Aimée Hill – Fantasy Editor
On your team to craft stories and sentences.
It goes without saying that you are looking for high-quality editing services for your fantasy manuscript. But deeper than that, you are looking for a collaborative relationship with a book editor where your voice feels heard and where you are encouraged to consider all input and be involved in each step.
Do you need book editing?
A bit about me.
The mystical force behind tracked changes.
I work with authors like you to strengthen the shape and voice of stories. You've spent long hours crafting your manuscript. Let me join your team to sharpen it. Are you an overwriter or an underwriter? Perhaps you're so close to your words that the 351 instances of the phrase "and then" has slipped your attention and you need an editor to reframe things. That's okay, your trusty freelancer editor has your back.
I'm here to be your fresh pair of eyes.
When I'm not poring over your words, I can be found in my sewing room or tangled up in lengths of yarn. My dream is to own a field with some sheep and chickens.
Want to work together? Get in touch today.
What is AJ Editorial Services?
AJ Editorial Services is me! I'm a book editor passionate about fantasy and excited to help you see the absolute best in your manuscript. I want to make revisions a delightful and smooth experience for fantasy and science fiction authors. Writing and editing should be as joyful as each other!
Revisions you can cope with
Track changes and clearly explained edits will make the process of editing a motivating and positive experience.
Accessible editing
Editing a book is a personal experience. That's why I adjust the way I give edits and revisions to suit the needs of each author and each manuscript.
Positive critique
Critique doesn't have to be soul destroying. My feedback gives you the tools you need to make corrections and develop your stylistic voice.
What editorial services do you need?
With three core editorial services and four bundled services to choose from, your manuscript will get all the care it needs. Leap straight into the level of editing you need here or scroll for services specific to you fantasy novels and short stories. I can support you through a big rewrite or some late stage tidying.
This bundle is for you if you're a career self-publisher and have a manuscript you want to pull into shape ready for publishing. A developmental edit followed by a copyedit with all the time you need to work through suggestions and ask questions will set you on your way. Your manuscript will get all of the correcting and coaxing it needs.
For when you have a short story written and a magazine submissions deadline looming. Each and every sentence of a short story counts for so much. It is a stylistic edit that will place heavy emphasis on your reader's experience. Workshop each word and dust away the typos with a line edit followed by a copyedit.
Testing the waters with your first book? Or is your dream to just get this one story out there? Or maybe you're a pro at book publishing but need a little guidance. A manuscript report to get feedback on your story as a whole followed by a copyedit might be the cost-effective bundle for you.
Need it all? This will have you set. A developmental edit or manuscript report, followed by a line edit, all topped off by a copy edit. And don't worry, you will have support through all stages of rewriting and revision. There's no need to find an editor for each; it's all here. Your manuscript will shine!
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How much will it cost me?My rates are based on word count and level of complexity. A quick look at a sample of your writing should give me a good idea of the scope. My base rates are as follows: Manuscript assessment: £0.014 per word Developmental editing: £0.028 per word Copy editing £0.017 per word (plus a 10% discount when booked as part of a bundled service.) Please ask if you need these rates in your local currency. I base my rates on the suggested minimum rates set out by the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading.
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How long do I have between the editing stages?If you have chosen a bundled service, there will be a gap between editing levels for you to incorporate edits. This is all dependent on you and your schedules but here is an average for how long my authors usually take. Everybody's revision process looks different. On average, authors I work with take three months to work on their developmental revisions before working with a copyeditor. However, I understand that everyone's schedules are different. We will have a chat about schedules before we get started. This will be your opportunity to shout if you need more or less time. Of course, if you get your edits back from me and have had a change in circumstances, just let me know and I can adjust the schedule. I won't be mad if you get the file back early either!
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Can I book ahead?Absolutely! If you're a big forward planner or like a deadline in the diary to work to, feel free to get booked in with me even months in advance. Keep in mind that I will need a deposit from you to secure the spot. It is a win for both of us! As a freelance editor, being able to see all the exciting projects on my horizon fills me with joy and motivation. If you do book ahead of time and there is a change in your circumstances, do let me know as soon as possible so that I can make space for you later on and fill any gaps in my schedule.
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Do you work with authors outside of the UK?Yes, I do! I am freelance editor to all. Well, to all fantasy and science fiction authors. Get in contact for a quote in your local currency. If you are looking for copyediting, please specify the English that you are writing in. I work in US and British English.
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How long will it take?How long the editing process takes depends on what service or bundle you have chosen. Fiction editing can vary greatly depending on your writing skills and what needs edited. Developmental editing and a manuscript assessment takes one or two months. This is dependent on the length of the manuscript and the level of complexity. Copyediting usually takes one month. Though a longer manuscript will take more time. All this can vary based on how much work the manuscript needs and availability. When you sign your contract we will both be clear on all the details of the scope, including the timeframe. I'm sure you're eager to get through the editing and publishing. Don't you worry, you won't be left twiddling your thumbs wondering when you'll see your work back!
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Can I get a sample edit?For novel length projects, I do offer sample edits. If you send me your full manuscript, I can pick a section at random and give you a taster of how the manuscript report will shape up. I do not offer a sample edit for short stories. Keep in mind that developmental editing concerns the manuscript as a whole. A sample edit on a small section can be limiting in terms of the depth of the advice and analysis I can give. However, it is a useful tool for you to see if you gel with my style of feedback.
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Why do you ask for the full manuscript?I ask for the full manuscript for several reasons. The first chapter of so of many manuscripts tends to be the most polished of an authors work. It doesn't give me a representative example of your writing, or you a representative example of the value I can provide for your writing. Often authors, when asked to send a section at random, will tidy up the section they're about to send or will pick their favourite (and best written) bit. I know I'd want to put my best foot forward! But you're hiring me to help sort out your worst foot. Finally, it gives me the opportunity to skim through the manuscript to get an idea of the content. This will give me a bit more context for the sample edit. One editing job is never the same as the next. The edits I give you will be as unique as your manuscript.
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Do you offer payment plans?Once you have picked me as the editor, you will need to send a deposit to secure your slot in my schedule. This deposit is deducted from the project fee. It is not an extra cost. Usually, I work with authors to create a payment plan that works for both of us. Not everybody has the ability to drop big cash on editing all at once and I respect that! I do my best to make editing as accessible to authors as I can.
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The whole show bundle seems like a lot. Do I need this much editing?It depends on your motivations and goals. But the answer is most likely no. Editing is expensive and I've designed the whole show bundle to be intentionally indulgent. There may be a few writers out there that want to invest, both with finance and with time, deeply in their project. If you just need a copyeditor, don't go for this. If you're a career self-publisher or looking to query agents, take a look at the novel bundle!
The Editorial Process
Editorial services are elusive and seem hard to pin down. I believe that communication is the most important part of editing your book. And that starts with telling you how I edit! You've got to know what your freelance editor is doing in your manuscript. As an editor specialising in science fiction and fantasy, I want to be sure that your manuscript is as free from tangled magic systems as it is grammatical errors. My process thoroughly tracks all the edits I make to your manuscript so you can make an informed decision as to which you accept. I don't just edit copy, I help you craft stories.
A fantasy editor's journey through your book
The developmental edit
When I conduct developmental edits on your fantasy book I'm looking at all the macro components of your writing. This process is often referred to as substantive editing. Largely, I'm ignoring typos at this stage. What I'm interested in is characterisation, plot, story, pace, tension, worldbuilding. All the big juicy elements that make for an excellent fantasy novel! I workshop your book leaving queries in the file (unless you've requested a manuscript assessment) and a detailed report analysing how you've used all the writing theory components and how your writing can be improved. You don't have to revise alone.
The line edit
Line editing is where I hold a magnifying glass up to your sentence craft. Really, this can be seen as a completely tailored course on developing your authorial voice in your manuscript. We will look at which particular words are conveying the exact meaning that you intend, how paragraphs should be ordered and presented, how changing sentence structure will impact your reader's experience of your novel. It is heavy editing, and by the end of it your edited copy will be telling exactly the story you set out to write. Fantasy editors work hard with you to amplify your voice. This level of editing sharpens your writing skills.
The copyedit
Down to the nitty-gritty! Copyediting is the level of editing that hides complexity the best! Maybe you've noticed even looking for a copyeditor that we can't agree on whether it is copyediting, copy editing or copy-editing. Never mind the serial comma or where punctuation should be placed in dialogue! But that's okay, in the careful hands of a professional editor, the appropriate style will be applied to your manuscript. Whether you're expecting English spelling with -ize endings or a manuscript so true to CMOS that it could stand as example text, there is one thing for certain: consistency is key! Copy editing fantasy needs a specialist editor. What is the capitalisation rules for all your original creatures, locations and creations? Should we be tracking potions on the style-sheet? This is where the technical editing happens.
Am I the right fantasy book editor for you?
If you're ready to hire a book editor, get in touch today. Tell me all about your manuscript and what kind of editing you like. This might depend on your publishing goals. Let me know if you're looking to self publish or query in hopes of traditional publishing. Be sure to say if you've got a tight turnaround. And most importantly, I want to hear about your story and what you love most about it! This is more than just content editing. This is refining and celebrating your art.