Editorial Services for Authors

Whether you are writing your first book or your fiftieth, if you choose to work with me you can expect: sincere respect for your creative vision; a thoughtful assessment of your work from an experienced editorial eye; and clear, actionable feedback to guide your next revision.

I offer the following editorial services:

Picture Book or Novel Critique: a 2–3 page letter with broad-stroke editorial feedback on elements such as characters, plot, setting, and pacing; followed by a 30-minute phone call.

Detailed Novel Edit: a 4–6 page letter with both broad-stroke and detailed editorial feedback on elements such as characters, plot, setting, and pacing; followed by a 30-minute phone call.

Detailed Novel Edit with Line Edits: a 4–6 page letter with both broad-stroke and detailed editorial feedback on elements such as characters, plot, setting, and pacing; editorial comments in the electronic manuscript file to help polish the manuscript at the paragraph and sentence level; and a 30-minute phone call to follow.

Query and Submission Materials Review: feedback on query letters, synopses, and other submission materials can be added to any of the above full manuscript services, upon request.

Consultation and Coaching: If the above services aren’t quite right for your work, please email me to discuss other options. I offer outline and proposal reviews as well as email and phone consultations to discuss general questions about publishing; the children’s and young adult book market; agent and publisher research; and other career, strategy, or writing questions. Ongoing consultation is also available for authors interested in working together over a longer period of time. Consultation and coaching services are offered at a minimum of 4 hours or can be added to any of the above services.

If you’d like to work together, please send the following to julie@juliescheina.com:

  • Project title, word count, audience, genre, and a brief plot summary
  • Requested editorial services
  • Target timeline, if any
  • The first 10–15 pages of your manuscript
  • Any other information that you feel would be helpful, such as your vision for the project, what you’d like to achieve by working together, the project’s background, etc.

You will receive an email confirming delivery, usually within one business day. If I feel that working together would be beneficial to your manuscript, I will send a proposed schedule and a fee estimate that takes into account the manuscript length, project scope, schedule, and goals. Standard editorial fees start at $125/hour; rush fees are available in some cases. The typical timeline for projects shorter than 75,000 words is around four to six weeks from the date that we begin working together. Have additional questions about timeline, fees, or payments? Please check out the FAQ page.

Once we agree upon the schedule and fees, I will send you a formal agreement and ask that you electronically review and sign it; the agreement details the editorial services I’ll provide, schedule, and payment information. Payments are usually made via bank transfer or PayPal, with half due upon agreement, half upon completion. The editorial schedule is considered reserved after I receive the signed agreement and initial deposit. If I am not able to take on your manuscript for any reason, whether due to scheduling or because I do not feel that I can be of help, I will let you know as soon as possible.