The Copyedit and Proofread
Sentence-level clarity, correctness, and polish – while preserving your unique voice and historically authentic language.
Copyediting and proofreading are the final stages of editorial work, focused on how your story is presented on the page. This is where spelling, punctuation, grammar, and consistency are brought into alignment with professional standards so readers can stay immersed in the story instead of being distracted by technical slips.
I approach this work as a careful, intelligent collaboration with your prose. My goal is not to impose rigidity or stylistic sameness, but to help you say exactly what you meant to say – clearly, consistently, and with confidence.
I’m attentive, thorough, and detail-oriented, but not pedantic. Language is flexible and alive, and I treat it that way. Dialogue remains natural. Stylistic choices are respected. Nothing is ‘corrected’ just because it deviates from a rule if it’s serving the voice or the moment.
Copyediting vs. proofreading: what’s the difference?
These services exist on the same spectrum, but they’re suited to different stages.
Most professionally produced books go through both copyediting and proofreading.
Copyediting…
… is a comprehensive sentence-level review. It’s appropriate when your story is settled, but the prose still needs technical refinement: clarity, consistency, grammar, punctuation, and sentence-level flow.
Proofreading…
… is a lighter, final quality-control check after copyediting. It’s designed to catch lingering errors in a manuscript that has already been thoroughly edited on the story and sentence levels.
If you’re unsure which level your manuscript needs, I’m happy to advise after having a look at an excerpt of your text.
These services are a good fit if:
You have a finished manuscript that has already been through story-level editing.
You’re happy with your story and overall prose, and want to improve correctness and consistency at the sentence level.
You’ve self-edited and now want a professional eye on the technical details.
You want clean, readable prose that respects your voice and intention.
These services are not the right fit if:
You’re still working through structural or big-picture story issues.
You want in-depth feedback on writing craft or style development.
You’re in the early stages of drafting or shaping the narrative.
You need major rewriting rather than refinement.
If your manuscript still needs story-level work, the Story Structure Rescue or the Developmental Assessment will serve you far better.
What’s included…
… in a copyedit?
• Your choice of English (UK, US, Canadian, Australian, etc.).
• One or more preliminary tidying-up passes to resolve formatting and consistency issues.
• Careful sentence-level checks for spelling, punctuation, grammar, and syntax.
• Edits for clarity and readability where phrasing obscures meaning.
• Respect for authorial voice, tone, and stylistic intention (including flexible treatment of dialogue).
• Consistent treatment of numbers, hyphenation, capitalisation, and recurring terms.
• Chapter and section formatting checks.
• Conscious language review for unintended or potentially harmful phrasing.
• A personalised style sheet documenting editorial decisions
• Use of professional editing software for final verification.
• An annotated manuscript using Microsoft Word’s Tracked Changes and a clean copy with my edits in place.
• An optional introductory call (email is also fine if you prefer).
… in a proofread?
• Your choice of English (UK, US, Canadian, Australian, etc.).
• A brief tidying-up pass to address obvious formatting issues.
• Surface-level checks for spelling, punctuation, grammar, and typographical errors.
• Consistency checks for names, terms, and formatting.
• Chapter and section formatting checks.
• Conscious language review for unintended or potentially harmful phrasing.
• Use of professional editing software for final verification.
• An annotated manuscript using Microsoft Word’s Tracked Changes and a clean copy with my edits in place.
• A personalised style sheet documenting final editorial decisions.
Why work with an ancient-world fiction specialist?
Ancient-world fiction has technical demands that general copyediting doesn’t always catch.
A specialist copyeditor and proofreader understands that clarity, accuracy, and consistency in this genre are sometimes bound up with history, terminology, and reader expectations. Working with someone who regularly edits ancient-world fiction means:
Historically informed language choices. I can flag modern phrasing, metaphors, or idioms that subtly break immersion, while preserving readability for contemporary readers.
Consistency in names, titles, places, and timelines. Ancient settings often involve unfamiliar or similar-sounding terms; specialist attention helps prevent contradictions and confusion that general proofing can miss.
Respect for genre conventions. I edit with an understanding of what readers in your subgenre expect – and what they’ll happily tolerate – rather than imposing standards drawn from other genres.
Fewer false alarms. A non-specialist editor may query or “correct” things that are actually appropriate to the period or tradition you’re working within. Specialist editing reduces unnecessary disruption to your prose.
Immersion-first precision. The goal isn’t sterile correctness, but a reading experience where nothing technical pulls the reader out of the world you’ve built.
In short, your manuscript gets the same technical rigour, with fewer misunderstandings and with its historical texture intact.
Copyediting
GBP £0.016 per word
For example, a copyedit for an 80,000-word manuscript would cost £1,280.
The minimum fee is £300, even if your word count calculates to a lower price.
Turnaround time is typically 4 weeks, depending on the manuscript’s length and complexity and my availability.
Proofreading
GBP £.0088 per word
For example, a proofread 80,000-word manuscript would cost £704.
The minimum fee is £300, even if your word count calculates to a lower price.
Turnaround time is typically 3 weeks, depending on manuscript length, complexity, and availability.
Deposit
A non-refundabThe minimum fee is £300, even if your word count calculates to a lower price.le deposit of £300 is due at booking. The remaining balance will be due the day before the end begins.
A note on scheduling
I book copyediting and proofreading projects in advance and work on a limited number of manuscripts at a time to maintain quality. If you have a deadline in mind, I recommend getting in touch as early as possible so we can see whether your timeline is a good fit.
Pricing, turnaround times, and scheduling
What happens next
Here’s how the booking process for copyediting and proofreading works.
I.
Send an enquiry via the button below.
You’ll start by filling out a short form to help me learn a bit about you and your manuscript.
II.
Schedule an optional call or arrange the edit via email.
I’ll be in touch to (1) request a short excerpt of your manuscript to make sure you’ve requested the appropriate service and (2) book your short consultation or arrange the edit with you over email. We’ll confirm pricing, discuss the edit timeline, and cover any questions you have about the process.
III.
Book and submit.
I’ll send you:
a booking form
a payment link for the £300 deposit (due immediately) and remaining balance (due the day before the edit start date).
and instructions for submitting your manuscript
Manuscripts can be submitted as a Microsoft Word or PDF file or via Google Drive. Other formats may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
IV.
Receive your edited manuscript!
Once I’ve received your booking form, payment, and manuscript, I begin work on your edit according to the agreed timeline. You’ll receive a clean copy with my edits in place, a marked copy (using Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature), and a style sheet.
Questions?
If you have questions, specific requirements, or aren’t sure which level of editing is right for your manuscript, feel free to reach out. I’m happy to help you choose the service that will best serve your book at this stage.
Simply fill in the enquiry form below and let me know you’d like help deciding.
Send an enquiry
If you’re interested in working with me, complete the form with a few details about your project. I’ll review your enquiry and get back to you within 48 hours.