Copyediting,

and               Research Assistance

Proofreading,

for fiction authors who want to keep their         the centre of attention

stories

Keep your
readers in
the world
you 

Nothing pulls you out of your escape from real life faster than finding a mistake in a book. Pause, re-read, wonder how no one caught that before publication… 

Sound familiar? 

As a fiction author, your goal is to write an addictive, gripping narrative for your readers to be engrossed in—not for them to get distracted by silly errors, undetected plot holes, or inaccuracies. Working with a copy editor eliminates that possibility altogether.

created.

not your average
editing experience

From
"meet-cute"
to
“happily ever after,”

you’ll have a well-rounded editing experience that supports more than just your manuscript. 

With me as the supporting role of your story—aka your #1 fan— you’ll feel validated and supported from the Table of Contents to the Acknowledgements.

Not only are you getting a copy editor, proofreader, and researcher, you’re also getting someone who…

You can bounce all of your ideas off of, no matter how wild they may be 

Respects your communication style. (Seriously—if you only want to communicate via emails and texts, we can do that!)

Understands and respects your voice, and makes sure it’s never compromised

Can answer all your grammar questions—sans judgement—like “what’s the difference between an em dash and an en dash?” or “do I really need the Oxford comma?” orrr. . .

Promotes you and your book because you deserve all the recognition

Welcomes all genres, viewpoints, tropes, and triggers 

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THOUGH, YOU’RE GETTING SOMEONE WHO WILL BE ROOTING FOR YOU AND YOUR BOOK LONG AFTER OUR CONTRACT HAS ENDED.

Frances House

available for $0.03 CAD a word

As the support behind your literary genius, copyediting is crucial to ensuring that your writing is engaging and effective. After your book’s gone through alpha and beta reading or developmental editing, it’s time for it to be copyedited. With a fine-tooth comb and steadfast patience, I look carefully at each sentence and word to ensure that the grammar, style, and mechanics are correct—all while maintaining your voice. 

I don’t separate line editing and copyediting as I’ve been trained to look at all the elements. And plus I would never *not* tell you about an error if I noticed one. That’s not my style.

(Did you catch my double negative?!)

my editing checklist

—Spelling
—Grammar
—Punctuation
—Hyphenation
—Plurals and possessives
—Redundancies
—Homophones
—Oxymorons
—Style
—Agreement (subject-verb, noun-pronoun, tense)
—Parallel construction
—Run-on sentences


—Sentence fragments
—Misplaced modifiers
—Dangling participles 
—Word choice
—Regional English
—Active vs. passive voice (and when it’s best to use each one)
—Showing vs. telling
—Author voice (balance between voice and reducing over-description)
—Fact-checking

What's Included?

  • A personal style sheet containing specific details to ensure consistency
  • Your edited manuscript in a Microsoft Word doc with track changes and comments
  • Review offered via the communication method of your choice
  • Access to up to 30 days of review for additional materials*  

available for $0.02 CAD a word

This is the last read through before your book finally goes off to publishing and—yay!—gets into the hands of your readers. 

Even though your story has likely gone through many previous rounds of editing, it’s still possible that some things could have gotten mixed up, and with how long you’ve had it in front of you (way too many hours to count, right?), it’s possible that these errors are completely invisible to you by now. 

My goal here is to ensure that the copy editor’s recommended changes have transitioned smoothly to the galley. I’ll do a thorough read-over to scrounge out any grammatical, spelling, punctuation, or formatting errors that are still lingering.

What's Included?

  • Your proofread manuscript in a Microsoft Word doc with track changes and comments
  • Review offered via the communication method of your choice
  • Access to up to 30 days of review for additional materials*  

available for $40 CAD an hour

One thing you need to know about me: I’m one of those people who loves to research literally anything. How to safely wash your dog toys? Research. How often to use Retinol serum? Research. How to get rid of DNA? Research. I genuinely love it. 

(To be clear: those first two Google searches were for me, but the last one was for a client’s murder mystery, I swear.)

And some storylines require a wealth of research to get the details juuuust right, which requires a whole lot of time. If you don’t have the time to be as thorough as you’d like, (or maybe you just detest researching—I won’t take offence!) I'll take my obsession and skills and do the digging for you.  

Whether your research needs are for several parts of your work or just one scene, I’ll get all the details you need to create a layered and factually correct story. 

What's Included?

  • All research proof (links, quotes, photocopies, interview transcripts) presented to you via your communication style of choice
  • Unlimited access to me to answer all of your research-related questions in a timely manner

simple, full of ease, and always judgement-free

A Sneak Peak Inside My Streamlined Process

Editing your work is never just “another project” for me. I treat it as a highly intimate and personal process because when you hand me your manuscript, it’s like handing me your baby—precious and requiring only the utmost care. 

I promise to always be respectful of the effort and love you’ve put into creating it, every step of the way. 

proposal

After we first connect through your preferred method of communication, I’ll send you a proposal, and you’ll send me the first 10,000 words of your manuscript. Then I’ll review your sample and make suggestions for which service you could benefit from if you’re not sure which is most suitable for you. 

contract

Once you’ve decided to move forward, you’ll sign a contract to make our collaboration official, and send me your entire manuscript on the agreed-upon start date. I’ll then get to work using Microsoft Word and track changes. 

background

If I haven’t read any of your books before, I’ll ask you to recommend two of your books for me to read so I can get a deeper understanding of your voice. If your book is part of a series, I’ll always read the previous books to ensure continuity of all facts and details. 

And if this is your first book? No worries; we’ll work together to get a good understanding of your voice from your manuscript alone, and we will prioritise maintaining it. 

reading

I’ll then read your manuscript three times: 

The first read through allows me to learn more about the project. I’ll be correcting any small errors I catch.

The second read through is where I’ll look at each sentence and word more thoroughly, making notes on any inconsistencies. 

And on my third & final pass, I’ll be looking for any remaining errors and make sure my notes are crystal clear.

review

You’ll hear from me by our agreed-upon deadline, and we’ll set up a time to discuss all recommended edits or research.

finale

*You’ll have 30 days after you receive my edits to request copyediting or proofreading for an additional 5,000 words. So, if you’re feeling inspired after reading my comments and want to flesh out certain parts of your book, I’ll be more than happy to review that as well!

Your book is one step closer to that coveted spot on your readers’ shelves!

Working with Frances House is right for you if you... 

...just finished your first manuscript, and you’re thinking “OK, now what? Do I need a copy editor? A proofreader? Both?!”

...are almost done writing your manuscript and want to be a step ahead of the game by scheduling copyediting and/or proofreading services now

...have a working list of endless questions and unfinished details that you need thoroughly researched while you’re still in the process of writing 

...have written over fifty books or this is your very first one (yay!)

...want someone on your team who will offer endless support and work closely with you as you begin the adventure of launching your book

...only want to work with someone who puts the same level of care and attention into editing your book as you did writing it

...want your manuscript polished before sending it to a publisher or agent

more loyal readers

Not only will your readers be loyal to you, they’ll be completely obsessed, begging for your next novel before you’ve even developed the plot.

more five-star reviews

And more readers texting their friends “pls read this book ASAP so we can talk about it!” as soon as they close the cover, eager to chat about their new favourite characters.

more confidence

To help you feel like the accomplished author you are, and keep on getting more of your stories out there for your loyal readers that love your work.

"I highly recommend her services if you’re looking for a good editor to help you with your next book!

She has helped me further develop my stories and point out those dreaded plot holes.  I am so happy with Samantha's work."

—Sam Lynn

It’s time we turn your draft into an                                  don’t you think?

unputdownable,

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