The Dark
Fantastic: Editing/Authorial Advice
**Due to an
overload of projects for 2012, The Dark Fantastic Editing Service
is closed to new projects. If I am currently working on
a project for you, or we have made agreements to work together, I
will continue to do so as agreed upon. I apologize for the
inconvenience, and thank you for your
understanding.**
In an effort
to help fellow writers better their craft, and with the not so
altruistic interest in making a few dollars on the side, I’m now
offering my services as an editor/authorial advisor. My intent is
to help authors make the most of their fiction manuscripts. The
goal is to provide quality copyediting, honest content evaluation,
a directional sounding board, and useful criticism on every story
I examine, for an extremely reasonable price. If that’s what
you’re interested in, read on.
While I’m
not the most experienced editor in the world, I have a knack for
it, as well as storytelling and finding logical inconsistencies. I
also have references to back up my assertions and examples of my
work, so you don’t have to take my word for it. I’ve edited eleven
titles in the last year and a half, or so (all for Damnation
Books), not to mention countless hours spent on my own writing and
in critique groups or helping other authors.
As a five
times published author with Damnation Books, I’m not going to lie
and say I’m anywhere near the big time. You can’t go into your
local book store and see me sitting on the shelf next to Stephen
King. He doesn’t even know I exist. Maybe someday, but that isn’t
the case now. I am, however, proficient in what I do, and the
examples of my writing on my home page, as well as the reviews
I’ve garnered for my work, are there for you to
judge.
Can I
guarantee to get you published? Nope.
Can I
guarantee you’ll get more interest from agents?
Nope.
Can I
guarantee a miracle? Nope.
Publishing
is subjective and there are no guarantees. I can promise
you, however, that I will provide you with a cleanly edited
manuscript in a reasonable time frame, with solid suggestions to
make it better, and all for far less than market prices for such
services.
If you’re still
interested, my basic rates are listed below:
(Each
evaluation is considered to be complete with copyediting, content
evaluation, and authorial advice, unless you specify you want
otherwise.)
Short Stories:
1-4,000 words = $25
Short Stories:
4,001-10,000 words = $40
Novellas: 10,001 -
60,000 words = $50 + $10 for every 10k above 20,000 words (30k =
$60, 40k = $70, 50k = $80, 60k = $90)
Novels: 60,001 and up
= $150-$200 ( This is a general range rate. Cleaner manuscripts
will be charged the lower fee, the price going up dependent on the
amount of work required, but topped at $200 if accepted - not
including rush service.)
Works over 130k words
will not be accepted without examination and a reasonable charge
agreed upon for services. Word counts will be fairly rounded
down by me to avoid price increases for what is minimal work for
counts barely over a price break
point.
The above
prices are for your standard manuscript. They might increase or
decrease dependent on the amount of actual work required on my
part. I offer a free, initial evaluation that will determine any
variance, the price for which will be set in advance so you know
exactly what you’re getting into. If the manuscript requires only
minor work, and I feel guilty about how little I have to do, I’ll
drop the price. If the manuscript requires me to make numerous
adjustments on nearly every line and requires a trip to the
optometrist afterward, I’ll charge more.
I also
understand times are hard and writing is a passion, so I am
willing to negotiate on every manuscript I work with. I can be
reasonable, but be warned, if you send me the first draft of the
first novel you’ve ever written, there’s not much I can do for
you. Given the effort required on my end, I can’t make you much of
a deal under those circumstances unless you’re a
savant.
All time
frames will be determined when the work is examined, arrangements
made at the time of our agreement. Some jobs will take longer than
others due to the amount of work needed and issues that might pop
up. In all but the most extreme of circumstances, the work will be
provided on time, if not sooner. If I miss a deadline, I will, of
my own volition, provide a reasonable discount and make things
right.
Rush service is also available under certain circumstances,
but an additional fee (to be determined at the time) will be added
dependent on how fast the work needs to be done and my prior
commitments.
In normal
cases, I will expect half of the fee to be paid in advance, before
work begins. The remainder is due upon return and approval by you,
the customer. Payment arrangements can be made, if necessary, to
accommodate unexpected circumstances. A good rule of thumb, if I
can be honest, is the better I know you personally, and the more
often you use my services, the more likely I am to be flexible.
For questions, feel free to email me at
tim [at]
tmarquitz [dot] com
**Just
so it's out there, I reserve the right to refuse working with any
manuscript, for any reason. While this will rarely be invoked,
there are time and effort factors I must consider when taking on a
job. If I'm going to be tied down for months editing a short
story, that just isn't a reasonable expectation of my time. I also
won't write, or re-write, your story for you.**
Tim
Marquitz
