Free edit & evaluation:

What to expect: Writers are sometimes taken aback by the shortcomings that my free sample edit reveals. One writer wrote this to me: "My responses to your comments were 1) Shit, this guy really does know what storytelling is all about and 2) I have a long way to go to enable the reader to see what I see and feel what I feel." The good news is that a talented, determined writer can overcome the blemishes that hold their work down.

The writer referred to above had learned what a client wrote about my edit of his novel: "Ray does not hold back. His critique was honest, encouraging, and straightforward. " It can be disheartening to get a sample edit riddled with edits and comments on things that need to be addressed, but writers who want to be published suck it in and get on with it. Some writers have used my sample edit to do a rewrite before sending their manuscript for editing.

Types of manuscripts: adult-level novels and book-length non-fiction (non-technical) only, please.

Email as an attachment the first fifteen or twenty pages of your completed manuscript, properly formatted. Pages should be formatted as specified in the Process section—double spaced, 1" margins, 12 point type font. Please follow these guidlines—I take it as a sign of professionalism.

To download an example of properly formatted manuscript pages, click here.

Here's what may happen:

1. For samples that I feel are a good fit with me, I will comprehensively edit the first five pages and write a brief critique of the full sample. You'll see what to expect from me in a full edit, and I'll get an idea of what will be involved in editing your work. I'll email the edited five pages and critique to you, no strings.

2. Because editing is subjective, if I feel I cannot give you my best effort because of the nature of your work, I will let you know. I'm not one for extremely "literary" novels, for example. But if you want vivid, crisp scenes and strong pacing, we'll be rowing your literary boat in the same direction. Similarly, technical non-fiction would be better off with a different editor, but narrative non-fiction can be a good fit for me. Please include the following information in your cover email:

• the word processor you use (Word 2000 or earlier, Word 2002/XP or later; WordPerfect...)
• the word count of your completed manuscript.

Attach your file and email to  ray at editorr.com.