Bittersweet Editorial
here to help your words shine
About me
I am a freelance copyeditor who decided to turn my lifelong passion for the written word into my career. I want to help you make your words shine, whether those words are a fictional tale of romance, or an article for an academic journal, or any number of other stories you may choose to tell.
Academic Editing
Especially in the humanities and social sciences. I also have a background in history and Middle Eastern studies, along with linguistic backgrounds in French, Arabic, and Dutch.
My Preferred Genres
Fiction Editing
My preferred genres include literary fiction, contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, low fantasy, and historical fiction, however I am open to a broad range of possible genres.
Business Editing
I also have a 10-year background in Human Resources, and I am happy to edit business documents, policies, or communications. My areas of expertise lie particularly with small business.
Services Offered
Service | For you if... | Description |
Proofreading | You already have a polished piece that has been professionally edited, and need one last set of eyes to eliminate errors. You already have a working style sheet completed for this project that you will share with me. | Proofreading deals exclusively with mistakes, not issues of style or polish. When I proofread, I look for errors in punctuation, spelling, and grammar that could distract your reader. This service is only available for work that has already been professionally edited and for which you can provide me with a style sheet. |
Copyediting | You are done with the developmental stage and do not need feedback on overall elements like structure, plot and character development, and pacing, but would like to ensure consistency of mechanical and stylistic elements. | Copyediting includes mechanical editing of both mistakes and deviations from the style guide in use, errors of grammar and spelling, and limited fact-checking (in fiction, this means internal consistency of the logic of the story). |
Line Editing | You have finished a draft, but you know there is a lot of work left to do. You need a first set of professional eyes on your text. | In line editing, I will focus on the big picture of your piece. If it is fictional, does the timeline make sense? Are there plot holes? Does the internal logic of the world remain consistent? If it is nonfiction, I will focus more on organization and word choice to ensure you are guiding your readers through your work. I will not focus on mechanical issues such as punctuation in this pass, as this text is expected to be majorly revised after this edit, and we do not want to waste too much time on details that may be cut from the final product. |
Combined Edit | You only have time or budget for one round of editing in your production schedule, and need to cover the big picture and mechanical elements together. This option is most popular among independent authors. | In a combined edit, I will spend more time with your text overall, focusing both on big-picture elements like in a line edit and on smaller mechanical and stylistic elements like in a copyedit. |
Introductory Packages
I have recently (June 2024) completed my Copyediting Certificate at UC San Diego Extension, and would like to offer my earliest freelancing clients discounted package rates as I build my portfolio. These rates will only be available for a limited time, and subject to my availability.
Short Story: $125
For a combined copy and line edit of a fictional piece up to 10,000 words, along with a copy of my completed style sheet
Academic Paper: $135
For a combined copy and line edit of an academic paper in the humanities or social sciences up to 8,000 words, along with a copy of my completed style sheet
Personal Essay: $35
For a combined copy and line edit of a personal essay or memoir-style piece up to 2,500 words, along with a copy of my completed style sheet
Let's Work Together
Use the contacts below below to get in touch if you would like to work together! I will likely reach out for a complimentary Zoom consult where we can discuss your project and you can determine whether I feel like a good fit for your words. If you decide to move forward, I offer a complimentary sample edit of 1000 words from the manuscript for you to confirm you will be happy with my work. If you decide to work with me, we can discuss production schedules and turnaround time and set up a service contract to move forward.
Email Address
jen@bittersweeteditorial.com
Phone Number
(919) 335-5385