Book Editing Services

Transform your manuscript into a polished masterpiece with professional book editing - where clarity meets creativity

“Caitlyn not only provides fantastic notes and feedback and was willing to be flexible with my word count, but she was genuinely excited to work on my book and took an interest in the story and characters which made me feel at ease when handing over my manuscript. You can truly tell she invests in the story and loves what she does.”

Zoe T Conley

L.A. Tucker

“If you are looking for a thorough, professional, supportive editor, I highly recommend Chat and Chapters!”

Services Breakdown

  • A manuscript assessment is the perfect first step if you’re a new writer and/or are wanting feedback on an unfinished manuscript. You will receive a detailed memo with my thoughts, concerns and areas for improvement. It is similar to a developmental memo without the chapter-by-chapter breakdown, and there are no comments made directly to your manuscript.

    Rates for manuscript assessments depend on the state of the manuscript and are between $0.012 and $0.02 per word.

  • I work closely with you during the early stages of your manuscript, focusing on overall structure, character development, pacing, and quality. This stage is about shaping your story and ensuring it aligns with your vision while engaging your target audience. You will receive a memo of my thoughts and suggestions, a chapter-by-chapter breakdown, and high-level comments within the manuscript via Track Changes.

    Rates for developmental editing depend on the state of the manuscript and are between $0.015 and $0.03 per word.

  • Line editing focuses on enhancing your writing at the sentence level. I refine clarity, ensuring that each idea is expressed with precision and impact. This includes adjusting awkward phrasing, improving word choice, and maintaining your unique voice. I also assess the flow and pacing, making sure your prose read smoothly and keep readers engaged. You will receive in-line edits to your manuscript and a short memo with suggestions for next steps.

    Rates for line editing depend on the state of the manuscript and are between $0.02 and $0.03 per word.

  • In this phase, I dive into the details of your manuscript to ensure your book is consistent within its own world. This includes making sure character names are spelled the same, descriptions are consistent, and the left eye that was swollen on page 545 doesn’t turn into the right eye getting better on page 595. Copy editing also includes grammar and punctuation but not as in depth as a proofread. You will receive a memo breaking down your characters, creatures, magic system, and anything else that needs to be consistent. You will also receive comments and questions within the manuscript via Track Changes.

    I highly recommend a copy edit for fantasy books so nothing falls through the cracks!

    Rates for copy editing depend on the state of the manuscript and are between $0.013 and $0.025 per word.

  • Before your book heads to publication, I conduct a final check for any remaining errors or inconsistencies. This meticulous review catches spacing issues, quotation marks facing the wrong direction, double spaces, grammar and punctuation, ensuring your manuscript is polished and ready for readers. You will receive your manuscript back with corrections via Track Changes in Work or via a PDF document.

    A copy edit looks for consistency in the story, proofreading looks for consistency on the page.

    Rates for proofreading depend on the state of the manuscript and fall between $0.009 and $0.012 per word.

“Caitlyn has a real eye for furthering the structure of a manuscript.

If you are looking for an editor who will be able to consider your big-picture goals with character arcs and plot, while also fine-tuning those smaller details that could be more polished, I highly recommend her as an editor and a trusted sounding board.”

Emm Cole