Editing

"Style is a tool, not a possession." -- Laurie Laliberte

"The road to hell is paved with adverbs." -- Stephen King

Why friends and clients call me the Edinatrix:

Keep in mind that my job is not to praise the author; it is to help the author turn out the best work I can get from him. That said, I am harsh at times. Next to you, I will be your harshest critic.

If you choose to work with me, you may think I hate your work, but by the time we are done, you will consider me your biggest fan. Be prepared to work for it. And be prepared for an ass kicking. You will finish this process with a manuscript you are confident to show the rest of the world.

Put on your big boy pants and let's go.

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email: kindleallstars@gmail.com

twitter: @LaliberteLaurie

My "office hours" are 9-6 US Central time.

Days off are usually Thursday and Sunday, but are subject to change.

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Pricing:

A la carte services are priced on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Laurie Laliberte at KindleAllStars@gmail.com for further details, but read the remainder of this section before you do.

Simple proofreading is available at the rate of $6.00 per 1,000 words.

Telephone consultation/development help is available at $30.00 per hour.
An additional 3% is added to all services to cover online banking fees.

Generally, before I give any sort of fee quote for editing, I ask that the manuscript be finished. I don't "pencil in" clients whose work isn't complete because I've been burned several times. I'll want a completed word count, or reasonable estimate, the first few chapters as a sample (or, if you prefer, the entire MS), and your timetable. When would you like to have this project done and ready to publish? Length, quality of existing work, and timeframe all factor into a real estimate.

Once we start, my first look at the manuscript will be a story, or comprehensive, edit. I'll be looking for plot holes, consistency in your timeline, and character and story development. Think of it as a carpenter with 110 grit sandpaper. We're just taking off the rough edges and making sure the boat holds water.

My second edit is a line edit, also known as a copy edit. This is when we go through for grammar, punctuation, syntax, etc. That's when the carpenter pulls out the 220 and makes the project smooth and seamless.

Finally, and only if necessary, we go through a quick proofread, often with use of proofreading software, to catch anything that might have gotten missed through the rest of the process. Sometimes I do this myself; sometimes I use an outside source for it. That will depend on my workload at the time that I receive the MS back from you. This part of the process is at an additional charge based on the length of your manuscript.

If you would like me to, I will also help you with basic formatting and/or have my formatter completely prepare your manuscript for Kindle and other outlets. Again, that would be an additional fee.

I also understand every person's situation is different. While I generally invoice clients for the full amount, via PayPal, once the first pass is finished, there are exceptions to that rule. Communication is the key here and we will work it out when we decide to work together on your manuscript.

Editorial Freelancers Association - Editorial Rates

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My Process:

I simply pass a .doc or .docx (Word) back and forth with the author. I use the tracking feature for any changes I make. Turnaround time depends on the size of the piece, but I get each step done as quickly as possible since indie authors have the ability to publish within hours of completing their work.

I am also quite experienced at working in Google docs, but it takes me a bit longer as the process requires more steps than working in Word. The advantage to Gdocs is that I can be in the form with the author chatting and working at the same time. It's basically a virtual office. The drawback is that conversion to Word for publishing can sometimes be more labor intensive from Gdocs.

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What I need from you:

1. Your first couple of chapters so I can get a feel for your work. Make sure those chapters are from the manuscript you are looking to have me edit. (You would think that goes without saying, but you'd be incorrect.)

2. A timeline. I need to know what your expectations are so I can plan accordingly. (Most important: begin date and target date for publishing.)

3. Your word count so I can give you an accurate estimate on cost.

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Also, the one thing I ask of every author is a simple recognition somewhere in the book mentioning me as editor. My authors generally add that to their acknowledgments or their copyright page. Something to the effect of "This book was edited by Laurie Laliberte."

Some authors choose to put my name right next to theirs when listing on Amazon, but that's the writer's decision to make.

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A quick note regarding grammar and spelling:

I have worked extensively with one author in particular who happens to be British. My preferred recreational reading is paranormal/horror and pre-twentieth century European literature.

I am well versed in working with the Queen's English in addition to American English.

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Reviews from Readers:

"Forgive me while I take a second to admire the editing. While this book seems to be self-published, the professional-level editing is a pleasant plus. That's a rare find these days and poor or nonexistent editing in any book is one of my pet peeves. It's so nice when the professionalism of the contents match the cover!"

-- ML Adams' Cyber Dawn

"The pacing was superb and if there were any mistakes grammar or punctuation wise, I didn't notice them."

-- ML Adams' Cyber Dawn

"The bloody north is a very quick read and has been edited and proofread properly, which is rare in kindle books. The story moves at a good clip and is a nice mix of swords and magic. A good read for anyone."
-- Tony Healey's The Bloody North

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Recommendations:

"Laurie edited my story after two beta readers had given feedback. Not only did she make suggestions that further tightened up the tale, but she found a couple of pretty obvious editing mistakes that slipped past myself and the betas. She told me straight when things weren't working and commended me when they did. If you combine that with catching glaring mistakes three other literate adults missed, you call it excellent editing. When it comes to editing services, I say give me Laliberte or give me death."

-- Joshua Unruh, author of Downfall and the TEEN Agents series

“Laurie is very good at many aspects of her job. She homed in right away on issues that plagued my writing and marred the experience for the reader. She is tough as nails when it comes to whipping a writer [into] shape, but a big softie after you come out the other side with a piece of quality work. And you will. I have hired Laurie twice to punch up some of my work, and both times I came away satisfied and with a more polished representation of my work. She's harsh, but she teaches you the fundamentals by beating them in to you. She does it because she cares. No matter how much we spar, it always ends with a hug and a tear. I love her to death.”

-- David Hulegaard, author of Noble, The Jumper, and Noble: Bloodlines

“If you're a writer, Laurie Laliberte is your best friend. She's an editing deity. A wordstress. 

She's also a workaholic. She never stops.

During my time with Kindle All-Stars, Laurie was the driving force. She was down in the mud with the troops. She pushed us forward. As much as Bernard Schaffer inspired us, Laurie gave us direction. And not just when it came to manuscripts.

Laurie doesn't just care about the product. She cares about the writer, too.

I'm honored to have worked with her. And I'm honored to keep working with her.”

-- William Vitka, author of Infected, Emergence, and Stranded

"Laurie is a rock star. Period."

"I see the quote of mine Laurie used above and my only concern is that it was too brief to fully explain the amazing awesomeness that is the editorial machine known as Laliberte.

Over the past year, Laurie has exclusively edited my work.

She is my go-to guy. My number one receiver. My confidant. My trusted adviser. My teacher, my partner, and if I were aboard a sinking submarine and had one phone call left to make to the single person on the planet I know would be resourceful enough and possess the necessary ass-kicking skills to get me out of there, it would be to her.

You follow me yet?

If you are an author and considering publishing your work without retaining the services of an editor, you are entering the lion's den without a whip or a chair, buddy.

If you are hiring an editor and it isn't Laurie Laliberte, in the comfortable vernacular of my day-job: Sucka, you stupid."

(Now I'm just showing off.) "Finished your edits. Once again, I’m not worthy of how good of an editor you are. Thank you again and again."

-- Bernard Schaffer, author of numerous bestsellers including Superbia and The Girl from Tenerife

"They catch all the stuff you miss. All the little grammar things you probably don’t even think about when you’re composing your latest masterpiece. They tighten your writing, rein it in, ensure it’s clear and easy to read. A good editor doesn’t just stick to a style sheet, but bends according to each author’s voice. To the needs of the project, taken on its own terms.

A good editor is there to give you advice, to offer an encouraging word, to bite your head off when you keep making the same mistake over and over and over again. They give you their best because it’s their name going on the book, too. They’re helping you shape it into something that will hold a reader’s attention. They have your best interests at heart even if it seems like they’re getting on your case from time to time.

A good editor – no, a really good editor – like the lady I use, Laurie Laliberte, is all of the above and more. And that’s when she’s telling me: “Each time you abuse a semi-colon a kitten dies.”

Because it’s all about the work. None of it’s personal.

“Man up, put on your big boy pants, and fucking own your writing or I’m increasing your rates!” she said to me one day.

Well, the rates have stayed the same. And I’ve sold thousands of books. So I guess that’s a really good editor for you."

-- Tony Healey, author of the outrageously popular Far From Home series

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Further Reading:

How To Find an Editor

Are You Done Yet?-OR-Why I Don't Read Queries

Five Ways to Get Your Editor to Kill You

Editors Hate Everything. Yes They Do.

I Fired a Client Today

Local Flavor or Culture Shock?

To Beta or Not to Beta . . .

Ask a Writer Blog Series: Editors
Divas Recommend: "Attention Writer: Listen to Your Editor"
What I Learned about Writing This Week . . . from Getting Edited
Build a Relationship with Your Editor
When to Say No to Your Editor
Top Ten Writing Mistakes Editors See Every Day

KDP Formatting Recommendations

Find books I've edited and books I've written here