Kirkus’ Professional Editing Package includes a consulting session and three full rounds of editing to polish your manuscript and make it ready for either self-publishing or submission to agents and publishers. To mirror the editorial process the major houses follow, each manuscript receives three different levels of editing designed to address everything from plot holes to punctuation errors. First, your manuscript will go through a full round of Collaborative Editing in which your editor flags any developmental issues that require revision. After your edits have been incorporated and you’ve completed your one-hour consulting session, you’ll upload the newest version of the manuscript for a round of Copyediting—a rigorous cleanup of all grammar, spelling, and style errors. You’ll review the copy editor’s queries and edits and make any additional revisions needed. Once you feel the text has been finalized and is ready for publication, you’ll upload the revised manuscript for a Final Polish. In this last stage, a proofreader will scour the manuscript for lingering typos and formatting inconsistencies. The finished product will be a clean, professional manuscript ready for publication or submission to agents and publishers.

PROFESSIONAL EDITING PACKAGE DETAILS

1. After placing your order, you will answer a few questions about your project and upload your manuscript in Microsoft Word format using our secure server.
2. You will be automatically transferred to a page that confirms receipt of your order and features a personalized author dashboard, where you can check the status of your project.
3. Kirkus will assign your project to the editor most uniquely qualified to work on your book by considering each editor’s portfolio of experience, track record of success in the genre, and subject matter expertise. Within two business days, a professional editor will have your manuscript and all the information you provided when you placed your order.
4. When your edited manuscript is ready, we will send you an email containing a link to your author dashboard where you will find two documents: (1) a memo from the editor with both general feedback and specific notes (2) a one-page sheet outlining instructions on how to schedule your one-hour consulting session with the editor, an (3) the edited manuscript ready for download. All the edits made by our editor will be tracked in the document using Microsoft Word’s track-changes function, so you will be able to accept or reject each correction made by the editor. Note that you must have Microsoft Word on your computer to participate in our editorial program.
5. After you’ve incorporated the changes from the Collaborative Editing phase and completed your consulting session, you'll upload the revised manuscript on your author dashboard.
6. Kirkus will assign a new editor to your manuscript for phase two: Copyediting.
7. When round two is complete, we will send you an email containing a link to your author dashboard, where you will find two documents: (1) a memo from the editor with both general feedback and specific notes and (2) the edited manuscript ready for download, once again edited using Microsoft Word’s track-changes function.
8. After you’ve incorporated the changes from the Copyediting phase, you’ll upload the newest version of your manuscript on your author dashboard.
9. Kirkus will assign a new editor to your manuscript for round three: the Final Polish.
10. When round three is complete, we will send you an email containing a link to your author dashboard, where you will find two documents: (1) a short memo highlighting any widespread changes that were made or style conventions that were retained contra industry convention, and (2) the polished manuscript ready for download, once again edited using Microsoft Word’s track-changes function. You may revisit your author dashboard to access your editorial memo and edited manuscript at any time, even after your initial download.
11. Ready to get your manuscript edited? Get a free quote for the Professional Editing Package and get started today!