WORK WITH ME
Books may well be the only true magic.
— Alice Hoffman
— Alice Hoffman
Way better than just “proofreading”
Magic Words offers book editing for fantasy authors (and other speculative genres), specializing in revealing the magic of your words: the style, voice, flow, clarity. Can’t remember those long-forgotten grammar rules? I’ve got you covered! Whether through a professional critique or a complete review of every letter and sentence, I make sure your book is free of goblins and gremlins—so you can publish your work with confidence.
The Full Editing Journey
The whole enchilada—critique to tweak. A full editing journey is a long-haul trek
through your story and its words to make sure your book is the absolute best, beginning to end.
(MANUSCRIPT ASSESSMENT + LINE EDIT + COPYEDIT)
INVESTMENT RANGE: $.03–.05 PER WORD
THE PACKAGE
YOU'LL RECEIVE
PERFECT FOR
Style Tune-Up
A Style Tune-Up smooths anything that takes your reader out of the story, keeping them hooked
on your mesmerizing fantasyland and gushing about how brilliant a writer you are.
(LINE EDIT + COPYEDIT)
INVESTMENT RANGE: $.02–.04 PER WORD
THE SERVICE
YOU'LL RECEIVE
PERFECT FOR
Nuts and Bolts
A Nuts and Bolts catches those slipups and typos that crept in during the arc of writing
your manuscript—you know, everything sharp-eyed readers like to point out in reviews. Oops!
(COPYEDIT)
INVESTMENT RANGE: $.01–.02 PER WORD
THE SERVICE
YOU'LL RECEIVE
PERFECT FOR
Story Diagnostic
A review of your story from a professional reader who knows how to point out what works and
what doesn’t without killing your motivation. It’ll get you back on track or set you on a new, better road to publication.
(MANUSCRIPT ASSESSMENT)
INVESTMENT BEGINS AT $500
THE SERVICE
YOU'LL RECEIVE
PERFECT FOR
Query Cleanup
A thorough diagnostic of your manuscript’s query letter and synopsis, addressing what will make
an agent’s eyes pop and what might get the story tossed in the “no” pile.
INVESTMENT RANGE: $200–350
THE SERVICE
YOU'LL RECEIVE
PERFECT FOR
Help Me Choose
Developmental, line, copy—not sure what kind of editing your story needs?
Take the quiz and find out!
Answer a few simple questions about your manuscript and what mile marker you’re on in your writing journey, and this not-so-scientific quiz will guide you to the next waypoint on the path.
Shawna was a delight to work with. From the beginning, she was very communicative and made sure I was comfortable with the timeline and the deliverables. Her developmental edits were thoughtful and thorough. Her line edits brought out the best in my story and made it infinitely more readable. Throughout the whole process, Shawna sent me updates and left encouraging notes. This was an ideal editing experience! I would recommend Shawna to any aspiring author looking to take their story to the next level.
As a first-time author, the editing process was super overwhelming. That was until I met Shawna, and I knew immediately my manuscript was in good hands. From our first communication to our most recent, Shawna has been kind, clear, insightful, and just the best to work with. Upon receiving her edits, it was clear how much work Shawna put into her services, and I am so grateful I could have her talent on my story. Because of Shawna's Style Tune-Up I am certain my book is in much better condition than before, and I hope to work with her again!I was more than pleased (delighted! invigorated!) with Shawna's query assessment and happily made the changes she suggested. I appreciate the depth and understanding of her recommendations and really believed she had my best interests at heart.
Working with Shawna was a wonderful experience. From the beginning, she homed in on what I liked about the book, which was the rhythm of the language, and she kept that intact throughout her detailed and thoughtful editing.
I felt that she was an ally as I read through the remarks, and everything she noted was valid, clear, and helpful. At every stage, Shawna is professional and present. I would recommend her to any writer.As a first-time author, I finally took the big plunge and sent my book out for editing. I can't say enough good things about Shawna and her Story Diagnostic. Not only did she help me identify the problem areas in my manuscript, but she also offered up innovative ideas for fixing them. Throughout the whole process, she was enthusiastic and responsive. I truly got the feeling that editing is a passion of hers and not just a job. I would recommend Shawna without a doubt and look forward to working with her in the future.
Magic Words has been invaluable to my editing process and writing journey. As a first-time author, I had a lot of anxiety and imposter syndrome, but I felt supported through this whole process and left feeling empowered despite having a lot of work left to do. All I can say is thank you, and I’ll be back.
I was at a point in my process where I needed to know if the story I had in my head was the one that I was putting into words. Shawna’s Story Diagnostic was thorough and encouraging. It gave me the energy to carry on to the next phase of my novel. She is warm and encouraging, yet practiced and professional. I trust her feedback, her advice, and her commitment to the content she is reviewing and the relationship she in turn builds with her clients! 10/10 Would recommend!
Shawna's editing is adept, respectful, and intelligent. She is also a creative thinker just brimming with outside-the-box ideas and inspiration. I have no doubt Shawna will be an enormous asset for any writer or publisher who teams up with Magic Words Editorial Services. I think she’s a little bit magic herself.
Shawna's copyedit was extremely helpful because she corrected things that I couldn't see on my own. Her suggestions and edits fit within the flow of the story and my personal style. I never once felt a suggestion changed the integrity of the story, only enhanced, cleaned up, and made it better—exactly what a writer needs from an editor.
