One of my academic editing services
What it is
Ask six editors and you’ll get six definitions of line editing. But typically, we can all agree that line editing happens at the sentence level and addresses style, clarity, and readability.
When it comes to academic line editing, that means I edit to reveal your actual authorial voice. Gone are the days of long-winded sentences, nominalizations, and excessive jargon. Enter the days of vibrant academic manuscripts that speak with clear and invested expertise, that value a challenging but pleasurable reading experience, and that resonate with audiences both inside and outside the ivory tower.
Especially if you are working on an academic “crossover” manuscript, which prioritizes straightforward argumentation, narrative arc, storytelling vibes, and conceptual clarity, this service can be particularly useful. Given my fiction-writing chops, I gleefully excel at enacting this transformation.
This service includes one read-through where I build my understanding of your subject matter, goals, voice, and intentions, and then a following in-text pass where I edit to focus and amplify all of those things.
What it’s not
Some line editors are also mechanical copy-editors, which means they can guarantee their grammatical perfection, cross-check your citations, format your bibliography/references, and build a style sheet to help with continuity across the text when it comes to typesetting and proofreading.
I am not that line editor. My grammar is excellent, but my focus is on style, voice, authority, and bringing out joy in the work.
So, if you’re looking for someone who can do it all, check out the Editorial Freelance Association pages for your perfect match, or shoot me an email for a referral.
When it’s helpful
This service is almost always best purchased when you have all the developmental pieces in place and your text is as good as you can make it on your own, ready for professional polish.
How much it costs
$250 + $.04-$.08/wd after 5k words
The range per word reflects the variety of texts I look at, whether or not they use my particular fields of expertise, how much work they require, and whether an author is paying out of pocket or through their institution. I also use that range to affect a sliding scale based on academic rank and access to research pools.
Lodestar Editing & Coaching 