Manuscript Editing Services

“The line editor is supposed to be a book’s ideal reader, the one who asks all the questions and heads off all the problems in a book so that it satisfying—rather than maddening, confusing, or just too dull to finish—to other readers.“

– George Witte, “This Just Needs a Little Work: On Line Editing” in What Editors Do

In short, that’s what I do: I advocate for both your reader and for the story you want to tell, pointing out opportunities to strengthen and clarify your manuscript—and everything you write. My suggestions, explanations, and advice provide ideas and tools you can apply to your future work.

On this page, I’ll talk about the editing services I offer and my qualifications in more detail. You’ll also read testimonials from my clients. The best way to see how well we’ll work together, though, is to fill out this Google Form to receive a free sample edit on up to 1,000 words of your manuscript.

“Working with Therese was one of the best things I did to launch my writing career. She is more than just an editor; she has also been my writing coach and cheerleader.
I put writing on the back burner for thirty years to teach high school. Therese never made me feel my rustiness. She lovingly edited every single sentence—tweaking words, making suggestions, and even providing a mini-lesson when needed. It was exciting to watch the daily improvements in my writing as we worked together. She offered numerous resources that I use with my students and share with other authors. She edited my debut novel, StumpStrong, and was instrumental in putting together a query package for my Miranda Albright Mystery series. Her suggestions helped me land a traditional contract with my dream publishing house, where I hope to have a long career. I wholeheartedly recommend Therese.”

– Nicki Pascarella

About Me

As a published writer, I learned to edit by being edited: through workshopping with other writers and incorporating feedback from the editors who published me. Then I learned a whole lot more when I earned my Copyediting License from the University of San Diego extension program.

That’s how I want the editing experience to be for my clients: educational.

“The [developmental] memo alone is like a writing seminar targeted at my particular story. Therese Arkenberg’s insights and editing skills were nothing short of remarkable. She seemed to know my characters better than I did.  I was most fortunate to have found her.“

– T. Hahm

My clients include indie writers, first-time novelists seeking agent representation, memoirists and activists, two sisters publishing their late mother’s book, a romance author going strong with 10+ novels, and multiple finalists in international short story competitions.

“Thanks for the suggestions and edits! You were the best of the freelancers I hired. You went far more into detail and even explained why you were suggesting this or that. I loved it. That’s exactly what anybody would ask for when asking for help. I hope you keep that up! Helps a ton!“

– Diego Saavedra

Services

“You know what it’s like to come back to a hotel room in the afternoon and find that housekeeping has been there and everything is all fresh and put to rights? That’s how a copy editor would like you to feel when you see the editing. If you can view extra-duty editing as a mint on the pillow, all the better. What we don’t want is for you to feel insulted by the need for cleaning.”
– Carol Fisher Saler, The Subversive Copy Editor

Line-By-Line Editing: This has become my specialty. I help you evaluate the words on the page to make sure you communicate clearly and powerfully with your readers.

This includes making grammar corrections, ensuring consistency, and avoiding repetition, but my feedback goes far beyond removing mistakes. I’ll help you strengthen your voice and meet your specific goals for the manuscript. Is it funny? Suspenseful? Tragic? Escapist? Together we’ll make it even more so.

Let’s make this the book you want it to be.

“Working with Therese has been one of the highlights of the year. She is a gem! It takes a special kind of editor to handle a literary novel like mine, in that there’s as much going on below the page surface as on the page. Therese impressed me, not only with her meticulousness, her sharp mind, and her efficiency, but above all, she understood every single unspoken element I was attempting to convey and enhanced its execution. In addition to that, her fees are very reasonable, and she works fast. I couldn’t be happier with my editor!“

–Anette N

Throughout the process, I offer tips to develop your writing and self-editing talents even further.

“Therese copy edited my novel and did a great job. She offered many helpful suggestions and continues to respond to questions in a timely manner. I highly recommend Therese Arkenberg if you need fast and accurate editing.“
-Michael E. Kmiotek

I work in partnership with writers. My edits are suggestions, made using Microsoft Word’s comments and Tracked Changes features. We can also use Google Docs or other file formats⁠—just ask.

Authors decide if they want to accept my proposed change exactly, to reject it, or to revise the text in a different way.

Jeff Jorczak (writing as Cody Leet) says: “Therese was one of the beta readers for my new novel Spheria. The depth of her analysis and feedback were invaluable. She caught some very subtle continuity issues that I had not even thought of. Her love of sci-fi and technology also helped me in particular since this book was heavy on science. Last, the detail of her notes was amazing, nearly a paragraph by paragraph analysis of what worked and what didn’t. I already asked her if we could working together again on my future projects. (and if you use her as a result of this recommendation, I get first dibs!)“

A free sample edit shows how my line-by-line feedback style applies to your manuscript.

Developmental Editing: This service offers a broader and more basic evaluation of plot development, character arcs, and overall style. Developmental edits come before any line-by-line editing: they ensure the story is in good structural shape before we go in and polish each word of it. I provide developmental feedback in the form of a 3+ page Developmental Memo summarizing key points of advice. I may also offer some line-by-line feedback in the manuscript to provide examples or point out details.

If you have specific concerns about your manuscript or questions for me to answer as your first reader and editor, please share them: I love to customize this service to each writer’s needs.

Alex F. says:  “I can’t say enough about the timely and thorough manuscript evaluation I received from Therese.  Her detail-oriented critique not only provided me with invaluable suggestions with regards to the overall structure of my story but, just as important, also touched upon how to fine-tune the subtle aspects of my novel to create a more superior read.  I look forward to utilizing her skill set again during the editing phase.“

It isn’t as easy to offer a free sample of a developmental edit as it is for line-by-line editing, but if you’re interested in developmental editing, mention that when you fill out the free sample form, and I’ll adjust my approach to look at much as possible at large-scale aspects of the story.

Market Research, Queries, and POD Formatting: Alongside polishing the manuscript to the next level, I can also help you pursue your plans for publication, whether that includes:

• Preparing your query letter and synopsis.
• Finding publishers, literary agents, journals, and/or contests to submit your manuscript to.
• Formatting books for print-on-demand paperback and hardcover publication through Amazon, Lulu, or Lightning Source (doing this the right way can earn you more royalties!) and/or for ebook publication through Kindle, Smashwords, and other distributors.

“Thank you so much for your editorial comments and assistance with my book proposal. I got a publisher that is a wonderful partner in the genre of my current manuscript. Your knowledge of the particulars of use of words is exceptional and your comments are always insightful. Your timely input helped me feel joined in what could have been a daunting process.”

– Lisa

Meeting Therese was a God-send. She has prompted, helped and encouraged our efforts to get Mom’s story out of our boxes and hands….Without Therese’s editing help and direction on how to submit work for publication, this story, Shadow, the True Story of a Sandhill Crane, would still be a hidden manuscript in a box in one of our basements or attics… Therese helped us decide what our market audience would be. What age group was this book going to reach? Where there environmental groups that would be interested in marketing such a book? What publishers should we submit the draft to? What would a contract look like with a publisher? What time lines do they use?

Therese gently and logically took us through all the steps we needed to think about when trying to find and publish Mom’s book…Our Mom’s book has been accepted for publication and both my sister and I know this would not have been possible without Therese’s expert help.”

– Sue Wood and Alice Lundstrom

Rate Sheet

The #1 bottleneck I face in my work is scheduling edits⁠—fitting in all of the clients who want to work with me and delivering each manuscript in time to meet any publishing deadlines they face. By pricing based on schedule, I hope to ease that bottleneck.

I handle payments through check, PayPal, or Zelle (for smaller amounts). A deposit is paid when the manuscript is sent to me, and the balance after I deliver edits. Payments may be made in installments for your convenience.

With a Pre-Edit, I offer some standardized feedback based on a few pages of your manuscript and the advice I most often provide editing clients. For instance, I’ll highlight commonly problematic words and check your dialogue punctuation. Based on this feedback, you’ll go through your manuscript and revise it. Then you’ll deliver a stronger draft to me for a swifter and easier edit.

I came up with the idea for this service when I found myself frequently making the same suggestions over and over (while billing my hours). It’s not only a matter of saving money–doing a guided self-edit helps you to strengthen your own voice by making decisions and hands-on changes.

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I am available to hire on Fiverr and Upwork, but if you’ve found your way to this website, it will be more efficient to hire me directly (Fiverr and Upwork take fees and surcharges).

My Clients Say:

[H]ands down one of the top people operating on Fiverr, and you owe it to yourself to hire her.

– Douglas Esper

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Alero Dabor says: “I do not think I would have completed my memoirs without Thesere.

From the moment I started working with Therese, she has offered invaluable suggestions that empowered my story. Her understanding of what I was striving to achieve is truly commendable.

Therese is an exceptional editor. I will recommend Therese to anyone I know who is looking for an editor.”

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Cynthia “Cyn” Duby says:  “I was very leery of hiring an editor and now I don’t know what to do without one!  And, there will never be another editor for me than Therese.  She is extremely thorough, makes excellent suggestions, and has tightened up my novel, improved the way the story arcs, and has given me, not only global suggestions, but also incredible line by line edits.  My writing has vastly improved and my confidence has grown immensely.  She not only is a very talented writer and editor, but she also knows the business and, knowing that I seek publishing, has that in her mind when editing and when we correspond.  My manuscripts will never leave home without her expert eye catching my errors, my repeated phrasing, and cutting the unnecessary words and confusing phrasing.  If you want your manuscript the best it can be to send to agents or publishers, use Therese.  However, if you want a pat on the back telling you how “nice” it is, don’t.  Be prepared for corrections, be prepared to hear that there are changes, and then smile knowing every change, every edit is making your work the very best it can be.”

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Zahara Heckscher says:  “Therese is a talented writer and editor. I highly recommend her for manuscript review. She provided essential big picture suggestions for my novel with excellent ideas for conflict and character development as well as a close read with page by page comments to improve the draft. She made excellent and specific suggestions that improved my novel—and helped me strengthen my craft as a writer.”

Thank you for reading all the way to the end! You must be very interested in my services, so why not fill out this form to receive a free sample edit?