PlumPolished Editing Services

---

Good, reliable editors are the secret recipe to publication success. Don’t let the amateurs fool you: readers still care, too. Many will shun a book if it has more than a few errors in the first chapter alone, and their low-star reviews can turn others away just as quickly.

To have the best opportunity to keep readers engaged—and coming back for more of your work—you need a solid editor who’ll make sure they notice the story and not the typos. One who will be blunt and honest, who’ll guide you, who’ll offer suggestions, and who will be a downright grumpy asshole when necessary.

Thick skin doesn’t come from pats on the back, after all.

So, why choose me? I consider myself a good editor. Not great, but better than the average red-marker. I don’t pull any punches either. If something isn’t working, I speak up. I offer plot suggestions, point out characterization flaws, and many manuscripts I’ve touched end up redder than a cheap Santa suit. Why would I be so . . . harsh? Because I give a shit about quality. I want to make your work shine so brightly that Donald J. Trump would risk his eyesight to peep your prose like he did with that solar eclipse a few years ago.

Now, you won’t find a wall of testimonials here. Most of them are aggrandizing drivel from fellow, closely connected writer friends, and we’re not fond of such deceitful practices at Plumfukt Press. Instead, I’ll list some credentials with links where appropriate.

---

credentials:

• • Over 150 short stories edited in the past decade, at least 75% of which went on to be published
  • Over a dozen novellas, novels, and collections edited since 2016, all of which went on to be published (without official credit—publisher did not list an editor)
  • 4 coedited anthologies currently on the market (Deranged, F*ck the Rules (censored at request of publisher), Man Behind the Mask, What Goes Around)
  • Editor of 3 novels/novellas currently on the market (Escapees and Fevered Minds, Puckered, Cold Cocked)
  • A short story/poetry collection, over a dozen short stories, and a trilogy published since 2015, most of which required minimal editing (find them on Amazon; 100% 4 or 5-star reviews for the trilogy on Amazon)
  • Handful of non-fiction articles and music reviews published since 2008
  • Edited a dissertation for someone who went on to receive their doctorate
  • Freelance contributor to local newspaper (2020) (sample article)

I’ve edited for some heavy hitters in the industry too, and I rammed into their stories just as balls-deep as I would anyone else’s. No hesitation, no regrets. They’ve always approved my suggestions with nary a pause and often thank me for my diligence.

---

Last but not least, I’m a rule-bender. I use informal words like ain’t in many works, start sentences with conjunctions, and slip terms like ballsack and writingsphere in from time to time. I disagree with many archaic writing rules while still adhering to 90% of the Chicago Manual of Style. I’ll be able to tell if you prefer the Oxford comma or not, and will stick with it—consistency is important. I can glean style from a perusal to determine your voice, and I can edit to that voice; I can be invisible to the reader so your work and name remain at the forefront of their gray matter.

---

What I won’t do

I am not a PR/marketing specialist. I am not a ghost writer. If you’re wanting my services, I will edit your content—I will not write anything you provide from scratch. (I may rewrite bits and pieces or entire chapters if necessary, or provide suggestions for rewrites, but the content is ultimately up to you.)

---

HOW THIS WORKS

Scope out the terminology below to decide which package is best for your project. Then fill out the form at the bottom of the page and click Submit.

Once I receive your message, I’ll check out your work to see if I can help. If all is well, I’ll contact you to confer further, confirm the schedule, and provide further instructions on where to send payment, etc.

• • Payment accepted via PayPal only.
  • Edits will begin immediately or as communicated, but payment in full is required before edited work is released back to you.
  • All edits will be performed using Track Changes in Word.

---

Plumpolished service packages

Proofreading = finding and correcting missing words or punctuation, typos, misspelled words, and manuscript consistency for all aforementioned elements. This is generally the last step before publication/submitting for publication and is really about catching minor errors and tidying up the manuscript visually.

Line/copy editing = plot, pace, characterization, and style suggestions or comments; finding and correcting missing words or punctuation, typos, misspelled words, tense, word usage and repetition, and manuscript consistency for all aforementioned elements. This is more about the look, feel, and readability than the overall story, with minor advice on some of the structural elements (without directly tackling the latter).

Developmental editing = everything in line/copy editing as well as deeper elements, such as characterization inconsistencies, sentence/paragraph/chapter structure, flashback/timeline gaps or holes, theme, or logical plot/pacing/endings. This is about the big picture and may involve more intensive rearranging and rewriting.

---

---

---