Romance Editing

Editing a romance novel by yourself is hard!

Maybe your manuscript isn’t where you want it to be, but you don’t know how to fix it.

Or the idea of publishing your novel feels overwhelming, and you don’t know where to start.

 Whether your dream is to . . .

. . . you can rely on my knowledge and experience as a romance editor to help you get there.

My Process for Editing Romance Novels

I believe in actionable advice, presented in a way that celebrates your strengths and gets you motivated for the revision process.

My process as a romance editor has 3 steps:

One of the hardest parts of finding an editor was finding someone who understood my writing style and knew how to strengthen it. I sent samples to many editors over several projects, and it wasn’t until I received a sample back from Clara at Prometheus Editorial that I knew she was the one for me!

She knows how to edit my work while also keeping my word choice. When she finds something that might change the way my story is written, she asks questions and communicates options with grammatical rules, giving me the choice to make the changes that work best for my story. I plan on having Clara edit all my future novels, since I love working with her!

~Dee Rollings, Contemporary Romance Author of A Liar and a Thief

Types of Romance Editing

Most of the editing I do falls into one of the following categories:

Copyediting for Romance

You may be looking for a romance editor to polish your writing and help you convey your story clearly and effectively to your readers.

This is usually a copyedit, which can get you:

Developmental Editing for Romance

Or you might want a romance editor to focus on the story and the big picture and help each scene drive the story forward.

This usually means a developmental edit, which helps you with your:

Editorial Assessment for Romance

If you aren’t sure what your manuscript needs, can only afford a smaller edit, or want to include multiple rounds of editing to get your manuscript as good as it can be, you may want to start with an editorial assessment.

This includes the same type of story editing as a developmental edit but goes into less depth. It focuses on the big picture rather than including feedback on each scene or in-line comments in the manuscript document. With years of experience as a romance novel editor, I can quickly identify the main issues in your story and show you what needs your focus.

Clara carefully reads to gain an understanding of both you and what you’re trying to say. Her developmental editing advice is respectful, knowledgeable, and on point. She’s smart, well-versed in her craft, and takes her responsibility seriously. She will give you value and treat you honestly.

Her copy and line editing reflect the same qualities, and regardless of what type of editing you choose, she will offer advice on other matters for which she has no obligation – to make your writing better.

That is my experience, and I would not hesitate for a New York minute, to recommend Clara if you are a serious writer.

~Robert Every, Romance Author of A Day Like Any Other

Romance Editing for Authors Planning to Query

If you are on a traditional publishing path and choose to work with me, you’ll get to:

Romance Editing for Self-Publishers

If you are on a self-publishing path and choose to work with me, you’ll get to:

Sample Edits & Free Consultations

To give you an idea of my editing style before we commit to working together, I offer a short sample edit or a 30-minute phone/Zoom consultation to new clients. This will give you an idea of my editing approach and whether it works for you.

I like to briefly review the manuscript beforehand, at least the first chapter or two but ideally the full manuscript. You deserve an editor who’s a great fit for your novel, so I like to make sure ahead of time that I’m the right person for your story and your writing style.

Seeing the full manuscript also helps me get a sense of how much work is needed so that I can provide an accurate quote.

For copyediting, a sample edit is the best way for you to get a sense of my editing style. This will include editorial suggestions in redlining as well as comments alongside the manuscript.

I’ve found that a phone or Zoom consultation is a better approach for developmental editing and editorial assessments. This will help us get on the same page about your vision for the story and give you an idea of how I approach story editing.

Scheduling Your Romance Edit

If you’re expecting to need editing within the next few months, now is the time to reach out! Sometimes my schedule fills up quickly, so it’s better to ask about my availability now than wait too long and end up with delays.

Romance Editing Costs

The prices below reflect common ranges for each of my romance editing services. Every edit is different, and the cost is based on the scope of the edit and how much work is needed, so these are just broad estimates that most romance manuscripts fall into.

Whichever type(s) of edit you choose, your novel will also get free query letter and synopsis editing or free blurb editing and keyword research once you’re ready to move forward with publishing.

Prometheus: The Greek Titan of forethought and innovation who brought humankind the gift of fire, leading to the development of art and civilization. Credited by the playwright Aeschylus with the invention of writing. [from the Greek προμηθεια (prometheia) FORESIGHT; πρό prep,  BEFORE; μαθεῖν vb (aor, act, inf of μανθάνω), LEARN]