you need to do to improve your manuscript and take it to the next level—but you’re not quite ready to have your book reviewed line by line. This is an analysis of the blueprints of your book.
Many authors start with a Developmental Editing Report of their manuscript—it's their first step—then come back for a more in-depth, line by line edit after they’ve made revisions.
HOW THIS WORKS:
- We have an initial 30-minute consultation where we talk about your book, audience, and your intention and reason for writing your book.
- I read the full draft of your manuscript over the 4–5 weeks (length and material depending).
- About 4–5 weeks after our initial call, I will send you your Developmental Editing Report. This typically contains 10 or more pages of written recommendations.
- We meet again for 60 minutes to discuss any questions you may have about your Developmental Editing Report, as well as best next steps for getting your book ready for publication.
HOW LONG DOES THE ENTIRE PROCESS TAKE:
Typically about a month from start to finish.
PRICING NOTES:
$0.06 cents per word. This includes your 30-minute book consultation, plus your 60-minute feedback discussion call.
Developmental Editing Consulting
Do you work best when you have someone providing you with feedback as you write chapter by chapter? Many experienced writers enjoy the support this service offers, and it helps them to get the work done, knowing they have deadlines to meet. At the end, I will do a full line edit and give you final developmental editing notes. Time will be charged by the hour.
$250 per 60-minute session
You’re self-motivated and know that you prefer to write your book chapter by chapter, receiving feedback along the way. You have a complete, detailed outline and TOC and at least 2 chapters written. This is the only way I work with incomplete manuscripts.
HOW THIS WORKS:
- Once you’ve scheduled your initial Developmental Editing Consultation call, you will submit the chapter you’d like reviewed at least 5 business days in advance (more time is always better and I cannot accept work less than 5 business days in advance) so I have plenty of time to review your writing and create your feedback.
- On our call, I’ll verbally deliver my feedback for your chapters. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and we’ll also have time to brainstorm ideas together. You’ll receive a recording of our call for reference.
- At the end of the call, we’ll agree upon your next steps and the timeline to complete your revisions.
- We’ll keep repeating this process as you write each chapter of your book. Many of my authors choose to complete one chapter each month.
- Once your book is nearing completion, it will be time for me to review your book as a whole. We will switch to Developmental + Line Editing services at that time. Typically, one round of edits is all that's needed.
HOW LONG DOES THE ENTIRE PROCESS TAKE:
Since I am working with you as you write your book, the timeline for this service varies based upon how quickly you write, the book’s full finished length, and the challenges you need to resolve as you complete your book.
PRICING:
$250 per 60-minute session. The fee includes reading time prior to the consultation. I typically meet with my authors once a month as they are writing.
Testimonials
Christine is able to offer feedback and suggestions in a way that is supportive of the creative process. She is pleasant, easy to work with, and smart—she picks up on meaning quickly, and she has a curious and interested mind. When I reread my manuscript after reading her edits, I could see why areas weren’t clear. Through it all, I always felt that my writing is my own. And I felt free to write—I did not feel that I had to censor/edit myself as I wrote because I knew she’d take care of the details.
"I could trust that my writing would look professional and be clear."
What Authors say about Stardust Editorial
Jean Tindle | Wisdom from the Grandmothers: Tips for Living from the Realms of Love
Testimonials
"One could not find a more generous, gifted, and supportive developmental editor."
Matthew “Mateo” Magee I Peruvian Shamanism: The Pachakuti Mesa (revised edition)
What Authors say about Stardust Editorial
Christine’s enthusiasm and expertise in the art of editing brought depth and reinvigoration to my book revision project. She asked deep and rich questions about my work that helped me flesh out points and ideas for greater clarity and strength. Her keen eye, inquisitive curiosity, and skillful dialogue were able to bridge gaps, enhance flow, and polish elements of my work I would certainly have missed. She accomplished these many tasks while allowing me to maintain my own voice throughout the writing.
Lindsay Luker | the mudras book: yoga hand poses and essential oils
"Do not wait another moment.
This is your time to write your book."
Christine is professional, efficient, and extremely knowledgeable in her field. She is open to the writer's thoughts while simultaneously being gently firm about her own. She is thorough in her explanations and makes the complicated parts seem a whole lot easier. On top of all this, she has a way of making the writer feel so proud about each accomplished step throughout the process. I had some close "give up" moments in which she gave me the time and space I needed while still quietly nudging me forward.
Testimonials
What Authors say about Stardust Editorial
I knew I had a great idea, and had written a lot over the years, but I’d never written a nonfiction book like this one before and really needed an editor. After [our] initial consultation, I knew Christine was the right editor for me and the book. I think my book was clearer to her than it was even to me! One of her main suggestions was such a good idea that it essentially helped me crystallize the broader concept of the book into a much more concise and solid idea. The book just came together after that.
"My book is infinitely better than it would've been without Christine’s editing expertise."
What Authors say about Stardust Editorial
Matthew Tolzmann | Birds and Plants of the World (working title)
Testimonials
"Christine is sharp, professional, and a great collaborator. "
What Authors say about Stardust Editorial
Amy Fiend Reeves (a.k.a. JobCoachAmy) | College to Career, Explained: Tools, Skills, and Confidence for Your Job Search
It was a professional experience- having my work treated seriously as a commercial endeavor and having it reviewed with a critical eye from both a content and structure perspective was highly rewarding. It was highly collaborative, and I really enjoyed that because I had worked alone on the book to get it to that point. Having it taken seriously by another human was a big step! She has great insight into what readers want, and how content can be structured to flow so that your content is highly readable and engaging.
Testimonials
Christine reviewed my manuscript for proper structure and grammar, and assessed whether or not my writing flowed, that all my stories would have meaning for the audience I had in mind, and, really, whether I wrote a good story overall. My stories did not always have the details or aspects they needed. Christine coaxed and pulled the stories out of me. She pushed me to write better. She provided strong encouragement to do that work, as well as suggestions for changes to make in the manuscript.
"These changes allowed me to take the manuscript from mediocre to marvelous."
What Authors say about Stardust Editorial
Bonita Richter | Women Who Make: Inspiring Stories of Women Who Found Fulfilling STEM Careers in Manufacturing Making Things with Meaning
Testimonials
I was impressed with Christine’s qualifications, I appreciated her curiosity about my subject matter, and her insights and comments were very productive. It’s easy for writers to get so caught up in what they want to convey that they have a hard time hearing it any other way. That’s what good editors are there for: to be the objective eyes and ears. Christine was very pleasant to work with, accessible, understanding of my work constraints, and clear about her expectations and feedback. Thanks again, Christine! You killed it.
"I felt I would have a partner who would be nice but straight with me."
What Authors say about Stardust Editorial
Kathy C. Boufford, Esq. | Divorce Matters: What You Really Need to Know When It's Time to Get a Divorce
Testimonials
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but I do not recommend it. Developmental editing is the step that focuses on content, structure, and context, as well as clarity, pacing, and flow—the key components of an engaging book. Skipping this step is like stepping out of your house with your nice shirt on inside out or with your skirt on backwards. In other words, without it, your book will likely not be received in the best light, no matter how good your grammar and punctuation may be.
Our time together is a safe space to push your creativity and writing past the bounds of what you may have thought possible. It’s a place to experiment. To make mistakes. To learn. To grow.
Here’s what some of my past authors say about their developmental editing experience:
"She has a way of making the writer feel so proud about each accomplished step throughout the process. I had some close "give up" moments in which she gave me the time and space I needed while still quietly nudging me forward."
Lindsay Luker | the mudras book: yoga hand poses and essential oils
"My stories did not always have the details or aspects they needed. Christine coaxed and pulled the stories out of me. She pushed me to write better. She provided strong encouragement to do that work, as well as suggestions for changes to make in the manuscript."
Bonita Richter | Women Who Make: Inspiring Stories of Women Who Found Fulfilling STEM Careers in Manufacturing Making Things with Meaning
I do not help you with the publishing process, though I am happy to recommend you to others who can help you with the next steps in the publishing process after you have completed your developmental edit.
Well, only you can make that decision for yourself. But here's what some of my clients say about their experience working with me:
"I knew Christine was the right editor for me and the book. I think my book was clearer to her than it was even to me! One of her main suggestions was such a good idea that it essentially helped me crystallize the broader concept of the book into a much more concise and solid idea."
Matthew Tolzmann | Birds and Plants of the World (working title)
Christine’s enthusiasm and expertise in the art of editing brought depth and reinvigoration to my book revision project. She asked deep and rich questions about my work that helped me flesh out points and ideas for greater clarity and strength. Her keen eye, inquisitive curiosity, and skillful dialogue were able to bridge gaps, enhance flow, and polish elements of my work I would certainly have missed.
Matthew “Mateo” Magee I Peruvian Shamanism: The Pachakuti Mesa
(revised edition)
It depends. Each book is different and each writer has their own unique challenges to address. You can expect to spend at least a couple of months in this stage of the process, possibly longer, before moving on to work with a copy editor and proofreader—the editors whose work focuses on grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
No, I do not currently offer copy editing or proofreading services. I always recommend having a different editor, or two!, for these last stages of editing because I become too close to the book. Fresh eyes will always be your best bet. I’m happy to recommend people from my network to help you find a great copy editor and proofreader for your book once you complete the developmental editing stage.
