Lyneta is a gem-of-an-editor! She edited my first book and was thorough and timely. She understood my message and my mission and treated my work as if it were her own. I don't ever hesitate recommending her to my friends and clients looking for an editor.
Tiffany Baker, author of Soul Care for Go Getters.I rely on Lyneta to edit 90% of my content that goes out to publishers. As someone who is more naturally a speaker than a writer, I can be a frustrating client for some editors. Many want to gut my words and make them work in a format that works inside their framework. But Lyneta has the gift of taking my words, tweaking and rearranging ever so slightly, to make them shine. I am grateful for not just her editing, but our partnership.
Kathi Lipp, Speaker and Best-Selling Author of The Husband Project, Clutter Free, and An Abundant PlaceLyneta edited my first self-published book. I was thrilled by the insight of her feedback and the encouragement she gave me to move forward with this project. She is a kind and thoughtful editor and highly recommend her services.
Jenn Bryant, Practical Family PodcastLyneta has an eye for clarity and flow, while keeping the author’s voice and message intact. She offers helpful suggestions and encouragement along the way. Her writing and editing experience makes Lyneta an invaluable asset to any beginning or seasoned writer.
Theresa Miller, Dandelion Sisters BlogLyneta has the skill and the creative ability to take what you’ve written and define and refine what you really want say. I know I’m in good hands when I send my writing to Lyneta. I’m always pleased with what she sees and suggests. She’s making me a better writer.
Jeannette WilcockLyneta refines my blog posts, focusing on the technical aspects so the creative flow and accuracy are present. Her turnaround is quick and supportive!
Maureen Metcalf, MS
My joy as an editor comes from helping authors produce clear, error-free writing that inspires, entertains, and helps readers.
I like to look at the editing part of the process like an inverted triangle. It’s most efficient to start with big-picture issues and work your way to minute details. There are three main types of editing I offer.
Developmental
A developmental edit focuses on big-picture issues like continuity, clarity, flow, and subject matter. In fiction, it addresses plot holes, character development, and pacing.
It’s important to work with a developmental editor first, so that you aren’t deleting whole paragraphs that you paid someone else to place commas or other fine tuning.
As your developmental editor, I’ll create an editorial letter detailing which elements you need to work on during revision and make comments in the text as well.
Copy editing
After the developmental editing stage, it’s time to look at copy editing, or line editing. A copy editor makes suggestions about issues like tone, run-on sentences, spelling, and inconsistencies. Say, for example, you’ve capitalized pronouns used for God in some of your chapters but not others.
As a copy editor, I will do an in-depth line-by-line edit to make each sentence and paragraph more readable. I’ll also check for any citations and ensure the book follows The Chicago Manual of Style (or your publisher’s preferred style guide). Most of your feedback will be in the comments and the text of your document. You’ll have the opportunity to go through each suggestion and either reject or accept the changes.
Proofreading
The final proof should occur after the text is already typeset. If you’re self-publishing, the book designer will set the copy, and if you’re traditionally publishing, the publisher will set the copy. Typically, traditional publishers employ their own proofreaders, so you won’t likely have to hire one.
If you’re self-publishing, I highly recommend a different person than your developmental and line editors to proofread your project. As your proofreader, I’ll check for any typographical, spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors and mark the changes in the PDF.
