Services & Pricing

For more than thirty years, we have helped guide writers to professional and creative success—whether through independent publishing or traditional houses. Our focus is on preserving your voice and your vision, while challenging you to create the best possible version of your story, with the interests of the reader at heart. We’re known for our supportive and substantive approach, and we work best with writers who love to roll up their sleeves and work hard.

If you don’t see an approach here that speaks to your needs, we’re more than happy to tailor our work to be most effective for you. We also offer “from the ground up” story development services, which you can find here.

Work is generally scheduled at least a few months in advance,  so please contact us by phone at 813-391-8980 or email to discuss submitting your work so we can add you to our queue. Don’t hesitate to reach out, as well, if you’d like to discuss editing options or to chat about your project in general. We want to make sure we’re the best fit for each other!

FULL MANUSCRIPT PACKAGES

TWO-PART COMPREHENSIVE EDITING PACKAGE:

This is the most thorough and intensive approach to the editing of your work, breaking down the process into two separate stages: a thorough editorial report followed by a separate (and equally thorough) line-edit.

Please note that a line-edit is different from a copyedit in that it is still developmental in nature, with suggested corrections and comments on the page that go beyond issues of grammar and punctuation.

This option includes:

Part One: Editorial Report

  • A comprehensive review of the manuscript, typically twenty to twenty-five single spaced pages offering detailed feedback on big picture issues of plot, scene structure, character development, voice, dialogue, viewpoint, emotional immersion, worldbuilding, pacing, continuity, story logic, and more.

  • Detailed feedback on, and references to, specific chapters and pages throughout.

  • Half-hour follow up phone call or Zoom chat as desired. Further consultation at discounted rate of $150/hour.

Part Two: Line-Edits

  • Once the novel has been reworked according to our findings in part one, we offer complete line-editing of the manuscript in its entirety, with comments made using the Track Changes feature in MS Word. This is much more detailed than a typical line-edit and will still address developmental concerns as well as stylistic ones.

  • Review of synopsis/query letter, which can be “banked” for a future date, when you feel the book is ready to query.

  • 10% discount off further work.

Price: $.045 per word if the complete package is contracted in advance. (A 50% deposit of the total will be due to reserve your initial spot on the editing calendar, with two 25% payments due after each part is completed.)

Alternately, you can choose JUST the editorial report or line-edit for $.0275 per word.

ALL-IN-ONE MANUSCRIPT PACKAGE:

This is a consolidated version of the above, which includes:

  • A detailed report on all big-picture aspects of the manuscript.

  • Thorough line–editing and in–text commentary on the entire MS.

  • Review of synopsis/letter to agents, which can also be provided at a later date.

  • 10% discount off further work.

Price: $.0325 per word.

PARTIAL MANUSCRIPT PACKAGES

PARTIAL MANUSCRIPT EDITING AND EVALUATION:

Line-editing and editorial report on the first one-hundred pages (up to 25,000 words) of an author's work. This plan includes:

  • Five–seven page manuscript evaluation.

  • Detailed line–editing and in–text commentary.

  • Review of synopsis/letter to agents, which can be provided at a later date.

  • 10% discount off further services.

Price: $.05 per word.

“PRE-FLIGHT” QUERY PACKAGE REVIEW:

Want to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward? For those who’d like a detailed review of—and feedback on—their submission package before sending it to agents or editors, this plan covers:

  • Comments on a one-page query letter, up to 350 words.

  • Comments on a synopsis of up to 1,000 words.

  • Line-edits and a brief report on the first twenty pages (up to 5,000 words) of your novel or work of narrative nonfiction.

  • Follow-up review of revised submissions package.

Price: $500

This package may also be helpful for folks who have received rejection letters or non-responses from agents and want to understand why.

PER-PAGE PRICING:

This per-page package is ideal for those with short stories, partial manuscripts, nonfiction articles, material intended for agents and/or editors, or those simply wishing to sample our services.

Per-Page Pricing includes:

  • Line-editing of all materials.

  • Manuscript evaluation.

Price: $10.00 per page of novel material; $30 per page of marketing/promotional material (synopses, queries, etc). $400 minimum.

PICTURE BOOK EDITING WITH ROB SANDERS

This is a comprehensive critique with line notes for a picture book manuscript—fiction or nonfiction—of 1000 words or less. An additional fee of $10.00 is charged for every page (or portion of a page) exceeding 1000 words. If back matter in a nonfiction picture book causes the manuscript to exceed 1000 words, the author may choose to have the back matter critiqued for the additional fee mentioned above or opt to not have the back matter critiqued.

COMPREHENSIVE CRITIQUE WITH LINE EDITS: $235.00

Follow-up critiques after revision are available at a reduced rate. Please ask for details.

For more information, contact Lorin Oberweger: lorin@free-expressions.com or call 813-391-8980