Editorial Services and Consulting

All editorial services begin with a sample evaluation or sample edit. Please send your first ten pages, word count, and a brief description of your publishing goals and writing experience with your request. 

“Lindsay Murdock runs an incredible editorial service. Her quick response was outstanding, and [her] professionalism and expertise took my manuscript from draft to publishable book.”

-Meghan Wier, Confessions of an Introvert

Manuscript Evaluation

My specialty and the premier service. Please see the Manuscript Evaluation page for more details.

Substantive/Developmental Editing

Extensive editing for content, writing style, plot/theme development, character development, flow, voice, and any other concerns you or I may have.

Particularly for new writers, the substantive/developmental edit can make the difference between the slush pile and the bookshelves. I strive to always stay on top of publishing trends, and I will work with you to edit and revise your manuscript to make sure your book is not only mechanically correct, but absolutely market ready.

As the publishing industry has changed over the years, the duties of publishing house editors have also changed dramatically. Gone are the days when most publishers and agents could spend quality time with unknown authors working through extensive changes. Publishing is a tricky business, and the agent/publisher’s job is not to help you fix your manuscript; it is to publish books that will sell. Authors are expected to have a nearly market-ready manuscript before they are even considered for publication.

My substantive editing fills the gap between author and publisher. I make every effort to help you and your manuscript reach your full potential through intense, in-depth reading and feedback. The results are always gratifying: a more polished, exceptional text you can be proud of.

Writers are equipped with extensive, detailed notes on how to improve the general content of the book and can make informed revisions that go beyond grammar and make a manuscript shine. Developmental/substantive editing is usually part of a Manuscript Evaluation.

Proofreading

Editing  for design, format, and punctuation consistency.

Proofreading ensures that all text is grammatically sound, spelled correctly, and complete. Writers know that their copy is technical-error free.

Why is proofreading important? Anyone intimately connected with book publishing and editing will tell you: sweat the small stuff.

Poor grammar, a misplaced comma, or even a little dangling participle will stand out like a neon light to the editor whose career revolves around words, punctuation, and nuances of language. Manuscripts and queries are often rejected simply for sloppy copy.

Your text must be perfect. Flawless grammar and format is absolutely essential to your book’s success.

Copy Editing

Editing for all mechanical elements of style, as well as consistency of plot, facts, and voice.

Consistency is essential to any book. Readers (who have more distance from your text) are quick to pick up on things that are out of place, missing, or illogical. Inconsistencies in character, voice, and plot can be maddening to a reader, annoying to editors, and detrimental to your book’s success.

Inconsistencies are very difficult to see in your own writing. Murdock Editing copy editing is a slow, detailed, careful process designed to catch any such errors in your manuscript and provide expert advice on revising difficult spots. Your marked copy will include not only corrections, but explanations and suggestions as well.

Proposal Packages: Query Letters and Synopses

The synopsis and query letter may easily be the two most important, and most difficult, pieces of writing you will produce as a new writer. These few pages comprise your first introduction to an agent and your first impression. Poor queries can mean a lifetime of slush pile disappointment, and an excellent query can make the difference between years of waiting and an enthusiastic welcome from your agent of choice.

Drawing on my experience at literary agencies and knowledge of the current publishing world, I will help you craft your proposal package to highlight your talents and emphasize the information the agent/publisher needs to see. All queries are immaculately copy edited and proofread, and I offer extensive input and suggestions so that your first impression won’t be your last.

Please note: although I will gladly edit queries for all writers, I only work with synopses if I have first read the manuscript in its entirety.

Classes

Several times a year I offer courses on the following subjects:

  • Writing your breakout novel
  • Writing your first novel
  • The publishing world and proposal process
  • Finding your voice
  • The Artists’s Way

Please check the home page for openings and course dates.

Advice

One of the many qualities that sets Murdock Editing apart from the pack is an expert knowledge of not only the written word, but also of the publishing industry at large. As an editor, I constantly stay abreast of industry news and publisher needs. Please take advantage of this resource: ask questions, consult with me on plot/character/marketing decisions, and share your concerns and difficulties. My commitment is to you, the writer, and I am here to help.

 

For more information, please contact me at editor@murdockediting.com.