Services

Editorial services tailored to your manuscript

Focused offerings that meet your work where it is, from a rough draft to a polished, submission-ready package.

Manuscript Rewriting

Professional rewriting for authors who want to improve readability, structure, pacing, dialogue, and overall storytelling quality.

Included

  • Sentence and paragraph refinement
  • Story flow improvement
  • Dialogue enhancement
  • Grammar and readability polishing
  • Pacing and structure adjustments
  • Tone and consistency review

Query Letter Writing

A strong query letter can determine whether your manuscript gets noticed. We create professional, compelling letters that present your story with clarity and impact.

Included

  • Strong opening hook
  • Story summary refinement
  • Professional formatting
  • Genre positioning
  • Clear and engaging presentation

Synopsis Editing

A clear, compelling synopsis is essential when submitting to literary agents and publishers. We refine your synopsis so it captures the full arc of your story — characters, conflict, and resolution — in a concise, professional, and engaging way.

Included

  • Plot arc clarification
  • Character motivation clarity
  • Tone and voice alignment
  • Concise, agent-ready formatting
  • Tension and stakes emphasis
  • Spoiler-inclusive ending summary

Editing & Polishing

For writers who already have a strong draft but need cleaner writing, smoother flow, and better readability.

Included

  • Grammar corrections
  • Clarity improvement
  • Sentence restructuring
  • Word choice refinement
  • Consistency checks

Editorial Assessment / Critique

An evaluation of your manuscript to provide actionable feedback before full editing.

Included

  • Big-picture manuscript review
  • Actionable revision feedback
  • Structural and pacing notes
  • Character and plot assessment
  • Genre positioning guidance
  • Revision roadmap

Structural Editing

A deep look at the architecture of your manuscript — chapter order, pacing, narrative arcs, and scene progression — so the story builds naturally from first page to last.

Included

  • Chapter and scene sequencing
  • Pacing and tension calibration
  • Narrative arc strengthening
  • Plot and transition review
  • Subplot integration
  • Reader momentum optimization

Developmental Editing

Big-picture guidance on story, argument, voice, and audience. We help you shape the manuscript before line-level polish begins.

Included

  • Concept and theme clarification
  • Character and worldbuilding depth
  • Audience positioning
  • Voice and tone development
  • Argument and evidence flow
  • Revision strategy and roadmap

Copyediting

Precise sentence-level editing that corrects grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax while preserving your unique voice.

Included

  • Grammar, spelling, and punctuation
  • Syntax and sentence clarity
  • Consistency in style and terminology
  • Formatting and capitalization
  • Light fact-checking
  • Adherence to style guide

Proofreading

The final polish that catches any remaining typos, grammatical slips, or formatting glitches before publication.

Included

  • Typo and spelling checks
  • Final grammar verification
  • Formatting and layout review
  • Punctuation consistency
  • Last-minute error catch
  • Print-ready confidence

Sensitivity Reading

A careful review of how your manuscript portrays identity, culture, trauma, and lived experience, with feedback offered in a respectful, constructive way.

Included

  • Cultural and identity representation
  • Trauma and mental health portrayals
  • Language and stereotype awareness
  • Audience impact assessment
  • Constructive feedback notes
  • Respectful revision suggestions

Audio Original Editing

Editing support for spoken-word and audio-first projects, helping scripts, narrations, and podcasts sound clear, compelling, and natural.

Included

  • Script flow and pacing
  • Spoken-word clarity
  • Narration tightening
  • Episode structure
  • Tone and listener engagement
  • Audio-ready manuscript formatting

Agent Letter Advice

Guidance on how to approach, follow up with, and build professional relationships with literary agents — beyond the query letter itself.

Included

  • Query strategy and positioning
  • Agent research and targeting
  • Submission package review
  • Follow-up etiquette
  • Synopsis and pitch alignment
  • Professional correspondence tone

Publishing Industry Demystified

Plain-language guidance on how the publishing world works, from traditional submissions to independent options, so you can make informed decisions.

Included

  • Traditional publishing pathways
  • Independent and hybrid options
  • Submission timelines and expectations
  • Contract and rights basics
  • Author platform overview
  • Next-step action planning

Formatting / Layout Editing

Prepares the interior file design for print and ebook publication.

Included

  • Print-ready interior layout
  • Ebook formatting and conversion
  • Consistent typography and styling
  • Chapter and section breaks
  • Page margins and trim sizing
  • Table of contents and front matter

Not sure which service is right for your manuscript?

Request a Quote

Sample Work

Synopsis Sample — The Labyrinth in Winter

A professionally edited synopsis by Michael Jeffery Blair. Download the PDF to see the standard of clarity, structure, and tone you can expect from my synopsis editing service.

Download PDF

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about how I work, what I need from you, and what to expect.