LFK Red Editorial Services
Your Content Partner
Welcome to LFK Red Editorial Services, where quality
editing, writing and design services meet expertise in the field. With more than 25 years of industry experience, I excel in delivering top-notch content solutions tailored to your needs.
About Me
I am a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism, and I have worked in a variety of positions throughout my roughly 25 years in the industry, including more than 10 years in the agriculture publishing industry. I have experience in corporate, magazine, newspaper and web publishing, as well as freelance environments. My professional interests and areas of study are in editing, writing, research, content development, design and project management. Currently, I am the Senior Copy Editor for DTN/Progressive Farmer, a nationally recognized and award-winning agricultural website and publication. I am also a freelance Writer/Editor for Lawrence Business Magazine. Before that, I was a Copy/Research Editor for Health magazine, also a highly recognized and acclaimed publication. I have worked as the Web Editor at Hoffman Media, LLC, where I acted as liaison between the editorial and web departments; managed and wrote content for five publications’ websites; maintained monthly website updates for each publication; managed editorial web leads for each publication’s website; and developed content packages for all sites from concept to final package, among many other duties. I was also the Web Content/Editorial Manager at i-SAFE Inc., a nonprofit corporation that is dedicated to protecting the online experiences of youth everywhere. My job duties at i-SAFE included researching, developing and writing content for programmatic materials and the website; conducting monthly strategy meetings with i-SAFE directors and managers; working closely with the art department to incorporate graphics into content; editing copy for content, style and grammar; managing the foundation’s three monthly newsletters; and working with directors and writers to improve copy. For three years, I was a Copy Editor for Cooking Light magazine, where I edited copy for content, style and grammar; wrote feature stories; fact-checked; worked with writers to improve copy; and maintained and updated Cooking Light stylebooks. I also have done freelance editing for several publishing groups, including Lawrence Business Magazine, Southern Progress Corporation’s Custom Publishing division, Highlands Publications Modern Contractor Solutions magazine and Birmingham’s Black and White magazine.
Why
Do You Need an Editor?
Good books have professional covers and formatting, but great books have also been professionally edited. Our team of book editors will guide you through the revision process, suggest changes and ultimately make you a better writer. No matter where you are in your writing career, no amount of self-editing can replace working with good editors.
Types of Editing
01
Proofreading
Proofreading is frequently mistaken for copy editing and line editing. A proofreader is an editor who does a final review of a text before it is printed. They are searching for errors in spelling, grammar, formatting, and other small details. Authors seeking to self-publish frequently use a manuscript proofreader for a last review, but should not anticipate any creative input through this service.
02
Copy Editing
Copy editing examines the manuscript's grammar and mechanics, reviewing it at the sentence and paragraph level for spelling, style, punctuation, and other elements. Assessments of the writing quality and voice are typically provided, though not consistently. Copy editing is a more complete process than proofreading and involves providing creative feedback. If you want the fundamental aspects of your writing without significant alterations to your plot, copyediting would be a suitable option.
03
Line Editing
Line editing covers grammar and mechanics. The questions and corrections usually deal with bigger issues of voice, writing style, readability, characterization, plotting, and storytelling. If you want feedback on your writing basics, but are also looking for comments on what you’ve written and how to improve it, you will want to hire a line editor at minimum, rather than a proofreader or copy editor.
04
Developmental Editing
Developmental editing is the most comprehensive and full-service type of editing. It involves thinking small and big at the same time, commenting on all areas of your manuscript, from voice at the sentence level to the overall arcs of your character and plot. Bigger questions are asked about your story, thinking about character arc, theme, your use of imagery, and more. Developmental editing happens either in a summary report of the editor’s findings, or line editing, or both. Make sure you know exactly what kind of feedback to expect when you select the type of editing you need. Developmental editing services come at a higher price than other types of editing.
Pricing
Certain copy editors will charge flat fees for projects in some cases.
This amount is normally determined by the word count and style
of editing offered. Some example costs include:
1
Basic Editing
1,000 words: $50
2
Moderate Editing
1,000 words: $75
3
Heavy Editing
1,000 words: $100
4
Line Editing
$0.02 per word*
5
Proofreading
$0.01 per word*
*Minimum $175 per editing service per book. Sometimes it is impossible to catch every error. However,
having a set of fresh eyes read through the manuscript significantly reduces the risk of uncaught errors.
Structuring Your Ideas
Prices may be adjusted depending upon the depth of editing needed.
1 Pre-Editorial Review
Clients with larger projects are urged to submit manuscripts for a pre-editorial review so that the amount of work, appropriate pricing, and accurate turnaround time can be properly assessed. The fee for the pre-editorial review is waived if the client chooses to work with me, and then only the standard up-front fee of $45 to hold your place in my schedule is required (this is considered a part of the overall fee). Pre-Editorial Review Ø Estimated 6 hours of work, $90
3 Proofreading
Fiction, up to 25,000 words, $4/1,000 words. Fiction, 25,000-65,000 words, $5/1,000 words Fiction, 65,000 words and above, $6/1,000 words Nonfiction, general, $10/2,000 words Nonfiction, scholarly, $12/2,000 words
5 Rapid Turnaround
Rapid Turn-around Projects A fee of $25–$50 will be assessed for rapid-turnaround projects that are more than 20 pages in length, require extensive work in either services needed or amount of changes/corrections to be reviewed and fixed, and are requested to be returned within a less than 48-hour window.
2 Basic Editing
Fiction Articles/short stories up to 25,000 words: $9/1,000 words Novella manuscripts, up to 65,000 words: $10/1,000 words Book manuscripts, 65,000 words and above: $12/1,000 words Nonfiction General articles, up to 20 pages, $65 each, $5 per page for pages beyond 20. Scholarly articles, up to 20 pages, $80 each, $5 per page for pages beyond 20. Doctoral dissertations: Prices available upon review.
4 Substantial Editing/Rewriting
Manuscripts which require substantial editing/rewriting (this is more than just basic proofreading, copy editing, or structural editing; involves complete reworking of material, crafting something better than what exists by drafting new copy when needed, and often taking information/notes provided by the author to create additional content), due to the massive amount of work required, are billed at a much higher rate. Substantial editing/rewriting services start at $18 per double-spaced page (or industry standard average of 250 words) of the finalized document.
6 Consulting
Consulting All consulting projects will be billed hourly at the rate of $30.00 per hour.
My Work
FAQs
What is our publishing experience? I have more than 20 years of book and magazine editing experience. I have also served as an adjunct English instructor for many years, which in my opinion, counts as editing.
What categories do you work in? I generally work in fiction, recipe books, biographies, etc. I have done non-fiction but it varies depending on the requirement of technical knowledge.
Do you work via phone or in writing? While I do offer phone services, most of my work is written. Writing is how I think best, and besides, I want my clients to have a written record of their notes to refer to as they revise. So my editing is done completely in writing unless I’ve made a custom arrangement with a client. If you absolutely require phone support, look for an editor who will hop on the horn. But it’s all about how you work best and what you need.
What is the scope of your service? The turnaround? All of my written edits include query letter feedback, for example, and I’m very clear about that. Almost none of my services include a phone call. A good book editor should be very clear about the scope of each service, so there are no surprises or disappointments. They will also have no problem giving you a specific sense of turnaround timing. I bust my booty off to meet or exceed deadlines, and communicate very clear timeframe expectations to each client. If an editor isn’t responding to early inquiries, their communication is otherwise dodgy, or they are vague about their services, this might signal ominous things to come. You’re putting a lot of work into how to find an editor. Listen to the red flags you stumble across.
How do you handle revisions? Is a review of revised material included in the scope of service? Some editors will look at revisions as part of the original edit. Some will not. I charge for revision reads as an additional service, since not all of my clients request them. Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting so you can set your expectations. If you know you want more than one edit on your pages, make sure you know how to find an editor who does that.
How do you handle questions and follow-up? I believe that all editors should offer to clarify their notes and answer questions after an edit is returned. How is your editor going to handle it when any comments or questions spring up? Is there a phone call? Do they provide email back-and-forth? Ask the editor you’re thinking of hiring how they prefer to do follow-up.
Do you have an agreement? A reputable book editor should have a written agreement that outlines the scope of work, defines their contribution, discusses privacy, rights, and gets into other legal territory. (Never sign rights over to any editor or literary agent, by the way. If they’re asking for rights to your work—run! This is a very common publishing scam.) My editorial agreement is thirteen pages long. Why? Because I take my work, and your creative product, very seriously.
Do you offer guidance on next steps, submission, publication? Some editors are happy to discuss the edit after they return it, but that’s it. Others go the extra mile and provide guidance for next steps. If your goal is to revise your manuscript and eventually submit it to literary agents or for publication, will the editor provide any kind of advice or guidance? Since I’ve worked as a literary agent, I know I’m in a unique position to offer insider information. I always consult on next steps, submission questions, and other writing career issues at no additional charge.
My Portfolio
Welcome to my portfolio. Here you’ll find a selection of my work. Explore my projects to learn more about what I do.
