Marla Sullivan

marla.jayne.sullivan@gmail.com/ (314) 239-6133

Are you searching for a reliable editing partner to provide honest feedback, technically polish your work to excellence, and still maintain your own voice, tone, and intent?

I am a former intelligence analyst, writer and editor; political science adjunct professor; and Navy Intelligence Specialist Chief offering copyediting, research, fact-checking, and proofreading services.

My technical writing/editing background and fiction copyediting experiences enable me to assist you in achieving excellent prose. I would be happy to provide an editing sample, a style sheet sample and references from published authors upon request.

I offer the following:

• Provide a detailed style sheet, which ensures consistency on all levels—from plot holes to punctuation, to character details. Ensure correct spelling, punctuation and grammar mechanics, and adherence to style guide on all texts—according to the copyedit level you require.
• Fiction: read your manuscript as a reader, and make timely recommendations to you regarding plot, flow, and readability. Our goal: the reader will not want to put your book down!
• Non-fiction: research and copyedit to ensure mechanics, facts, and references are correct and easily understood.

In addition to my practical job training, I have completed the EFA copyediting and fiction copyediting classes and have copyedited the manuscripts of several published authors.

Services:

Style Sheet (10% of the total copyedit price)

A style sheet is a detailed record used to maintain consistency throughout the manuscript or text and is completed during the copyediting process.  It outlines the specific usage, grammar, and punctuation used in the manuscript or text, based on the style. For example, it could outline how apostrophes are used for plural possessives, or if the serial comma is used, if there are spaces between ellipses.

In addition to the grammatical mechanics, there are sections on consistent spelling and capitalization of unique words, character names and descriptions (so your main character doesn’t have blue eyes in chapter one and green eyes in chapter twelve), key places and building descriptions, plot progression description by chapter (a summary of significant events, so plot holes become visible), and big-picture elements like narrative tense and point-of-view

Style sheets save time, money and confusion because it provides the ability to find inconsistencies and quickly correct them, instead of sifting through pages of text. It is also invaluable to the proofreader and publisher to correct missed consistency mistakes without having to sift through the entire text.

I can also provide a style sheet as you write, sending you the updated sheets as you progress.

Copyediting

Copyediting addresses spelling; punctuation; grammar; checks facts; checks for plot gaps and maintained consistency in plot, characters, and scenes; and ensures the chosen style is maintained throughout.

Copyediting and proofreading are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Where copyediting is a process completed before the manuscript is typeset (prior to publishing—when implementing changes do not dramatically increase cost), proofreading is completed after copyediting, and is the final last search for egregious errors prior to publishing. Changes at this  stage are expensive and could affect deadlines, which is why only conspicuous errors are usually addressed in the proofreading stage.

​There are three levels of copyediting, depending upon your budget and desired level of assistance: Light, Medium, and Heavy

Light Copyediting (2 cents per word)​

• Correct and maintain consistency in mechanical issues (spelling, grammar, punctuation, hyphenation, abbreviations, fonts, capitalization, formatting lists).
• Correct incorrect usage (use which instead of that, affect/effect, they’re/there).
• Ignore locutions that are not incorrect in grammar, syntax, and usage (but could be improved).
• Correlate footnotes and endnotes and cross-reference tables with text.
• Note material that requires permission to reprint.
• Mention, but do not suggest revisions for wordy or awkward sentences.
• Query the author for clarification of confusing terms and possible incorrect facts.
• Query the author about factual inconsistencies and possible incorrect statements.
• Ignore faulty organization and gaps in plot.

Medium Copyediting (2.5 cents per word)​​

• Perform all light copyediting.
• Point out or suggest revisions for improved grammar, syntax, and usage
• Point out or suggest revisions for wordy or awkward passages.
• Query the author about clarification of confusing terms or facts, and suggest revisions
• Query the author about factual inconsistencies and incorrect statements and use references to verify.
• Query inappropriate language.
• Ensure vocabulary lists and the index meet publisher specified criteria.
• Ensure previews and summaries reflect content.
• Query the author about inconsistencies in plot, setting, and character traits (this inconsistency is addressed in the style sheet also).
• Point out inconsistent style and tone (this is addressed in the style sheet).
• Point out passive voice and weak sentences, offer revisions if asked.
• Point out holes in plot organization and logic.

Heavy Copyediting (3 cents per word)​

• Perform all medium copyediting.
• Correct and revise faulty grammar, syntax, and usage.
• Rewrite and eliminate wordy or awkward passages.
• Rearrange sentences and paragraphs for clarity.
• Supply definitions and correct unclear words or facts.
• Rearrange headings and order of passages.
• Query and correct any faulty organization and plot gaps

More information: View PDF file

Years in the field: 4
Years freelancing: 1