Editing Philosophy

I approach my editing with the eye of a reader, meaning that I’m always looking to edit material in a way that would make me want to read it. What do I like to read? I like to read writing with innovative structures and poetic language that has a beating heart inside of it. I like to read writing that is both cerebral and heartfelt. Still, I also like to read writing that is wry and funny or informative and eye opening. As a reader, my interests are vast, and this is reflected in my editorial interests. Whatever you’re working on, I will strive to meet you where you’re at, and my focus as an editor is to uncover the beating heart of your project. In order to accomplish that, we must first find the compass that guides your manuscript. While editing, I become a kind of excavator, because once the compass has been found, the rest tends to become easy.

 

In addition to publishing a memoir with a Big 5 publisher and an essay collection with the prestigious Roxane Gay Books, my essay “It Will Look Like a Sunset” was anthologized in Best American Essays 2015. Other essays were listed as notables in Best American Essays 2013, 2016, and 2018. My essays have appeared in many literary and trades magazines, including The New York Times, The Rumpus, Gulf Coast, Alaska Quarterly Review, Glamour, Stylist UK, Denver Quarterly, and others. I was the Managing Editor of Brevity Magazine from 2015-2017, as well as an Assistant Editor at Quarter After Eight, and a reader at the New Ohio Review. I have received grants or fellowships from the Ohio Arts Council, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the Vermont Studio Center, Dickinson House, and the National Endowment for the Arts. I have an MFA and a PhD in creative nonfiction, and I have taught creative writing at the undergraduate and graduate levels for 15 years. I am also on the inaugural board at the literary magazine The Rumpus.

  • For essay edits, I’ll read your manuscript and offer marginal comments (with some line edits but not copy editing), alongside a 1-2 page letter of detailed, single-spaced feedback. I’m also happy to schedule a 30-minute Zoom call to answer any questions after you’ve read my feedback.

    Rates:

    $150 for flash (under 1500 words)

    $300 for under 5000 words

    Anything above that is on a per-project basis.

  • Big Picture Edit:

    This edit is ideal for someone who has a first draft of a completed book and is looking for broad feedback before settling down for revisions. I will read your completed manuscript and offer a detailed letter with feedback about what I think is working, as well as what I think could use revision. I will not offer marginal comments within the manuscript. We will finish with a 45-minute Zoom call to address any questions that you might have. My friends sometimes say that my superpower as an editor is in identifying structural issues that are keeping the book from reaching its full potential (fun fact, I did this edit for Maggie Smith’s bestselling book Keep Moving), and these are my favorite edits to do. 

    The rate for such an edit starts at $1,500 for 50,000 words, and my turnaround time is about one month. If you move on to a developmental edit later, you will receive a $750 credit towards that edit.

    Developmental Edit:

    For a developmental edit*, I provide an editorial letter with in-depth feedback on how the book is working overall (structure, voice, characterization, narrative arc, etc), as well as analysis of each chapter or essay. I don't provide extensive line edits, but because my greatest love as a writer and editor is language that is both lyrical and sings, I will provide marginal comments on sentence-level issues. We will finish with a one-hour Zoom call after you've read my feedback to address any questions you might have and discuss steps towards publication.

    The rate for such an edit starts at $3,000 for 70,000 words. My turn-around time is about two months, but I can expedite that to one month for an additional $500. At this point in time, I should have ongoing availability after August 1st.

    *I do not recommend this service for book projects that are in the early stages, particularly because, unlike many developmental editors, I provide marginal comments, which takes time but isn’t useful if the material is going to change substantially.

    First 50:

    The first 50 pages are always the most important in a manuscript. They set the tone, establish the stakes, and create a road map for how the narrative will be told. An evaluation of these pages is usually enough to diagnose big-picture issues in a manuscript. This evaluation of your first 50 pages (conventional formatting and double-spaced) of your manuscript comes with an editorial letter and a thirty-minute Zoom call to offer guidance as you revise. I will not offer marginal comments with this edit, but specific lines and passages will be highlighted with suggestions for improvement within my response letter.

    The rate for this edit is $500, and if you move on to a developmental edit later, you will receive a $250 credit towards that edit.

  • Coaching services and rates are determined in coordination with the writer, and they can look like a weekly Zoom call where I offer encouragement, feedback, and accountability or a one-time Zoom call where we discuss paths to publication, agent queries, or book proposals. They can really look like anything! Coaching is not a one-stop-shop because it is inherently designed to help the writer with their specific needs. If you have interest in coaching, please reach out to me by email, and we can discuss options, as I am very flexible.

  • All projects are taken on a per-project basis and subject to availability.

    Rates are current as of August 2024.

    Cancellation commitment: If I, Kelly Sundberg (editor) cancel for any reason, I will refund the deposit. If the writer (client) wishes to cancel, the deposit is non-refundable. Sending the deposit via PayPal or Venmo is an acceptance of these policies.

    Manuscript evaluations can be reserved with a 50% deposit, with the balance due when services are completed. For all other services, payment is due in full upfront.

    An edit includes one round of feedback only.

    *All services can be scheduled directly with me by using the contact form on this website.