Editing has been a lifelong passion of mine and my full-time job since 2020, when I launched Red Quill Editorial LLC.

I have a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing and a certificate from an intensive proofreading course that required a minimum of 90 percent to pass the final exam. I am also a proud member of the Editorial Freelancers Association, just one editing-, writing-, and publishing-related source where I have and continue to take courses and webinars to enhance, sharpen, and expand my knowledge and skills in this industry.

Want proof of these claims and that I know my stuff? Check out my Qualifications or look through my Tips for Writers articles!

If you want an editor who will communicate clearly and regularly, provide solid deadlines and stick to them, offer positive feedback along with constructive criticism, and give specific suggestions and examples for how to hone your craft and enhance your book, then I’m the editor for you! 

If you want an editor who can relate to your author journey (check out my book Horse Cents), understand the vulnerabilities of handing your hard work over to a practical stranger, who also willingly bares her personal life story to you (check out my Blog), and who proves her knowledge and skills in the writing and editing field (check out my Tips for Writers), then I’m the editor for you!

If you want an editor who will give her absolute best to your book, consider your wins as her own, offer honest yet gentle encouragement for progress, and is just as passionate about getting your book published as you are, then I am the editor for you! 

Check out my Bookshelf to see what other clients have to say about working with me, and Contact Me to secure your spot on my calendar!

I use a gentle yet honest approach in my editing style. Neglecting honesty would only do you a disservice by preventing growth and improvement in your writing craft, but I’m also not going to tear you down and break you. When you work with me, you can expect a balance between positive feedback and constructive criticism. 

My Genre Specialties are romance, sci-fi/fantasy, and mystery. Writing something else? Contact Me anyway! I am open to discussing most genres (check out my Bookshelf to see some of the genres I have worked with). If I honestly feel I am not the right editor for your book, I will let you know.

I’d be happy to do a sample Line/Copyedit of up to 500 words on an excerpt of your choosing from your manuscript. Keep in mind that a full read of the manuscript is necessary for a quality Developmental Edit, which is why the sample would focus primarily on line/copyediting, although I do offer some developmental feedback where possible. I charge a flat $40 fee for sample edits, but if you choose to hire me for editing services, that fee would be applied toward your contract cost.

As a personal boundary to separate office hours from family time, I do not currently offer phone or Zoom consultations. However, I welcome open communication via email before, during, and after our project. I pride myself on quick and clear responses during office hours.

I am located in Northern California, where we use Pacific Standard Time. As an early riser, I am in my office Monday through Friday, 5:30am – 2:30pm PST.

I can work with PDF and image files for smaller projects, such as children’s books or charts/images for a nonfiction book. But for longer text files like a full-length manuscript, I require a .doc or .docx formatted file. This way, I can use Microsoft Word’s Track Changes tool, which shows you what I have changed or suggest/recommend and allows you to accept or reject any of it. If you do not have Microsoft Word, you can share the file with me via Google Docs and I can download it as a .docx file for editing and upload the new file upon completion.

It depends on the current state of your manuscript, your writing capabilities, and goals for your book. Check out my Tips for Writers article about the Four Types of Edits, where I go over all four rounds, describe what each entails, and discuss the proper order. At the end of the article, I give basic guidance on what your manuscript might need based on a few common scenarios, but you can’t fit every author and manuscript into a single box. If you need help figuring out which type of editing you need, Let’s Discuss Your Manuscript. I’m happy to help!

Reach out via my Contact Form to let me know the details of your book. I will send you a detailed email with all the information about my services and process, let you know when I am currently booking for, and provide you with an accurate turnaround and custom cost estimate for your particular manuscript. The cost estimate is good for 2 weeks and there is no obligation to commit.

Every project is different, but my rates start at 4.5 cents per word. Factors that can affect cost are your genre, word count, type of editing needed, and the scope of work. I also offer a variety of Discounts, a Payment Plan, and Value Adds. And don’t forget how much it costs to not hire an editor—loss of book sales and poor reviews, just to name a few.

While AI programs such as ProWritingAid, Grammarly, and Hemingway Editor may help you catch and fix certain errors, they can also introduce new errors (six-fingered hands and embarrassing autocorrects, anyone?). Language is full of complexities and nuances that simply can’t be caught by a computer in the same way a living, breathing editor can.

There’s no denying the value a professional editor brings to your book—increased sales and positive reviews, plus a stronger writing craft for your future works. If you want others to invest in you by purchasing your book, you’d better be willing to invest in yourself by hiring a professional editor.

In general, the better shape your manuscript is in when you hand it over to your editor, the lower the cost. Performing self-edits, using AI editing software, and working with beta readers before you hire an editor can each get you one step closer to perfecting your book, lessening the workload for your editor and lowering your final cost.

Here at Red Quill, I’m also happy to offer Discounts and a Payment Plan so my clients don’t have to settle for less than they deserve. Every one of my clients automatically receives Value Adds too!

You will have the option to pay via credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or bank payment (ACH) with a button right on the invoice.

A typical contract spreads the total cost out over three payments. A 50 percent deposit is due upon booking, covering half of each editing round. The remaining due for each round would then be payable upon completion of the correlating service. For example, if you hired me for both a Developmental Edit and a Line/Copyedit, you’d pay the other half of the Developmental Edit when that round is completed, and the other half of the Line/Copyedit when that round is completed.

Yes! I understand that editing services can get quite pricey at times, and I want you to get the best possible service to help your manuscript shine rather than feeling forced by your budget to settle for something less than you deserve. That’s why I am happy to offer a Payment Plan for any contract that totals $500.00 and above.

How does it work? The 50% deposit is still mandatory. This acts in good faith to get your project on the schedule and allows me to get to work on your manuscript. The remainder due can be paid off using the payment plan. No interest is accrued and there is no timeframe to pay it off as long as you are making regular payments. 

An updated invoice displaying your unpaid balance will be sent on the 1^st of each month and a flat monthly service charge of $25 will be added to your account. A minimum monthly payment of $200.00 is required until your account is paid in full. Late payments made after the 5th of each month will incur an additional $25 late fee. 

Please be aware that the first round of editing must be paid in full prior to securing your spot for the second round.

The first step is to Contact Me and tell me about your book. I will respond with an accurate turnaround time based on your word count, a custom cost estimate, and more information about my process.

When you let me know you are ready to secure your spot on my calendar, I will send you an email with links for the contract (which includes an NDA and an intellectual clause, both of which protect you as the author), a brief survey asking your style preferences, and your invoice. Prior to reserving your spot, I require the completed paperwork and a 50 percent deposit.

Once I receive these three items, I will email you with a confirmation of reservation, providing you with a solid start date and deadline for when you can expect it to be completed. I will email you again one week prior to our start date to remind you to finalize any self edits and to send the most current version of your manuscript to me no later than 48 hours prior to our start date.

I use the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) and the Unabridged Dictionary by Merriam-Webster as I work, as well as Google to research or fact check as necessary. 

The Developmental Editing round comes first. During this round, I will perform two passes on your manuscript before returning it to you. When completed, the deliverables will be an editorial letter and a Track Changes version of your manuscript with comments.

Take as long as you need for the rewrites, and when you are ready, we will get you back on my calendar for the Line/Copyediting, which typically takes twice as long as the developmental edit. When completed, the deliverables will be a Track Changes version of your manuscript with in-line edits and comments, as well as a “clean” version of your manuscript with all changes accepted and comments deleted.

If your project takes longer than a week to complete, you can expect regular weekly updates from me to confirm that I am, in fact, working on your manuscript, to let you know of my progress, and to keep the lines of communication open.

An editing pass is when your editor goes through your manuscript, while an editing round is a type of edit. At Red Quill, I perform two passes on your manuscript for each round of edits. For example, if you hire me for a Developmental Edit, I will read through your entire manuscript twice prior to returning it to you so I can offer my best edits to you.

Every project is different, but as an example, a Developmental Edit of a 50,000-word book will take me about 2 weeks, while a Line/Copyedit of the same word count will take me about 4 weeks.

When you Contact Me, I will be able to give you an accurate turnaround for your particular manuscript. Once you book your spot on my calendar, I will give you a solid start date and deadline you can count on.

Just because we’ve completed our business together does not mean I will abandon you. If you want to bounce an idea for a rewrite off me, please do! If you have a question about grammar, just ask! And if you simply want to check in and ask about the weather, don’t hesitate! I’d love to hear from you, and in fact, many of my clients become lifelong friends and pen pals.

Yes! Because I believe word of mouth is one of the best ways to find someone who offers the service you need, I am always searching for others in the publishing industry to partner with for referral purposes. I vet each one before I refer clients to them, so you can feel confident reaching out to someone in my referral Rolodex.

Whether you need a final Proofreading, Cover Designer or Illustrator, Formatting, Marketing, or Printing & Publishing services, I am happy to suggest someone I think would be a good fit for you and your book. Make sure to tell them you were sent by Mandi from Red Quill for those who offer a special discount!

Are you someone in the publishing industry who wants to chat about a mutual referral system? Use my Referral Contact Form so we can discuss if we’d be a good match for each other!