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Held Editing: Let's Get You On The Write Track!

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102K views 109 replies 22 participants last post by  TonyWrites  
#1 · (Edited)
Does your plot weave and sway like a freight train tiptoeing along bad track at ten miles per hour? Got typos sprouting up like weeds along a railroad line? No sweat, scribe. Held Editing can get you on the write track! (Pun cheerfully intended. :) )
I am an editor who works closely with my clients, sending them regular updates and queries, because I believe editing is a collaborative process. This is your manuscript, not mine. All I am here to do is help make your work shine like well-polished rails spiked onto fresh ties.
I offer copy and line editing, and proofreading. But my work covers considerably more than simply making sure your prose's grammar is fine and your writing is typo-free. If, say, you are writing a detective novel, and he/she is a likable sleuth, I am going to offer you suggestions as to plot and/or character detail that will help ensure your readers cheer on your heroes. No editing software ever made can offer writers that kind of encouragement, because technology is impersonal, and I always bring a personal touch to my editing work, because I love my work and want to see my clients succeed.

I work on these genres:

Mystery (hard-boiled detective, amateur sleuth, or police procedural; no courtroom drama, please)
Historical (no preference)
Western (no preference)
Action-adventure (no preference)
I also work with fantasy (nothing too dark, please), literary (ditto), romance (serious only, especially romantic suspense) and sci-fi (nothing dark and dystopian, please). I also work with non-fiction authors (any topic except math and politics, please).

Got anything shorter than a book you need help with? I also edit everything from articles and short stories to letters to the editor and blog posts.
So come on. Let's get you on the write track! :)

Website: www.heldediting.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/heldeditingservices
E-mail: heldediting AT gmail DOT com

Update: All new clients are eligible for 25% off any editing service.

Testimonials


"I am very pleased with the editing work Tony did on my last novel. Not only did he grind through it in an efficient manner, but he also provided me with timely updates and sought my input on suggested changes."

Stephen Randorf, author of the Detective Bass Mystery Series

"Working with Tony Held helped me to significantly improve my book, add needed scenes/chapters and remove unnecessary elements. His chapter by chapter feedback was detailed and pointed out where I needed character or scene development, had inconsistencies from any point in the book to another or had simply nailed it and he loved it. He was timely in responses to me and I couldn't be more satisfied with the experience. I highly recommend working with Tony."

Patrick Adams
Owner, Patrick Adams Books

(Pardon the messy thread below. My business has experienced much evolution since I first set up shop in 2013.)
 
#2 ·
Sounds like a really good deal, Tony, and you have impressive credentials it looks like. I have my next edit booked, but I'll definitely keep you in mind. :)
 
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#4 ·
I also throw in free reviews of all the books I edit upon their publication. I post my reviews to Amazon.com, Goodreads, and other venues to help get word of mouth publicity started about the book.
You do realize that this is a violation of the Amazon review TOS, correct?
What's not allowed
Amazon is pleased to provide this forum for you to share your opinions on products. While we appreciate your time and comments, we limit customer participation to one review per product and reserve the right to remove reviews that include any of the following:

Objectionable material:
• Obscene or distasteful content
• Profanity or spiteful remarks
• Promotion of illegal or immoral conduct

Promotional content:
• Advertisements, promotional material or repeated posts that make the same point excessively
• Sentiments by or on behalf of a person or company with a financial interest in the product or a directly competing product (including reviews by publishers, manufacturers, or third-party merchants selling the product)
• Reviews written for any form of compensation other than a free copy of the product. This includes reviews that are a part of a paid publicity package

• Solicitations for helpful votes
• For more information on what we consider promotional content, please see our Frequently Asked Questions.
Further, if you are not disclosing your relationship with the author when posting the reviews, you are also violating FCC regulations regarding disclosure and endorsements. Amazon might just ban you from their site if you get caught. The FCC can fine you tens of thousands of dollars.
 
#5 ·
FYI: I am no longer offering reviews as a bonus to my work.  (I respect the Amazon TOS and FCC regulations.)
 
#6 ·
Tony,

Welcome to KBoards! [br][br]You're welcome to promote your business and website here in the Writers' Café, but we ask that the same basic rules be followed as we have for authors in the Book Bazaar: you may have one thread about your service and must post to it rather than start a new thread each time. New threads about the service will be removed. Please bookmark this thread so that you can find it again to post to. And, you may not make back-to-back posts to the thread within seven days. If someone responds (such as this post), you may reply but otherwise must wait seven days, thanks![br][br]Also, active members (10 or more posts on our forum, active in the last 60 days) may have a listing in the Yellow Pages for Authors. [br][br]Betsy [br]KBoards Moderator
 
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#7 ·
Hmm, flat rate editing?

Ok, so we have a title with 300K words.

Not the usual 60K to 120K novel.

A real beast.

Not to hold you to a flat rate, but you see the problem with this post.

I've never seen a legit proof read offer with a flat rate, not to say you're not legit, but it's kinda hard to do when a work can be 20k or 500K words. Time is money and you can't proof a 500K work as fast as you can 50K words.

But a good proofer is a need for many authors, especially Indies.

Good luck.
 
#8 ·
Hi Betsy:

Thanks for the welcome and guidelines.  :)

Hi Free eBooks:

Are you saying that in your opinion a proofreading rate should not be a flat one but an hourly one?

Hi Maine:

Thanks for the kudos!  :)  The first project you sent me is almost done.
 
#9 ·
Hi all, Just a quick note. I'm actually the co-founder of Writer.ly, where Tony lists some of his services. I've seen nothing but professional output from Tony. This guy walks the walk. We're lucky to have him on Writer.ly.
 
#10 ·
Hi Kelseye! :)

Thanks for the kind note.
Writer.ly is a great place if you want to hire me using a third-party source. They are vastly superior when compared to ODesk and ELance because they are super professional, friendly, and easy to work with.

Here is a link to my Writer.ly profile:

https://www.writer.ly/UserAccount/EditingbyTony
 
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#11 ·
Tony -

Am bookmarking the page for future reference.

As for Writerly ... ? I tried to sign-up so I could take a look around and it's insisting I approve an app that allows it to view all my friends and change my profile?

No thank! Seems very intrusive for a site where services are being solicited. And, no, I don't want to turn it off later since I don't want it on in the first place.



 
#13 ·
WPotocki:

Try PM'ing Kelsye about your issue with Writer.ly.  She is with them.
I will keep a slot open for whatever work you will have for me.

Kwalker:

I will be making sure I keep a slot open for whatever work you might have for me as well.

Happy NaNoWriMo month everyone!  8)
 
#14 ·
WPotocki said:
As for Writerly ... ? I tried to sign-up so I could take a look around and it's insisting I approve an app that allows it to view all my friends and change my profile?

No thank! Seems very intrusive for a site where services are being solicited. And, no, I don't want to turn it off later since I don't want it on in the first place.
Thanks for letting me know about this. This surprises me. We don't post anything to Facebook. We do allow a Facebook sign-in, but I will check with our developers to make sure our Facebook link is for sign-in purposes only. You can also create an account on Writer.ly without connecting Facebook. Personally, I never allow connection for those types of apps either. I certainly don't want our site asking for those permissions, especially as we don't use them.
 
#15 ·
Kelseye:

Thanks for your input re: the issue at Writer.ly WPotocki experienced.

WPotocki and Kwalker:

I've still got slots open for you whenever you are ready for me to work on your stuff.

maineavalanche:

The last of the three manuscripts I worked on for you was sent back Thursday night.
 
#17 ·
I'll be standing by if you do.  :) I've still got open slots.
 
#19 ·
Many thanks for the kind words, Daniel!  :)
 
#20 ·
Tony I love seeing your thread pop up. Your picture always makes me smile. I have no idea what you were actually doing when that was snapped, but my mind has envisioned quite the tale. It looks like you are standing with your hands on your hips. The next door neighbor's dog is barking again and you've finally had enough and are announcing that you intend to storm over there and do something about it once and for all!


okay admit it, I am not the only one who has these types of random thoughts...am I?  ???
 
#21 ·
Hi KL! :)

I appreciate your compliment on my photo. I see you are like me and have a storyteller's knack for imagination (yes, I also write as well as edit/proofread stuff). ;D
Seriously, I was just striking that pose for the camera that day. I'm glad you liked the photo.

BTW: As I noted in the update to my first post in this thread, my list of books I have edited/proofread now stands at seventeen. 8)

I also came across this instructive article which I believe is a must read for authors in search of an editor:

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/5-tips-on-how-to-work-with-an-editor/
 
#22 ·
TonyWrites said:
Note: Please send a five page sample from your manuscript if you are sending an inquiry. I will perform two sample edits on it and send it back so you can see how I work. One a "hand on" edit in which I change more than typos, and a "hands off" edit in which I correct typos but confine the rest of my work to notes. We would go with which style of my editing you preferred.
I love this. It's such a good idea.
 
#23 ·
Nicole@CSC said:
I love this. It's such a good idea.
Thank you, Nicole, for your kind comment.
Frankly, I think it is the way all freelance editors/proofreaders should work. You wouldn't buy a car without test driving it, would you? Of course not. So having a freelance editor/proofreader do a demo edit for you is a good way for them to see how you work, and whether or not you could work with them.
 
#25 ·
Many thanks for the kudo, Mobashar.  :) 
 
#26 ·
Hi Tony,

I've increased my production rate and need a proofreader/editor with a reasonable rate (about .025-.003 cents per word) that I can work with on an on-going basis. I need a reasonably priced proofreader who also fixes small grammar and spelling errors. That is my ideal editor. 

I'm a little confused about what you charge. Do you charge per word? What do you charge for a 50k word novel? What do you charge for a 75k word novel? Is it the same rate? Will you edit steamy romance?