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Children's Book Editing for Independent Authors |
'Tess has done a marvellous job with the editing and feedback. Her detailed report and notes in the manuscript have inspired me and will really help me develop as a writer.'
— Independent author of a rhyming picture book
'Very happy with Tess’s professional services on editing a rhyming story. Very good and swift communication, taking into account personal preferences about the editing approach. Honest feedback with helpful advice. Thank you!'
— Independent author
'Thanks again for your work on Magnificent Grace. It is exactly what I wanted. You have given so much to think about, and I am delighted.'
— Peter Kenny, author of a young fiction story
How can I help?
My children's book editing services include copyediting, an editorial report and proofreading. I am happy to offer these individually or as a package. Whether you've written a picture book, an early reader or young fiction, whether you're planning to publish the book yourself or submit your manuscript to a publisher, I can help you through the editorial stages to get your book ready for publication. Through my lifelong love of poetry, I have developed a strong sense of rhythm and rhyme, and I am skilled in helping authors with those aspects of their work.
I have always loved reading children's books and strongly believe in the importance of stories to children's wellbeing and development. I have worked in primary schools and in my local library to share stories with children and encourage their reading skills, and for many years I facilitated creative writing workshops for children and young people. As a mother of two, I have particularly fond memories of sharing books with my own children. Today, I am a freelance editor at the Writer's Advice Centre, advising authors on children's book manuscripts.
Copyediting
Once you have written your story, you send it to me in Word format. I will check it thoroughly for consistency – in terms of spelling, grammar and punctuation and to make sure your story is internally consistent and a character who was eight and three quarters at the beginning hasn't become six and three quarters by mistake by the end (unless your story involves time travel, of course, and this has been made clear!). I will flag any areas that don't make sense and suggest improvements, and I will be on the lookout for repetition, offering alternatives where appropriate. If you have written a rhyming story, I will look at the rhythm and rhyme and suggest tweaks for improvement if I think this is necessary. I will also look at the formatting of your work and make sure the paragraphs and any chapter headings are formatted consistently and appropriately.
Editorial report
My editorial report is written to accompany your story. I will discuss the areas of targeting (which age range your book is suitable for), subject, theme, viewpoint, characterisation and dialogue, and plot, suggesting ways these could be improved.
Proofreading
This is the final stage before you publish your book. Once the book has been typeset, I will check it again for any minor (but often embarrassing!) errors in spelling and punctuation that have been left or found their way in since the copyedit. I will suggest minor grammatical tweaks as needed for sense. I will also look at the layout of your words on the page, checking the font and other design elements so that your story becomes a book you are proud of. If your story is illustrated, I will check the text against the illustrations to make sure everything is as it should be.
Please note: I do not offer illustrating or design and typesetting services, or advise on publishing with KDP or IngramSpark. However, as a member of the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders, I have colleagues skilled in these areas and would be happy to put you in touch with the relevant professional if you would like.
I highly recommend joining the Alliance of Independent Authors for advice and resources: https://allianceindependentauthors.org/?affid=19018.
Contact me today to discuss how I can help you with your project, and please click if you would like to view my Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.
My children's book editing services include copyediting, an editorial report and proofreading. I am happy to offer these individually or as a package. Whether you've written a picture book, an early reader or young fiction, whether you're planning to publish the book yourself or submit your manuscript to a publisher, I can help you through the editorial stages to get your book ready for publication. Through my lifelong love of poetry, I have developed a strong sense of rhythm and rhyme, and I am skilled in helping authors with those aspects of their work.
I have always loved reading children's books and strongly believe in the importance of stories to children's wellbeing and development. I have worked in primary schools and in my local library to share stories with children and encourage their reading skills, and for many years I facilitated creative writing workshops for children and young people. As a mother of two, I have particularly fond memories of sharing books with my own children. Today, I am a freelance editor at the Writer's Advice Centre, advising authors on children's book manuscripts.
Copyediting
Once you have written your story, you send it to me in Word format. I will check it thoroughly for consistency – in terms of spelling, grammar and punctuation and to make sure your story is internally consistent and a character who was eight and three quarters at the beginning hasn't become six and three quarters by mistake by the end (unless your story involves time travel, of course, and this has been made clear!). I will flag any areas that don't make sense and suggest improvements, and I will be on the lookout for repetition, offering alternatives where appropriate. If you have written a rhyming story, I will look at the rhythm and rhyme and suggest tweaks for improvement if I think this is necessary. I will also look at the formatting of your work and make sure the paragraphs and any chapter headings are formatted consistently and appropriately.
Editorial report
My editorial report is written to accompany your story. I will discuss the areas of targeting (which age range your book is suitable for), subject, theme, viewpoint, characterisation and dialogue, and plot, suggesting ways these could be improved.
Proofreading
This is the final stage before you publish your book. Once the book has been typeset, I will check it again for any minor (but often embarrassing!) errors in spelling and punctuation that have been left or found their way in since the copyedit. I will suggest minor grammatical tweaks as needed for sense. I will also look at the layout of your words on the page, checking the font and other design elements so that your story becomes a book you are proud of. If your story is illustrated, I will check the text against the illustrations to make sure everything is as it should be.
Please note: I do not offer illustrating or design and typesetting services, or advise on publishing with KDP or IngramSpark. However, as a member of the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders, I have colleagues skilled in these areas and would be happy to put you in touch with the relevant professional if you would like.
I highly recommend joining the Alliance of Independent Authors for advice and resources: https://allianceindependentauthors.org/?affid=19018.
Contact me today to discuss how I can help you with your project, and please click if you would like to view my Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.
