Editing Services By K. A. Excell
Been working on a novel of your own? I provide Developmental Editing services at affordable rates. I’ve been there: looking at a project and wondering what I can do to make it better. Please reach out through the contact form for more information.
Nice Things People Say
Weavings
Writer
Kate is highly knowledgeable in her field of work and she delivered a stunning piece that has really helped me improve my work. Her level of detail has been tremendous and I can only highly highly recommend her.
Cassandra
Writer
Kate is absolutely brilliant. The edits I received exceeded my expectations by far. Kate isn't only knowledgeable and gifted, she is what every writer needs, invested. She truly went the extra mile in trying to understand the vision for my book and in helping me incorporate the edits to the best extent possible. It truly feels like an epic collaboration and I look forward to working with Kate again.
Morgan Xalane
Writer
I must say, I feel like I learned so much about my writing in the editorial letter. I have struggled to find a editor that doesn't just barely look over more than the grammatical errors, someone who actually helps me improve my writing. I think I have found her. I would definitely recommend working with her, I have a feeling this will not be my only book I send her way.
Leah Griffeth
Writer
Let's talk about above and beyond the call of duty. Kate went into so much detail to explain her critiques and her editorial letter went into so much depth on the story pacing, characters, and tone. It's been less than 24 hours and I've already used her critiques to help the first two chapters of my book be so much better.
Janice Hylton Johnson
Author
Excellent job well done, great communication and great pointers to help me be a better writer. Hiring again.
How It Works
Contact me through this website for a free sample. I’ll edit up to 3,000 words of the first chapter of your book!
After the free sample, I’ll have a good feel for what the project needs. We’ll discuss timelines, rates, and your vision for the project, then I’ll dive right in.
I’ll deliver an editorial letter plus a manuscript with in-line comments. After you get a second to read and absorb those comments, we’ll do a coaching session via phone, email, or video chat. During this session, we will discuss your project, your questions, and work together to find solutions which fulfill your vision as the author. After that, it’s back to revisions! But don’t worry! I’ll be available to answer any questions which crop up along the revision pathway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Developmental Editing is an in-depth look at story concept, character arcs, and plot. I look for the broad issues which are keeping your book from being at its best - things like major plot points which don't quite line up with your book's theme, or character development which lacks motivation.
Developmental editing does not look at grammar, spelling, or things like that. A good rule of thumb is: if a program like Grammarly can do it, you're probably not looking at Developmental Editing.
Here are some quick questions I ask my clients when they first contact me.
- What is your book's theme?
- How does that theme impact each of your major plot points?
- If you had to describe your book in one sentence, could you?
If your answer to any of these questions is "I don't know." or "Maybe?", then you could definitely use a developmental edit.
Other signs that you might need some developmental help include:
- You've got loose ends you just can't quite tie up in a satisfying way.
- The beginning of the book is exciting, and so is the end! However, the middle is kind of droopy while you figure out how to get your characters from exciting point A to exciting point B.
- The plot is great, but you're having trouble making your characters feel like real people.
- The whole book happens so fast that there's hardly time to breathe!
- You've got a plot hole you just can't figure out how to fix, no matter how many hours you spend pounding away at it.
- You've been getting the same comments from beta readers, and no matter how many times you fix it, they keep telling you the same thing.
- You can't get anyone to finish reading your book.
Ok, I could probably keep adding to that list for an hour, but hopefully you get the point.
Not sure whether your specific project needs help? Go ahead and message me. I'll take a quick look and tell you what I think.
It varies. I charge a flat project rate tailored to the project itself. Before we start talking about dollars, I will always edit a sample chapter so you can see what my editing style is like and I can get a better feel for the project. After that, we will meet to discuss your needs and the needs of your manuscript.