Welcome and thank you for visiting my site! I am a published author and freelance editor with over a decade of experience. I have edited hundreds of manuscripts and query letters and have combed the slush pile at two literary agencies. I have traditionally published seven books with more on the way. My novel Girl Out of Water was a Junior Library Guild Selection, and my novel You Asked for Perfect was named to best of year lists by YALSA, Chicago Public Library, and the Georgia Center for the Book. I hold a BA in English and a BA in Advertising from the University of Georgia and an MFA in Creative Writing from the New School. My many roles in publishing have given me a unique eye to help shape and polish books so they stand out to both industry professionals and readers. My clients have gone on to sign with agents and sell their books to publishers.
I have experience with all age categories and genres, and I edit works aimed for both traditional publishing and self-publishing. Whether you are looking for overall thoughts on your novel, fine-tuned line edits, or a standout query letter, I am confident I can bring your work closer to its full potential!
Levels of Manuscript Editing
Beta Read
A beta read is a big picture edit. This is the perfect edit if you have only written one or two drafts of your book and need guidance on how to revise. I will read your manuscript and provide a detailed letter of overall thoughts. This letter will address items like plot, pacing, character, and craft. I might address anything from ideas on how to amp up the tension in your novel to how to create a fulfilling character arc to highlighting repeating craft issues that can be improved. For nonfiction, this letter will also address craft, along with items like comprehension, pacing, and readability. $0.018 per word
Developmental Edit
A developmental edit is a more in-depth content edit. I recommend this edit if you have already revised your book multiple times but seek help on the scene level. In addition to the letter of overall thoughts, I will also make comments throughout the pages of your manuscript. These comments will highlight any bumps and roadblocks I notice on the scene level. These comments can include but are definitely not limited to asking for more description of a setting, highlighting when a chapter ending falls flat, asking to flesh out the thoughts of your character, and so on. For nonfiction, I will also provide a letter and then make comments throughout the pages to address more in-depth items. $0.032 per word
Line Edit
A line edit is the most fine-tuned edit I offer. I recommend this edit if you feel confident about all the big picture items in your manuscript (like plot, pacing, and character) but would like help with the sentence level writing. For this edit, I will make in-depth comments about your writing. For example, I will note when a particular sentence runs on for too long, when a character sounds out of voice, or when I notice repetitive descriptions. If needed, I will make content notes as well, like those mentioned in the developmental edit. For nonfiction, I will also edit for improved sentence and word choice. $0.042 per word
Rewrite
A rewrite is a step above an edit. I recommend a rewrite if you are self-publishing a book and would like me to enhance your writing style. I will leave the actual structure and messaging of your book the same, but I will rewrite your sentences for improved impact and clarity. I will focus on similar elements to the line edit, but I will actually implement the rewrites instead of suggesting places for revision. I provide this service for both fiction and nonfiction. And although I will certainly correct grammar and typos where I see errors, this is not a proofreading job. $0.052 per word
Additional Services
Query Letter Edit: $50 for one round, $25 for each additional round
Synopsis Edit: $100 for one round, $55 for each additional round
Picture Book Edit: $120 for one round, $65 for each additional round
Phone Consultation: I am always happy to answer questions for free over email, but if you are looking for an in-depth conversation about publishing and/or your manuscript, I offer phone consultations for $60 for thirty minutes.
Submission Package Special!
Ready to query agents? I will provide two rounds of query letter edits and a line edit of your first ten pages for only $100. Ten pages should be standard formatting (Times New Roman, 12pt font, double-spaced).
Testimonials
“I cannot recommend Laura’s query and manuscript editing services enough! She streamlined my query and pitch, which led to me signing with my dream agent! Her strength is finding the heart of your story and building around it, so that your work stands out among the rest.”
-Amanda Joy / @amandajoywrites / author of A River of Royal Blood
“Laura’s editorial guidance is insightful, clear-eyed, and generous of spirit. She brought out the best version of my writing without ever substituting her vision for my own. I can’t recommend her highly enough.”
-Alex London / @ca_london / author of Proxy, Black Wings Beating, Dog Tags, and more
“Laura’s comments on my query were all insightful, helpful, and kind. She didn’t do the work for me, but gave me the feedback I needed to write a much stronger query. My edited query got me into Pitch Wars, which eventually landed me an agent and book deal. I can’t recommend Laura enough.”
-Meryl Wilsner / @mmwilsner / author of Something to Talk About
“Laura’s editorial notes on my current project were phenomenal. She skillfully identifies the most important threads and ways to develop characters – she really gets the shape of your book. This book has been pretty tough to write because it has 4 POVs and a lot of complexity, but Laura’s feedback made me excited to jump back in and revise and helped me present something that I love to my editor. I can’t recommend her enough.”
-Rachael Allen / @rachael_allen / author of A Taxonomy of Love and The Revenge Playbook
Contact
Interested in booking a job? Questions about my services? You can contact me directly at SilvermanEditing@Gmail.com or you can submit through the contact form below. I look forward to hearing from you!
