Editorial Services at Wheatmark

Editorial Analysis - $199, 1–2 weeks
The Wheatmark Editorial Analysis provides a thorough evaluation of your unpublished manuscript, and is highly recommended to all authors. A senior-level editor will assess your manuscript to determine the level of editing needed to conform to today’s standard publishing guidelines. The 10-to-15-page checklist provides feedback and recommendations on the overall text (audience, tone), English usage (grammar, spelling, punctuation), content (ambiguities, text flow problems), formatting issues, notes or bibliography errors, potential permissions issues, and other editorial notes. The analysis uses a 10-point scale to score your manuscript on these editorial issues, and also includes a sample edit to illustrate exactly how the prescribed level of edit would affect your writing.

The cost of the editorial analysis, if purchased prior to selecting a publishing package, will be applied toward the cost of the Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 publishing packages.

Regular Copyediting - $0.02 per word, 2–3 weeks
The manuscript is rated 6–7 on the 10-point Editorial Analysis’s scale. Regular Copyediting is a basic edit for:

• Errors in grammar and punctuation
• Minor errors in syntax (if major syntax errors exist throughout, heavy copyediting is recommended)
• Questionable words and phrases (which will be flagged so you can change them)
• Errors of common knowledge (e.g., The Jay Leno Show would be changed to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.)
• Phrases and word choices regarded inappropriate for the subject or readership
• Instances where permission to use a quote, song lyric, image, etc. may be required (your editor will flag the item in question)

Light Copyediting - $0.015 per word, 2–3 weeks
The writing is considered an 8–9 on the Editorial Analysis’s 10-point scale. The editorial objectives for light copyediting are the same as for regular copyediting—some manuscripts simply require less editorial involvement than others. A favorable Editorial Analysis is required for light copyediting.

Heavy Copyediting - $0.024 per word, 2–3 weeks
Heavy copyediting is necessary when the manuscript is submitted in a format that does not lend itself to traditional publishing (a 4–5 on the Editorial Analysis’s 10-point scale). The editorial objectives are the same as for the lower-level editorial services, with additional checks for:

• Serious errors in syntax (in some cases, the author will be asked to change the sentence structure in order to retain the intended meaning)
• Organizational problems on a sentence or paragraph level
• Retaining the plotline, character traits, and continuity throughout
• Minor instances where the content strays/digresses from the purpose of the story (if major instances occur, a developmental edit is recommended)
• Fact checking: Light research will be done as warranted. This entails checking quotes, names, common data, etc. that are easy to find. Note that not all items will be checked.

Heavy Copyediting:

• Does not reorganize paragraphs to establish a logical flow of thought for the reader. If this is necessary, then a developmental edit is recommended.
• Does not provide excessive direction to the author.

Developmental Editing - $0.054 per word, 6–8 weeks
Developmental editing requires a serious commitment from both the author and the editor to improve a manuscript that scores 3 or lower on the Editorial Analysis’s 10-point scale. Multiple editorial passes are required to effectively convert the manuscript into a publishable piece of work. The developmental editing process also includes heavy copyediting. See the details of developmental editing.

Proofreading - $0.009 per word, 1–3 weeks (prerequisite: any of the Wheatmark copyediting services)
Once your manuscript has been turned into a fully paginated proof, a proofreader will:

• Correct spelling errors
• Check hyphenation at ends of lines to be sure it follows publishing standards set in the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed.
• Confirm that typeface and font are displayed correctly, including these elements:
  • Italic, boldface, small caps, or any font different from the body copy font
  • Heads and subheads
  • Set-off items—excerpts, poetry, equations, etc.
  • Any errors resulting from the conversion of electronic files
• Review page numbers, running headers, and running footers for consistency
• Verify that illustrations and tables are placed correctly in the text
• Query whether permission has been granted for reprinting any copyrighted material included. If permission has not been granted by this stage, the item may need to be deleted or replaced by the author.
• Check each page spread for length, vertical spacing, widows (a short line at the top of a page), and orphans (a very short word or part of a word at the end of a paragraph)
• Check TOC (table of contents) for accuracy by cross-referencing it with the chapter titles, subheads, and any other heads in the book

Indexing - $0.015 per word, 4 weeks
A professional indexer will create a back-of-book index for your nonfiction book. Your indexer will select the appropriate index specifications to meet your audience's needs. If you plan to provide an index yourself based on the paginated proof, please see Index Inclusion.

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