“Laila’s editing was just what I needed. I’ve had experiences where people have advised something is not to their taste, but Laila helps you see what can take the story to the next level. She asks helpful, probing questions and helps you to be sure you’re conveyed a character’s motivation and direction. I could tell she had gone back to reference earlier pages to ensure she wasn’t misremembering details that had her flustered. I felt I was in the hands of a professional that gave me constructive feedback in a caring way, which is so hard to do. I would recommend her without hesitation, and hope to use her invaluable editing skills again. ”
Testimonials:
“No matter how experienced a writer you may be, you always need someone with a sharp eye, a clear head, and a kind heart, to read your work and make suggestions. I found Laila to be just such a person. She has extensive experience writing for and reading with children. She has good intuition for the things a child will understand and for what will interest them. She looks for simplicity, clarity, and imagination. She is positive in all her comments, being careful to address equally the parts she likes as well as the parts she thinks could be improved. For the parts she thinks need work, she provides clear explanations and alternative ideas. Her suggestions are always to the point and helpful. It is hard to view your own work without bias. I found that Laila provided the impartial eye, expertise, and attention to detail that I needed to complete my work to my own satisfaction. She is both positive and professional. It was a very helpful experience to work with her.”
“I found Laila’s insights very helpful as I developed my manuscript. She has a good understanding of story structure and has an especially good eye for finer details like character development. She was very good at noting areas in my story where characters’ actions/behaviors weren’t authentic in relation to how they’d been described earlier, where my characters were evolving too little as the story went on. Thanks to Laila, I felt like my manuscript ended up with much better and more well rounded story/character arcs. ”
Types of Edits I Offer:
Manuscript Evaluation
I will do one thorough read of your manuscript and make comments in the margins. A manuscript evaluation provides an editorial overview of your novel without the full depth, detail, and expense of a developmental edit. It gives you a good assessment of your novel, especially at the earlier stages, of what aspects of your work are in most need of attention.
What’s Included:
One close read with comments in the margin
5-10 page editorial letter, including my view on your novel’s readiness for submission to agents and/or publishers
My recommendation on next steps, and where you need to focus your revision efforts
Developmental Edit
I will do a thorough analysis of your novel with emphasis on the big-picture story elements such as voice, pacing, structure, plot, and character development. A developmental edit is an in depth look at each element of your story with scene-by-scene feedback.
What’s Included:
Two close reads
A heavily annotated manuscript
A 15-20 page editorial letter identifying your manuscript’s biggest strengths and weaknesses, with revision suggestions explained in depth
A book map: A structural analysis of your book that gives a great overview of your novel
Rate:
0.65 GBP per word
Turnaround time:
4 weeks after payment
Rate:
0.75 GBP per word
Turnaround time:
4 - 6 weeks after payment
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Fill out the form that tells me a bit about your project or email: lailarifaat@gmail.com and I will get back to you to decide on whether you want to go ahead with a free sample edit. I will then ask you to send your entire manuscript as a word attachment. I will also give you scheduling information so you can make a decision about whether to proceed with a sample edit.
Free sample edit. I will read up to 10 pages and give you a taste of my editing style by commenting on 2-3 pages.
Quote. Within 7 days, you will receive a quote (with no obligation to proceed). If I don’t think we are a good fit or that your manuscript isn’t ready for editing, you will still receive some thoughts on how to proceed with your editing journey. If I believe we’re a good fit, I’ll offer a quote.
Review. You review the sample edit and make a decision about whether you want to proceed.
Contract. If we decide to proceed, I send you a Letter of Agreement (LOA) with a detailed Scope of Work and schedule. We correspond on any changes and finalize the LOA.
Deposit. You send an email agreeing to terms, and pay a deposit.
Edit. I do the edit according to the scope of work agreed upon.
Deliver. I deliver the edited manuscript. You pay the balance.
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I specialize in editing middle-grade novels, that is, stories written for children between the ages of 9 -12 years, both fiction and non-fiction.
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A developmental edit is an in-depth look at your story. Thorough attention is given to all the main story elements such as voice, pacing, structure, plot, and character development. This edit also includes scene-by-scene feedback. It looks at the story and the way you’ve told it, and makes sure the reader’s experience of the book matches with your vision. You’ll get two thorough read-throughs, inline edits and comments, a detailed letter of editorial feedback, and a book map—which together serve as both a revision plan and a personalized learning tool.
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A manuscript evaluation provides an editorial overview of your novel without the full depth, detail, and expense of a developmental edit. It gives you a good assessment of your novel, especially at the earlier stages, of what aspects of your work are in most need of attention. This edit will make sure that the main story elements of your novel are working, and that they fit your vision.
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While I will do everything I can to make sure your manuscript is in the best shape it can be, I cannot guarantee that it will be picked up by an agent or publisher.
Are my editorial services right for you?
I can help you if…
You are writing for children between the 9 - 12 years.
You want big-picture feedback (not sentence-level).
You are ready for honest but kind feedback.
I can not help you if…
You are writing for adults.
Your haven’t finished your manuscript.
You are not open to feedback on your writing.
You want line editing or copyediting.
Request a free sample edit
Would you like to find out if we’re a good fit? Why not try a free edit? I will read up to ten pages of your manuscript and give you feedback. No commitment required.