Editing

After years of editing and proofreading for my church and school, I decided to take the plunge and learn to be a professional editor. I have edited my own writing for many years, but there is something much more intense about working with someone else’s words.

I strive for two things:

  • To help the author communicate as clearly as possible (so the reader will understand the writing in the way the author intends).
  • To maintain the voice of the author.

I use Word to track changes and leave comments. In the end, the author receives a marked-up copy with questions and corrections that will lead to a finished product she (and I) can be proud of. (Yes, I occasionally allow sentences to end with prepositions).

Currently, I offer line editing and copyediting together, because I find it hard to separate the two.

I plan to offer proofreading in the near future. I only edit devotionals and Christian living books right now. If you have something similar, you can ask. I will be branching out into other genres very soon.

Please contact me for my rates. I currently charge around $0.02 per word. (Expect some variations, depending on the manuscript and delivery time.) Click here for an explanation of the different levels of editing.

Endorsements:

Stephenie Hovland provided comprehensive editing services prior to the release of 7 Trials Every Woman Faces: Is Job a Member of My Family Tree?. I appreciated her attention to detail and the clear focus to follow the style guide given. Her suggested changes and comments referenced Chicago Manual of Style and The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style, so I had confidence in her suggestions. The additional comments as we worked to prep the manuscript for publication felt more like a collaboration than merely hiring an editing pro. I also asked her to be a sensitivity reader and she did a great job with that. She even went above and beyond the duty of an editor, by helping me look for potential pull quote statements to use in the book. If you’re looking for a team member for your book project, Stephenie is a great pick!
-Kathy Carlton Willis, author, editor, and speaker at KathyCarltonWillis.com

Stephenie Hovland’s knack for editing is more than just a red pen to paper. As a first-time author, I came to Stephenie with little knowledge of the editing process. Her professional skills and personable approach immediately let me know she would handle my project with care. Communication and explanation through the entire process exceeded my expectations and helped put those newbie jitters to rest.
-Gina Stinson, author of Reclaimed: The Stories of Rescued Moments and Days and blogger at GinaStinson.com