Reviews (22)

view reviews

Reviews (22)

Overview

Through the certification program at the University of Washington, taught by seasoned veterans of the industry, I learned the professional editing methods used by traditional publishing houses. As a strong proponent of indie books and bookstores, I apply those same high standards and thorough processes whether working with self-publishing authors or those seeking to publish through the traditional route. In addition to my editing and proofreading services, I can also offer guidance for first-time authors trying to navigate the (sometimes daunting) publishing process.

Since starting my freelance business in 2014, I have provided editing and proofreading services to a variety of individual authors, publishing companies, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and large corporations, including Alaska Airlines, Holland America, Mountaineers Books, becker&mayer!, and Girl Friday Productions. Through Reedsy, I have worked with authors in a wide range of genres--memoirs, YA novels, historical fiction, and other types of fiction and nonfiction.

What type of editing do you need?

Before soliciting the services of any editors, I highly recommend Reedy's blog article "9 Types of Editing," which defines all the various stages of the editing process (https://blog.reedsy.com/types-of-editing/). Knowing which type of editing your manuscript is ready for will help your collaboration to begin much sooner and could potentially save both parties a lot of time.

Here are additional links with definitions and what to expect with each type of editing service that I provide:

Developmental editing: https://reedsy.com/editing/developmental-editing

Copy editing: https://reedsy.com/editing/copy-editing

Proofreading: https://reedsy.com/editing/proofreading

Simply put, you should work with a developmental or substantive editor before submitting your manuscript for copy editing; and likewise, your manuscript should be copy edited (and style sheet created) before you seek a proofreader. I also offer a combo dev-copy edit, which includes a general review of big-picture items such as plot and character development, chapter and scene breaks, and other major issues that should be addressed before proceeding to the line-by-line copy editing. You can let me know if you are interested in a rate quote for the combo dev-copy edit when you submit your request and upload a sample from your manuscript.

What should you send for a writing sample?

Ideally, your writing sample should include something from the beginning, middle, and end sections of your manuscript (MS) to best determine how much time will be needed to complete the project. Please be aware that providing a rate quote for each project takes time (approximately 30 minutes per request--to allow for reading the MS sample, estimating how long it will take, calculating an appropriate flat-rate fee, and responding with thoughtful feedback) and some days or weeks are flooded with requests--so please allow a couple of business days for me to provide an offer to your request.

What will editing services cost?

It’s also a good idea for authors to be aware of what to expect in terms of cost for various editing services. Reedsy provides a handy cost calculator that shows the average rates charged by editors based on book genre, word count, and type of editing (https://blog.reedsy.com/cost-to-self-publish-a-book/). Note that these are only averages, and many factors go into determining rates. Moreover, most freelance editors outside of Reedsy charge by the hour, but the Reedsy platform only allows editors to provide flat-rate fees. So, we do our best to estimate how long each project will take, which can be difficult to assess. Other reputable sources for editing rate charts are provided by organizations such as the Northwest Editors Guild and the Editorial Freelancers Association, which also includes an estimated pace for each type of editing (e.g., using 250 words/page, copy editing = 5 to 10 pages/hour; proofreading = 9 to 13 pages/hour), so you can calculate a range of how much to expect to pay based on the word count of your manuscript.

Additional information to include with your request:

I work with each client as a team--I want your project to succeed as much as you do! In addition to the standard information that Reedsy asks when you submit your inquiry, it can be helpful to provide the following information as well:

*Why did you write this story/book/memoir?
*Have you worked with any other editors on this project? If so, what type of editing did they do? If seeking proofreading, did your copy editor create a style sheet specific to your project? Do you have a preferred style guide and dictionary, or are you okay with using the standard Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster’s online?
*Are you familiar with and comfortable using Word's Track Changes feature?
*What are your publishing goals? Will you be submitting to traditional publishers or self-publishing? If self-publishing, do you plan to have a print version, e-book, or both? Do you plan to go through Amazon exclusively or have it available for all e-book formats? What is your timeline and/or deadline?

Please feel free to provide any other information about your writing experience, publishing goals, or personal background that you think might be beneficial to understanding your story's tone, language, theme, intended audience, or mission.

If you’ve taken the time to read through all of this information, thank you! I look forward to hearing your unique story and providing the editing services that you need to help turn your hard work into a publishable finished product!

~Lynn

P.S. Reedsy has a lot of other great resources for writers on their blog, and I encourage all writers, but especially first-time authors, to check them out. https://blog.reedsy.com/

Services

Developmental Editing

Languages

English (US)

Fiction

Action & Adventure

Historical Fiction

Mystery & Crime

Young Adult

Non-Fiction

Biographies & Memoirs

DIY & Crafts

Nature

Travel

Certifications

University of Washington Editing Certificate

Copy Editor, Proofreader, Fact-Checker

Self-employed

May, 2014 – Present (over 7 years)

As a professional editor, certified from the University of Washington, I have provided editing and proofreading services to a variety of individual authors, publishing companies, nonprofit organizations, small business, and large corporations, including Alaska Airlines, Holland America, Mountaineers Books, becker&mayer!, and Girl Friday Productions.

Although I love any type of editing project, I especially enjoy working with first-time authors to help them navigate the publishing process and see all their hard work turned into a professionally designed finished product.

Evolving into Wholeness: A Journey of Compassion

Waltner, Dianne, Moran, Victoria

Embroidery Designs: Natural Splendor: Everything You Need to Stitch 12 Natural Designs

Kelly Fletcher

Add sophisticated flair to your needlework with the nature patterns of Embroidery Designs: Natural Splendor. This kit includes 12 step-by-step designs, the how-to basics of embroidery, and all the materials you need to create 2 projects. This isn't your grandma's embroidery! Embroidery Designs: Natural Splendor is a modern take on a classic craft—no stuffy, old-fashioned flowers here. This 64-... read more

The Academy: A Short Story

Robert Dugoni

Quitting her job as a high school science teacher to join the Seattle Police Department was an easy decision for Tracy Crosswhite. Years earlier, what should have been one of the happiest days of her life instead became her worst nightmare when her younger sister, Sarah, disappeared. After the murder trial, while her family disintegrated, Tracy turned her heartbreak and her lingering questions... read more

Revenge on the River (A Sister Blandine Mystery Book 1)

Philippe Bouin

On a snowy night on the outskirts of Lyon, France, the son of the Somarec chairman is brutally attacked. The assailant leaves only one clue—a cryptic message: “Najuno, remember.” A reminder of an environmental tragedy Somarec was responsible for twenty years earlier in Chile…When the police get involved, a string of burglaries, more attacks, and vicious murders all lead back to Somarec. Clues ... read more

Crow Hollow

Michael Wallace

In 1676, an unlikely pair—a young Puritan widow and an English spy—journeys across a land where greed and treachery abound.Prudence Cotton has recently lost her husband and is desperate to find her daughter, captured by the Nipmuk tribe during King Philip’s war. She’s convinced her daughter is alive but cannot track her into the wilderness alone. Help arrives in the form of James Bailey, an ag... read more

Pretty Dead (Elise Sandburg Book 3)

Anne Frasier

A serial killer stalks the streets of Savannah...Homicide detective Elise Sandburg and her partner, profiler David Gould, are all too familiar with the terrible costs of chasing evil. Despite their wounded psyches, the detectives delve into the deranged killer’s twisted mind, determined to unravel the clues in the taunts he leaves behind.A city gripped by fear...When his daughter becomes the k... read more

Single Version

Scott Barsotti

CURE, a massive private paramilitary organization, has replaced the police force in all major cities. The general public is fully armed. The population of cockroaches has exploded.In this world lives Palazzo, an entomophobic pacifist (and his cat, Larry). His goal is simple and yet impossible: maintain a shred of sanity as society erodes around him. Human empathy is on the decline. CURE’s infl... read more

Tycoon Takedown (Lone Star Burn Book 2)

Ruth Cardello

Ruth Cardello’s second steamy and sensual book in the Lone Star Burn series may leave you blushing.Melanie Hanna has finally worked up the courage to travel to New York and tell an old flame that he’s the father of her young son. She’s done hiding and apologizing for her one impulsive night. When her best friend asks her brother to watch over Melanie, her emotional trip takes an unexpected and... read more

Words in the Dark (Nora Cooper Mysteries Book 1)

Giulia Beyman

After the sudden loss of her husband, Joe, Nora Cooper makes a startling discovery: shortly before his death, Joe secretly sold their newly purchased dream home on Martha’s Vineyard, where the couple had planned to retire.Nora doesn’t know what to think. As she searches for answers, she is tormented by grief and doubt—until she starts receiving mysterious and inexplicable messages in Scrabble ... read more

Stealing Liberty: A Tragedy In Two Parts: Part One

Jack Augenblick

Hop on a roller-coaster ride of comedy and tragedy and suspense. Follow the lively dips and turns of characters who are as real as your next-door neighbors.

GOD & SPIES: BASED ON A TRUE STORY TOP SECRET OPERATION

G.M. MATHENY, Garry Matheny

GOD & SPIES: Based on a True Story. Author GM Matheny was a US Navy saturation diver on the nuclear submarine USS Halibut. Involved in Operation Ivy Bells. America's most important (and most dangerous of the Cold War) clandestine operations. If you like espionage, diving, adventure, history, true US Navy special ops, and good old fashioned American bravado, you will enjoy this book. GOD & SPIE... read more

Loving Tiara: Memoir

Tiffani Goff

“I have found the quiet. At forty-five years old, my life’s mission was complete. If I died tomorrow, I would be proud of the life I lived.” - Loving TiaraLoving Tiara is a compelling memoir that will encompass your every thought, break your heart, fill you with hope, and leave you with a sense of awe.When Tiffani married the love of her life, Lou, after graduating from college, she assumed sh... read more

Dagney Skully and the Pendulum Bead Strings

Sarena Schumacher

A quirky family fights to protect their home with the power of a loving community--and magical bead strings.The Skully family lives in a cozy little campground hideaway on a beautiful Pacific Northwest island, where there are plenty of odd jobs to keep food on the table, and a host of human friends who don't mind that the Skullys are six-inch-high creatures with faces to match their last name.... read more

Sell Montana

Gilreath, Steve

Hijacked-A Critical Change of Plans: The True Story You've Never Heard

Arthur Krull

"These are poisoned hollow-point bullets. I can shoot you in the elbow and see how fast you die"So spoke Ishmael, armed with a gun and claiming to have a bomb around his waist, to the flight crew of the Delta L-1011 he hijacked on January 26, 1980. In this true story, Second Officer Arthur Krull describes the events that led to the plane landing in Cuba and what happened when Ishmael insisted ... read more

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Environmental Travel Essays for a Changing World

Sharon K Sneddon

Brief description of Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Travel/Environmental Essays for a Changing World Personal experience travel essays that highlight an environmental issue in that place caused by climate change. Some essays also address our relationship with other species that are coping with these changes.

Professionalism

Professionalism

Quality

Quality

Value

Value

Communication & Punctuality

Communication & Punctuality

Lynn is so good at what she does--she caught things in my manuscript I never would have-- and she's very kind. She always responded quickly and answered all of my questions -- which were many, since I've never published a novel before. I really felt like she was on my team and wanting the best for my book. I highly recommend her!

Christine Morse, December 2021

This is a new world to me as a first time author. Lynn treated me kindly and was able to guide me through the process of creative writing. Not an easy task for her.

Lorraine Parrish, October 2021

Outstanding as usual. My go-to developmental editor from now on.

Charles Challis, October 2021

I think the very best use of money for a first-time author is on professional developmental editing. I doubt many finished manuscripts are the result of just one individual. I have come to realise and appreciate that the process - probably like most creative work - is a team effort. My experience of working with Lynn has been truly gratifying. I like her honest, forthright, yet encouraging obs...

Charles Challis, September 2021

This is my first book and hiring a professional through Reedsy. Lynn went over and beyond my expectations. She added her valuable editing insight and expertise to help improve my storyline. I really appreciated how she was able to capture my voice using her words in a very timely manner. I highly recommend her services and will use her in the future.

Carmen Harris, June 2021