02 — Editorial Services
Substantive Editing
Rewriting and reworking at paragraph and section level.
What this service involves
Rewriting and reworking at paragraph and section level. This work sits within our editorial services practice, and is shaped around the particular manuscript in front of us rather than a fixed template.
Editing at InkStone moves from the whole to the detail. We begin with what the book is trying to do, then work inward — structure, chapter, paragraph, sentence — so that every change has a reason behind it.
How the work runs
- 01DiscoverUnderstand your work, goals, audience and ambitions.
- 02DevelopIdentify opportunities and establish the right direction.
- 03RefineStrengthen the work through focused literary expertise.
- 04DeliverPrepare the project for its next stage.
Questions
Before you begin.
- How do we begin with substantive editing?
- You send us the work, or a description of it, through the manuscript submission form or by email. We read it, ask any questions we have, and come back with a proposed scope, timeline and fee before anything is committed.
- How long does it take?
- It depends on length, condition and the scale of the work involved. We give you a specific timeline once we have seen the material, and we hold to it.
- Will the work still sound like me?
- Yes. Editorial Services work at InkStone is built around your intentions. We explain our reasoning, raise queries rather than quietly rewriting, and leave the final decisions with you.
- What does it cost?
- Fees are quoted per project rather than from a price list, because manuscripts differ enormously. Tell us about your work and we will give you a clear, itemised quote.
Related services
- Editorial Services
Developmental Editing
The big-picture edit: structure, argument, character, pacing and purpose.
- Editorial Services
Structural Editing
Reordering and reshaping a manuscript so its architecture holds.
- Editorial Services
Line Editing
Close attention to language, rhythm and clarity, line by line.
- Editorial Services
Copyediting
Grammar, usage, consistency and style applied across the manuscript.
Begin
Send us the work.
We read what you send, then reply with an honest assessment and a clear proposal — scope, timeline and fee — before anything is agreed.