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Book Editing Services by Wandering Words Media

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“Does My Manuscript Need Editing?”

Congratulations, you finished writing your book! Wait-what? No one else has reviewed your manuscript?! Before you hit print on your next book, can we interest you in our editing services at Wandering Words Media?

We understand – “But, my book is my baby! You can’t change my manuscript!”

Rest assured, we only intend to add polish to your manuscript so it can shine. Think of our team as artisans curating your words into the best possible message.

We will walk with you through every step of the process and do everything we can to make your book the best it can be for your audience to savor.

Who Needs Our Book Editing Services?

  • If you have a ready-to-launch manuscript that needs another once-over, this is for you.

  • If you have a half-baked manuscript that needs a couple more rounds of editing, this is also for you.

  • If your ‘book manuscript’ reads like a liquored-up college student scrambled it together, sweet heavens, you definitely need us.

What Types of Book Editing Services Do We Offer?

We understand every manuscript is at a different stage of development. In some cases, our first contact with a script is when it’s close to being a finished product.

Spoiler alert: we love those manuscripts! What more often occurs is a manuscript needs a fair amount of TLC to make it shine before it hits stores.

The editing time frame can be anywhere from 30 to 90 days depending on the length of your book, the amount of work the manuscript requires, as well as how many clients are currently in our queue.

We organize our projects in the order of payment received, and then we do our best to be as efficient as possible.

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What Are the Different Phases of Book Editing We Offer?

The different phases of editing include:

  • The Developmental/Content phase helps with the overall design and style, considering the organization and intended use. In fiction, this includes help with pacing, plot, characterization, etc. In nonfiction, this ensures that your lessons/information is effective and crystal clear. Chapters are sometimes moved around and whole segments might need to be added or deleted. Edits will also focus on transitions, accuracy, flow, voice, clarification, etc.
     

  • The Copyediting phase takes place once the manuscript is developed and the content is solid. This phase is where we review material for accuracy, repetition, inconsistencies, word choice, syntax, tense, and a number of other content elements. The Copyediting Phase tightens the manuscript and works to eradicate mistakes.
     

  • We also offer a Bundle Package that tackles both Developmental/Content AND Copyediting in one round. This is the most time- and cost-effective option. But, because we are doing it ​all in one round,​ please keep in mind the results will lower in quality. ​Think of it like having multiple tabs open in a browser; when my team is looking for so many things at once, it slows us down.
     

  • The final phase is Proofreading, which is included in our Full Service Bundle (explained below) and is available if you have gone through at least one round of Copyediting with us. A dedicated proofreader is assigned to review the manuscript one last time for typographical errors and mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. This is an essential last step in making the document as error-free as humanly possible.

We also offer Outlining and Beta Reading services, which aren't really "editing," but may be just what you need--especially if you are early in your writing process or just aren't sure if your book is "working" as intended. See those pages for more info.

What if My Manuscript Needs EVERYTHING?! 

Ah, yes, the ‘book manuscript’ that looks more Crayola than completed… this is where our full-service book editing approach is designed for you. Your manuscript will be reviewed by at least three people (unless specified otherwise). Our Full-Service Editing team has been vetted and works together like clockwork. If you are working with other editors outside of our team, please be aware your results may not be consistent.

Full Service editing covers at least one round each of developmental/content editing, copyediting, and proofreading--but it also may include additional rounds of one or more of those editing types along the way. Each project is different! 

Important note: these are editing services, not formatting services. Please understand all formatting must take place after the editing process! Because we work in Google Docs, the formatting between Google and other document formats does not always translate the same way. Therefore, any images, graphs, margins, fonts, or citations in the document may change in the editing process.

What People are Saying About Our Book Editing Services

Overall, the entire team was thorough and thoughtful with their feedback. I'm truly impressed by their professionalism, process, and attention to detail. It was hands down the best experience I've ever had working with book editors.

Alison Brehme

Author

I tried out a number of editors before coming to Wandering Words. Other editors didn’t seem to get me, didn’t really understand my style, made changes and suggestions that didn’t work for me. When Christina sent back the first sample edit, something clicked. She hadn’t changed anything--instead, she made suggestions, observations, asked questions. She wasn’t critical--well, she was critical, but in a good way. The way you need when you want to make that piece of writing the best it can be.

Janine Garth

Author, The Otus Swift Series

My book hit international bestseller status--OMG!!! Plus it ranked #1 in multiple categories...I cannot thank you guys enough, you and your company and your amazing editors!!!!! 🧡

Jennell Cook

Author, Wellness is Your Business

The Wandering Words team are phenomenal to work with. Extremely thorough in their editing and are downright delightful in every interaction. You get so much more than just book editing!

Kyle Gray

Author, The Story Engine and Selling With Story

Qatarina and I, we had an instant connection. It’s like two old souls crossing paths… that was very important because I was quite anxious about my debut novel—it was a nordic noirish, dark story… and some scenes or chapters… were difficult to write because it was a journey into the depths of many confused or corrupted human souls.

So, I needed an editor who ‘knew’… not just someone who could fix my English (not a native speaker) but someone who understood the story, the theme, and the unforgiving world my characters lived in. And then Qatarina popped up just at the right time! Stars aligned?

Qatarina is not just an editor to fix your grammar but she lets you keep your voice as well. She’s got something of… a story goddess. Hire her!

Aza Clave

Author, You Don’t Know Me

Qatarina’s unique connection to me as an author made the entire experience of having my book edited magical. She embraces every detail of the book creating process and takes it to the next level.

I was impressed with the way she communicated exactly what I needed to hear in order to make my book a success! Her wisdom in the necessary flow that my book needed in order to bring it to life for my readers made my job as an author effortless in knowing that I had her there to back me up.

Everyone deserves this kind of support when needing to remain in their heart space, trusting that the details will be adjusted without losing the essence of the creation.

Brigette Patton

Author, Soul Massages: A Journey of the Spirit

Qatarina and Christina made working with them so easy! We did a short sample and review and I checked out a few testimonials. After seeing the sample I was sold.

They have has been very thorough and so kind to review my questions, and share tips and wording based on their extensive experience.

WWM has turned my book from a good paper to a finished product I can be proud of and not worry about the grammar police.

I can’t imagine working with anyone else!

Blythe M. Edwards

Author, Balancing My Bipolar: A Holistic Approach to Living a Life You Love

Qatarina captures and accurately channels my voice in words. The flow is smoother now and that much more inspiring to read … and I’m the author!!! Qatarina is able to rework unstructured paragraphs and sentences while still being able to maintain my unique voice. This is a rare gem to find!!! She is phenomenal!!!

R. Raminyah Ingram

Author, Mama’s Manual and New Urban Rites

Qatarina has edited my book and has done a great job. She is very professional and genuinely cares about the book she is working on. She is so easy to work with, a great communicator and fast and efficient. Great work, Qatarina.

Sharon Pringle

Author, The Spiritual Solution to a Permanent Fit Lean Body

Qatarina and I instantly connected. She’s a thorough professional, yet personal, warm and does EXCELLENT work. She has made my book read so much better while preserving my voice. She even gave suggestions for a title! I love her work and want to use her services for future books too.

She only accepts books which she herself is interested in reading, this is very important in an editor because you want them to be engaged in your subject! It makes all the difference.

Qatarina also always delivers on time and is super dependable and responsive to questions. Five stars!

Geeta Rao

Author, Embracing the Best Of the East and West

Working with Wandering Words on an e-book project I was managing was a five-star experience! The communication was impeccable, and their processes for completing the project seamlessly were on point. They were able to meet or exceed deadline expectations throughout the timeline of the project, and the end result was a beautifully curated e-book ready for distribution. Thanks, Wandering Words!

Kristen Streeter

Author

“Our chief “want” in life is someone who shall make us do what we can.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Every writer dreams of delivering the most glorious and splendid version of their manuscript. Because of Qatarina Wanders, I now understand why authors thank their editors. Qatarina patiently brushed out the grammatical rat’s nest until it was shiny. She slapped periods on the ends of sentences like they were dollar bills on a poker table. Qatarina also put an end to rogue comma placement that was as senseless as machine gun fire.

I consider myself very good with words, and I have accepted the suggestions Qatarina Wanders made because it has amplified rather than diluted my unique voice. She has not only provided me with a service, she has me addicted to this process, and made it fun.

Qatarina Wanders has not only helped my book take a pleasing shape, she has solidified my identity as an author and strengthened my momentum. I can’t imagine working with another editor now.

L.A. Baker

Author, Just Plain Lucky, Founder of Pajama Party Press

Having Qatarina as my editor was one of the greatest if not “the” greatest experience during my book production (and I am Swiss so I do not naturally exaggerate!). She is a brilliant word artist. I remember when I was first reviewing her edits, I asked a friend to join me as I was afraid of what to expect. We were both amazed!! We were amazed at her style, at her fluency—and I would even call it elegant the way she transformed my sentences. What I particularly liked and appreciated was that she kept my words. She kept my style, however, put an elegance around my words and my thoughts. Like dancing with them. Needless to say, she performed an excellent job within the promised timeline, and I already look forward to working with her on my next book.

Monika Zahler

Author, Fearless in Finance

Qatarina Wanders, it was by Divine purpose that I connected with your team. Your fingerprints and your heart for me are all throughout this book. I learned so much through your process. The additional rounds of editing (Christina Bagni), proofreading (Allison Goddard) added so much more value to a high quality product. You have taught me so much. You are my forever people! And I have many more manuscripts that will be coming your way. Can’t thank you enough for all your edits for this book to meet criteria to qualify among some traditionally published authors for my latest award! Christina steered me straight from “run on sentences“ and her content and copy edits were beyond amazing. I have such a quality product only because of your team!!! I guess thinking you’re just paying for a book promotion-never thinking that could win you an award was wrong thinking!

Anita M. Oommen

Bestselling author of Picking Up The Shards, “Award-Winning Finalist in the Spirituality: Inspirational category of the 2019 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest”

With every round of feedback, the WWM team guided me to improve my book and my writing. As a first time author, I lacked confidence, but the process they took me through helped me fall in love with my book and be proud to publish it. Thank you for being detailed-oriented and always keeping in mind how special my story is to me!

Sophie Palagday

Author, Who Will Hold Me

I would like to recommend Qatarina Wanders and her team for any editing project. I have been able to work with Qatarina as the main editor on several books in multiple genres. She is a top professional with a strong background working with self-published authors and publishing her own best-selling books in both fiction and non-fiction. She is easy to work with and communicates regularly as the project progresses.

Qatarina is my go-to editor and she has helped me with all levels of editing from top-level developmental edits to proofreading. Over the past five years, I have recommended her to dozens of other authors with great feedback. In addition to her editing work, she has also been a leader in our author community at Self-Publishing School and received our first Author Impact Award in 2019.

Sean Sumner

Author and Self-Publishing School community manager

I can’t say enough good things about Wandering Words! If you are looking for an editor you cannot go wrong with Wandering Words Media, and if you know of someone close to the editing stage with their book send them their way!!

A.M. Brown

Author and poet

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