Editing Services
Do you really need an editor?
Someone said to me recently, “My family and friends love my book. I don’t want to change a thing.” Have you ever asked a spouse or a friend, “Does this look good on me?” Chances are that they did not reply, “If the sleeves were a bit longer, the hem a bit shorter and the colour a bit brighter, it would look even better.”
Editors do not change a book.
But they can provide valuable insight and suggestions to make the work better in its clarity, its grammar and its style. Editors serve the author — and the reader.
Editors are not critics.
At Note, we are readers as well as editors. We work with the text, and the author, to ensure that the writer’s message is clear, organized, and concise. Content that flows, is grammatically correct and is written in the writer’s own voice and words will reach its audience and achieve the impact on a reader that every writer seeks.
Working with Marnie to edit my first book was a wonderful experience. Marnie is highly responsive and supportive. She really understood the tone and message of my book and her comments were both helpful and appropriate. She also provided lots of added value regarding the process of publishing a book, which for a first time author, was highly useful and greatly appreciated. Marnie is both incredibly skilled and extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend working with Note Editorial.
I had the opportunity to work with Marnie Ferguson on my book Total Liberation and Freedom. As editor and proofreader, Marnie was helpful and supportive, prompt in her responses to any questions that arose and she always showed outstanding professionalism. She really takes pride in her work and I would recommend her to anyone looking for assistance in publishing their book.
What type of editing do I want?
Substantive editing is all about the “big picture.” We look at the work as a whole, and ensure that it is
- organized
- readable
- impactful
- suitable for the intended audience
- consistent in voice
Copy editing is checking the work line-by-line for errors and inconsistencies in
- grammar, spelling, punctuation, flow,
- style and the flow of the text
- treatment of special elements such as charts, graphs, and photographs
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final step in preparing content for publication. After material has been edited, the manuscript or article is formatted — designed and typeset. This format is referred to as a “proof.” This is the stage when we check for any misprints and errors before we hit “publish.”
“Marnie Ferguson read my work after the first draft was completed and offered suggestions for plot and character improvements as well as pointing out grammatical errors made on a consistent basis. She was careful to couch any criticisms with a great deal of praise to soothe the worried ego of a new writer, and encouraged me to not give up.
Marnie’s many years of experience in the industry provides her with the skills to give great advice on how to present and garnish attention for any work in an increasingly competitive industry. She helped me with a cover letter, synopsis, and summary. No matter how good the novel, if your cover letter gets thrown in the trash, your masterpiece will never see the light of day.
Marnie offers great advice and editorial services in an encouraging manner that makes working with her a delight. “