Substantive Editing

Canary Mafia Editing

We offer no-nonsense, honest feedback and editing services. We tell you what your editor and best friend dance around–what’s wrong, where it’s wrong, and why it’s so absolutely appalling (as well as how to fix it). If you would like to use our services, please contact us at ‘canarypost@gmail.com’ or through our  “Contact” form.

Substantive Editing:

We offer substantive editing (also known as developmental editing and comprehensive editing) in which we offer feedback on content, organization, plot, and style.

Pitch/blurb:

• we make it good. Often, authors have a terrible time condensing a story into short, succinct paragraphs of awesome; it’s all too easy to leave all sorts of feathery fluff sticking out. Blurbs matter, and we can make them work for you instead of against you.

Excerpts, Stand-alone Articles & Short Stories (pieces up to 10,000 words) and Full-Length Manuscripts:

• breakdown of overarching or emerging issues.
• reading analysis: characterization, setting development, and plot introduction.
• grammar, spelling, tone, etc: We will not proofread your grammar, but rather discuss issues, offer selected examples, and refer you to resources. For proofreading services, please see our Proofreading page.
• hook and reader appeal: Does the book engage the reader? Is the reader likely to continue reading? What kinds of readers (and in which age group and genre) will read on?

Query letters to publishers, agent and editors:

• We can work to help you out with this too, feathery friend.