Claire M. Caterer

Editing isn’t just about correcting spelling or putting commas where they belong; it’s about sculpting a writer’s passion so it will play for the masses. What good is brilliance if no one understands it?

I charge hourly rates for these editing services:

Line Editing

A “heavy edit” that takes a hard look at content, focusing on organization, clarity, fact checking, and trimming the fat. Usually involves rewriting or suggestions for rewriting, depending on the client’s preference.

Copyediting

I copyedit for consistency, adherence to style, and grammar; light fact checking. I specialize in children’s literature but have copyedited more than 200 books in these genres:

• cookbooks
• biography
• general trade
• fiction (adult & juvenile)
• sports
• self-help

Expertise includes:

• Chicago Manual of Style
• Associated Press Stylebook
• Working knowledge of French, Spanish, some Italian & German
• Internet research skills
• Can edit on hard copy or electronically, using Microsoft Word Track Changes function 

References available on request.

Proofreading

I check pages/galleys against copyedited manuscript. Verify that all queries were resolved. Check for spread alignment, widows/orphans, bad breaks, and any errors missed in copyediting. See Copyediting, above, for a list of the types of books I’ve worked on.