INDEPENDENT AUTHORS
Woot! You’ve finished writing that book and you’re ready to strut on down to Publication Station.
Or are you?
At some point, you’re going to have to take a step back and have another set of eyeballs well, eye-bang your material. No author wants to lose a reader or receive a DNF rating due to sub-quality work.
If you decide to become a member of the Book Club, know that you will be working with someone who has been an avid reader of adult romance fiction for over thirty years (and HELLA LOVES this genre) or has a personal interest in the non-fiction topics mentioned below.
I’m your last line of defense before you send your book baby off into the Big Wide Publishing World. Let’s make sure your mistakes don’t cockblock your progress.
I like my heroes flawed and drop-dead gorgeous, my heroines strong and feisty (even if that doesn’t happen until the end), and the sexy times hot enough to make me change my underwear (it’s happened).
I specialize in steamy short stories and/or serials up to 17K words MAX. If your manuscript doesn’t fit within one of the below categories, then I will not be a good fit for you.
Subgenres I love to read:
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Contemporary
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Paranormal (shifter and/or vampire only. Similar to Lynsay Sands, J.R. Ward, or Shelly Laurenston)
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Suspense (similar to Anna Hackett or Susan Stoker)
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Interracial/Multicultural
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Erotic (no BDSM, same-sex, menage, or reverse harem)
Preferences:
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M/F couples in the primary hero/heroine roles (but I'm an ally for LGBTQ+ supporting characters).
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No end-of-book cliffhangers (as in "Find out what happens in the next book!"). I want a HEA or an HFN (Happy For Now).
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I like Light MC. No dark motorcycle club Sons of Anarchy kind of shit.
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No large age gap (not a fan of 20+ year differences)/Sugar Daddy/Sugar Baby shit.
ARE YOU READY TO THRUST YOURSELF INTO THIS EXPERIENCE?
Editing Services
Copyediting
WHAT YOU GET:
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Flagging for repetition, awkward phrasing, ambiguous vocabulary, obscure jargon, and content inconsistencies.
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Free sample edit
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Two-pass copyedit of your entire document
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Clean-up edits after revisions have been incorporated
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Clean and edited versions of your document
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Feedback via inline comments
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Custom style sheet
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30-day email support
$0.014/per word
How I Roll
My goal is to build long-term relationships, which is why all prospective GoddessBoss Book Club members are required to submit a 1,500 word to sample edit. This will allow me to determine the status of your material and the type of services you really need. Check out the GoddessBoss Book Club page to see the books I've edited.
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If I'm intrigued after your edit, I'll send you a draft quote based on the word count you provided in the inquiry form.
- You like what you see? Coolio. I'll send a contract and invoice for a nonrefundable 50% deposit. This gets you on my schedule.
- As your commencement date nears, you'll submit your manuscript as a Word file (.doc or .docx).
- Following our mutually agreed-upon schedule, I'll eyebang your manuscript, make necessary corrections using Word's Track Changes tool, and then return your document to you.
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Again, following the pre-established schedule, you'll revise and update your manuscript, then resubmit your draft for a second pass.
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The second edit covers the entire document, not only the new or revised sections. When it's done, I'll provide both a clean and marked-up version.
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After editing is complete, you'll receive the invoice for the final payment. Once it's been paid, your file will be uploaded to your secret-coded folder for your review.
Books in a series or anthology collection are considered individual submissions, but return clients will receive $10 off total invoice.
Additional read-throughs will be considered a new project and charged at original rates.
*I do not accept work that contains graphic or disturbing content.
**I do not offer Rush options.
Frequently Asked Questions
GoddessBoss on Retainer Questions
What type of editing is involved?
Proofreading - Surface check of typos, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting. This is the final read of a document before it is ready for publishing.
Copyediting - Flagging for repetition, awkward phrasing, ambiguous vocabulary, obscure jargon, and content inconsistencies.
Is there a minimum engagement length?
Nope on a rope. But I do offer discounts for six- and twelve-month commitments paid up front.
Will the unused word count roll over from month to month?
That's another nope on a rope, girlfren'. Ya snooze, ya lose. So, write some more shit, Goddessboss.
For that matter, what if I go over the word count within my subscription plan?
Well, stop writing so damn much, woman! Just kidding. I'll let you know 14 business days before the end of the month that you need to take your fingers off the keys (or drop the pencil), do three woosah's... and decide whether you want to upgrade to the next plan. OR be invoiced the overage at a rate of $0.04 per word that will be added to your monthly invoice.
Can I make adjustments to a retainer package?
Hells to the yeah! I can be a flexitarian. If you don't see what you're looking for, holla at me and I can create a custom package to meet your needs.
Can I set up a consistent editing schedule?
I'd be all over that like white on rice. As Tom Cruise said in Jerry McGuire, "Help me, help you." Once you're onboarded, a client portal is set up for you. But if you need to integrate me into your own project management system, that's fine, too. We can discuss workflow, scheduling, and deliverables once I've been hired.
General Questions
How long does it take to complete an edit?
Well, that depends entirely on the length of your document and the editing type. Based on the scope of work and a sample edit, I'll be able to estimate how long the project will take. We can then determine the due date for the first revision. If you wish to work with me on a retainer, we'll discuss workflow, scheduling, and deliverables.
Will you be using my project for case studies?
Well, it's proofreading. Or copyediting. There's not much detail to go into when it comes to these services. If you're thinking there will be public grammar shaming or publishing confidential/proprietary information, you won't be finding any of those shenanigans going on over here. However, I do post "vague" project details with word counts, client testimonials, and book release announcements on my blog and in my newsletter. Full details are outlined in your contract.
What kind of results can you guarantee?
As we all know, there are no guarantees in life. I aim for perfection, but I am far from perfect. I can guarantee that I will use reasonable efforts to ensure services will be rendered to the best of my abilities.
Why don't you charge by the hour?
I don't want to charge by the hour because that reminds me too much of the Corporate Hell I'm currently trying to extricate myself from, so I kicked that option to the curb.
Will you sign an NDA?
BRING IT, BOSSBABE! You've got material to protect, and I am here for it.
Do I need to sign a contract to work with you?
Oh, girl, YASSSSS! An agreement outlines expectations for our relationship and the project, and, well, there's the whole accountability thing.
What if I need a rush edit?
I think The Supremes got it right when they said you can't hurry love. At this time, I don't offer rush (as in a 24 hr or same day turnaround) edits. I am still currently chained to a cubicle in Corporate Hell and do not have the time for a quick turnaround. However, that may change once I've managed to screw the cubicle.
What do you NOT edit?
Material that doesn't fit within the above guidelines.
How do you edit changes?
My preferred method of editing is via Track Changes in MS Word. I provide a clean version of your project with the changes embedded and I also provide a version without the changes embedded. This way, you can choose to either accept or reject any changes on your own terms. Additionally, I use the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), PerfectIt, ProWritingAid, and Merriam-Webster Dictionary as resource tools, unless you would prefer me to use something else.
Why do I need an editor? Can't I just get a family member or a friend to go through it? Better yet, I can just use Grammarly, right?
Sure, you can have your bestie, or your mom read over your work. If you want feedback from the point of view of the general public, that is. But they're not an editing expert, haven't had any training, and don't understand the unique rules of style guides. As for automated tools like Grammarly, I'm not going to knock it. Not gonna lie, I cheat and use editing software (not Grammarly) in my business but as an addition to my other tools of the trade. Machines and humans are not infallible, but we can work in tandem. Unless you're a Terminator. Then we're all fucked.
Do you edit full-length books over 15k words?
No. Since I work with female entrepreneurs in addition to indie authors, I won't have time to devote myself to editing full-length novels. The stories I prefer to work on must fit within the following boundaries:
Short story - <7500 words
Novelette - 7500-17,1500
Will my files be safe?
Oh, yes, girl. You will have access to a private folder on Hightail, a secure FTP site where all your projects will be stored. Only you and I will have the secret code word. Plot Twist: If you want to upload files directly to your folder, you will need to create a Lite Account on Hightail.