Editing and Writing Services

A book can be a gift to the world that God has chosen to give (though it may seem ill-advised) through you, the writer.  Thankfully, he does not leave us completely to our own devices in creating it; He invites us to collaborate with him in the journey. And sometimes he brings others along to collaborate with us in the process.

I am thrilled to get to help other writers bring their writing projects to life. From the spark of an idea to finished product, the process of crafting a message that can encourage or inspire others is a privilege and an art form. It can be difficult, sometimes overwhelming, but also marked by moments of joy and gratitude. There are few things like the feeling of launching that "baby" into the world, and knowing that you did what you could to be faithful in nurturing it.

When I work with writers--whether editing, writing, or coaching--my approach is to first make room for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It's what I've done in all my writing over the last 20 years, through publishing three books and dozens of articles and essays. Writing, for me, is a sacred responsibility. That doesn't mean its not fun, or that I always feel inspired. But it does mean that I want the end result to be as verbally and structurally excellent, clear, authentic, and impactful as it can be. I hope the work I do in this way will be helpful, that God's presence may be felt in it, and that it might even stand the test of time.

And that's how I'll approach working with you. I want to help you faithfully fulfill your God-given calling to write.

My specialty is Non-Fiction editing. The services I can offer you include several forms of coaching and editing:

Developmental Editing

A “Big Picture” edit.

• Improves the structure, content and focus of your book.
• Makes sure the tone is consistent and engaging the target audience.
• Improves organization and relevance (do all the pieces make sense?).
• Usually comes first after the first or rough draft (you don’t want to go to the trouble of formatting and editing for punctuation and grammar on things that might be cut).

Line Editing

A  line by line edit of the manuscript.

• I approach the manuscript as a careful reader.
• Improves the sentence structure for conciseness and clarity.
• Takes into consideration individual style and tone and works to sharpen it as needed.
• Gives attention to word choice, syntax, pacing and flow.

Copy Editing

A more technical edit of the manuscript.

• Doesn’t focus on style or tone, etc.
• Does focus on fact checking and identifying inconsistencies.
• Makes sure whole manuscript it consistent, cohesive, complete.
• And finally, prior to Proofreading, improves grammar, spelling, style, and punctuation (honestly, I farm this part (only this part) to a trusted colleague).

Proofreading

A final read of the manuscript.

• Starts when the manuscript ready to published.
• Is the final step in the editorial process, to catch any inconsistencies or errors.

Ghostwriting

I write the book with your input, notes, and approval. I may be uncredited or credited under your name, as in “ By (Your Name), with (my name)”, depending on what you prefer.

Book Doctoring

I take what you've written and make it better or "fix" it.

• I scrutinize your book's concept and structure and suggest changes where warranted—even radical ones.
• Move material around as needed.
• Rewrite passages or sections as needed.
• If new content is needed, I'll write the new content to match your author voice.
• The entire manuscript is edited for flow, clarity and consistency.
• I'll deliver a solid manuscript ready for your final revision and approval.