“Serena Chase is a thoughtful developmental editor with great skill… I highly recommend her as a professional editor with the skills and natural talent to help bring a novel to the next level of professionalism, readability, and power.” ~ Melanie Dickerson, NYT bestselling author of The Silent Songbird and The Orphan’s Wish

Menu of Services

NEW! Story Coaching

My approach to manuscript editing is shifting toward a more relational direction. To that end—and with many thanks to some of my past clients for offering input!—I’ve created a new service: Story Coaching.

A RELATIONAL APPROACH
Story Coaching is an editorial coaching relationship that can begin at nearly any stage of the writing process. As your story coach, I will serve as a navigational guide, brainstorming partner, and structural analyst for your story. I’ll encourage you to dig deeper into crucial elements such as character, plot, dialogue, tension, worldbuilding, consistency, clarity, pacing, and believability while cheering you on toward every forward-motion victory, no matter how small.

INDIVIDUALIZED
This is not a one-size-fits-all service. Every author—and every project—is unique. Whether you’ve written a detailed synopsis, a partial draft, or you’ve completed a first, second, or forty-seventh draft of a novel, we can start with what you have and build from there. Perhaps all you have so far is a one-paragraph story premise, or the most basic outline. That’s fine! Wherever you are with your story, I will meet you there and help you move toward your goals.

HOW IT WORKS
Step One: Initial Consultation
While every client’s needs will differ, each project will begin with an initial consultation (by telephone or via a virtual meeting space such as FaceTime, or Zoom) during which we will discuss your project goals and ideal timeline, as well as your budgetary and scheduling constraints. Once those details have been ironed out, we will schedule our first story coaching session.

Step Two: Pre-coaching Story Evaluation
Following your initial consultation, but prior to your first coaching session, I will read and evaluate what you have written so far—whether that’s a one-paragraph story premise, a fully completed draft, or anything in between. When I’ve completed the reading, I will create a plan for our sessions based on the size of your project and its needs, the areas of your craft that need the most intensive guidance, the timeline by which you would like to have completed the new draft of your project, and the budgetary and scheduling constraints we discussed during our initial consultation.

Step Three: Story Coaching Sessions
Prior to each coaching session, you will submit a set of pages for me to read, which we will discuss during that session. Through our series of scheduled telephone and/or virtual meeting room sessions, I will partner with you to enliven your story and enrich the experience of your future readers. Together, we will identify areas in need of improvement, brainstorm solutions, map your story’s progress, and grow your story crafting skills.

By the end of our sessions for your project, you will have gained access to a new storehouse of tools to aid your writing journey. The number of sessions needed will differ between authors and stories. My goal is for you to get as much editorial insight and encouragement as possible out of every single session.

Step Four: Completed Story Evaluation
Once you’ve completed the draft we’ve been working on in our sessions, we will pause our coaching sessions while you revisit your story from the beginning on your own, tidying up the manuscript and applying what you’ve learned. Afterward, you’ll submit that completed draft to me for a Completed Story Evaluation and I will perform a light developmental edit on the story in its entirety to catch any additional issues and help determine your next best step toward publication.

Does this sound like something that could help you on your writing journey?
Let’s chat!

Due to the time-intensive, relational nature of this new service, limited story coaching slots are available. For the fee schedule, please contact me: serena@serenachase.com

I look forward to partnering with you to discover new ways to spark fresh life into your stories! I am presently scheduling new (and previous) clients writing the following fiction genres:

• Speculative Fiction (fantasy/dystopian/magical realism/sci-fi/paranormal)
• YA
• Middle Grade
• Contemporary Women’s Fiction
• Contemporary Romance and Contemporary Rom-com.

I am also accepting clients writing in the following non-fiction genres:

• Memoir
• Essay
• Devotional
• Self-help

Please note: At this time, I am not accepting historical fiction, historical biographies, or academic texts. As before, I do not edit books with explicit sexual content or romance fiction that would be categorized as erotica.

Developmental Editing

For clients seeking a more traditional approach to a comprehensive edit of a manuscript, I still offer these developmental editing services.

DEVELOPMENTAL EDIT, LEVEL I

The Level I Developmental Edit provides comments and suggestions in the manuscript document, identifying issues of structure, pacing, clarity, consistency, setting, character development, dialogue, worldbuilding, emotion, and reader engagement. The Level I Developmental Edit also includes an optional online video coaching session of up to 60 minutes to discuss problems/issues mentioned in the manuscript comments and to brainstorm possible solutions. This service is recommended mainly for experienced authors; however, it is also appropriate for newer authors seeking additional input or fresh editorial eyes after completing revisions on the project from another developmental editor.

RATE: $0.01/word

DEVELOPMENTAL EDIT, LEVEL II (with categorical analysis)

The Level II Developmental Edit is an exhaustive critique providing comments and suggestions within the manuscript document, both in-line and in the margins. Additionally, the author receives a detailed, categorical analysis of the manuscript. Generally 8-15 pages in length, this document evaluates the manuscript concerning issues of structure, pacing, clarity, consistency, setting, character development, dialogue, worldbuilding, emotion, and reader engagement, offering suggestions for improvement. Additionally, the author is provided with categorized lists of topical writing-craft resources related to specific areas identified as needing growth during the editorial process. The Level II Developmental Edit includes an optional online video coaching session of up to 60 minutes to discuss problematic issues and to brainstorm solutions to those problems. This service is appropriate for a manuscript’s first draft, and beyond. It is especially helpful for newer authors and those unfamiliar with the editorial process, as well as those seeking further education concerning writing craft language and skill implementation.

RATE: $0.015/word

Line Editing

I am currently closed to new line editing clients. If you would like to be informed when openings become available, please contact serena@serenachase.com

LINE EDIT

The majority of my Developmental Editing clients will tell you they receive a lot of “bonus” line editing suggestions from me within their developmentally edited manuscripts. Why? As I’ve explained to those clients, I have a hard time turning that part of my brain off while analyzing a story! It’s as simple as that. Except . . . those “bonus” line edits, while serving as helpful teaching tools for the author to use as the story is revised, do not erase the need for a full line edit of the manuscript once the developmental edits, revisions, and structural issues have been addressed. 

What is a line edit?

If you ask five different authors how the term “line editing services” should be defined, you might receive five subtly–or entirely–different explanations. Here is how Serena Chase Editorial & Creative Services defines line editing:

Line editing is the step in the editorial process that helps a story achieve its best possible rhythm, clarity, and flow. It is not a copyedit. Neither is it a substitute for proofreading services.

A line editor soaks themselves in the story, as told in that author’s unique writing voice, offering suggestions for rewording sentences, rearranging sentences within paragraphs, reordering paragraphs within scenes or subheadings, and the placement of and transitions between scenes/subheadings within chapters and/or timelines. Why?

Rhythm + Clarity + Flow = Reader Enjoyment

Line editing helps a story achieve a higher level of understanding and enjoyment for the reader.

A line editor is not a fact-checker or gatherer, but rather points out contextual/story-centric errors, as well as errors of a more technical nature, such as grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Note: A line editor is not a replacement for copyediting and proofreading. Line editing is about rhythm, clarity, and flow. It is not about technical perfection.

I utilize the “Track Changes” feature of Microsoft Word to make line editing suggestions both in-text and within comment bubbles in the margins. Accepting and applying those suggestions is left to the author’s discretion.

Since line editing is intensive work requiring frequent breaks for the eyes, I plan a 3-week turnaround for this service, though I often complete the edit before the deadline.

LINE EDIT RATE: $0.015/word

Marketing Copy

Marketing Copy Package

The Marketing Copy Package consists of the five crucial elements designed to help your book find its audience:

• Back Cover Copy
• Author Bio
• Short Web Description
• Keyword Suggestions
• Pull Quotes (nonfiction manuscripts only)
• 3 Instagram-ready text teaser images (fiction manuscripts only)

To construct your Marketing Copy Package, I will read your manuscript in its entirety. While reading a nonfiction manuscript, I will identify pull quotes (particularly moving/descriptive lines and/or short passages of text) to be used on social media and in other promotional efforts. For fiction manuscripts, I will identify and use quotes from the story and/or develop short, sparkling text teasers (for fiction manuscripts) to create three Instagram-ready images for use when featuring your book on social media platforms.

After I’ve read your book, I will compose your back cover copy, utilizing attention-grabbing language that will convert book browsers into book buyers. Using information gathered from the author questionnaire you will receive when booking your package, I will create an author bio that sparkles with life, capturing who you are as an author while showcasing your personality, unique qualifications, and, of course, your books!

Some online retailers require a short web description. As part of your package, I will condense your back cover copy into a few sentences that maintain a sales-conversion spark.

Finally, I will identify keywords you can use when uploading your book to online retail sites. These keyword suggestions are designed to help readers find your book when searching and browsing.

MARKETING COPY PACKAGE FLAT RATE: $200.00

All elements of the Marketing Copy Package are available a la carte, but the package is the best overall value. A la carte rates are available upon request.

To schedule your project, contact: serena@serenachase.com

Do you have a specific or unique marketing/sales copy need not currently listed on this Menu of Services? Do you need help creating or polishing your one-sheets, press releases, taglines, or other projects? Let’s chat! Contact serena@serenachase.com for a quote on your special project!

Testimonials:

“Serena Chase is an author’s secret weapon. Having read and reviewed hundreds of books, she knows what works and what does not; as an author, she can suggest ways to address those content concerns. Her critiques are both kind and honest. She’ll enthusiastically tell you what caught and held her attention, but won’t hold back on letting you know what needs to be adjusted to keep your reader clear through till the final page. Serena always finds ways to make the romance more engaging, the plot clearer, and the characters memorable and true to life.” ~ Sandra Byrd, multi-best-selling and award-winning author

 

“I was impressed with Serena’s level of attention to detail, and I appreciated her insightful suggestions that strengthened my plot and characters. She got to the heart of my story and brought things to my attention I might have otherwise overlooked. If you have been searching for an astute critiquer, Serena is the one to choose!” ~ Heather Day Gilbert, author of Amazon Norse bestseller God’s Daughter and of The Indie Publishing Handbook 

 

“Serena Chase is a thoughtful developmental editor with great skill at ‘big picture’ editing, knowing what works and what doesn’t toward improving the impact of your story and increasing reader satisfaction. She sees the mistakes and weaknesses that writers are too subjective to notice in their own work. She is also a wonderful line editor who catches errors and those little things, like too much ‘telling,’ passive voice, ‘weasel words,’ awkward wording, distant POV, and poor word choice, that annoy astute readers. I highly recommend her as a professional editor with the skills and natural talent to help bring a novel to the next level of professionalism, readability, and power.” ~ Melanie Dickerson, NYT bestselling author of The Silent Songbird and The Orphan’s Wish

 

“Serena Chase was first an author I admired . . . and now my secret weapon. Through her detailed and honest critique, I have been able to fix areas of my novel I would never have known were problems. She gave me pointers on how to improve my character likeability, fill plot holes, and dig deeper into the point of view. I would highly recommend using Serena to critique your novel. Her insight is worth every. single. penny.” ~ Stella Bixby, author of Catfished: A Rylie Cooper Mystery

 

“She is an amazing editor. She gets my writing voice.” ~ Suzy Parish, award-winning author of Flowers from Afghanistan

“Serena’s copywriting skills are second to none. I’ve never encountered anyone, in more than two decades in the publishing industry, who can craft book sales copy better than Serena Chase. Working together, she will help you shape every sentence and phrase into those that will turn casual browsers into dedicated buyers and readers. You have so few words to win the attention of a potential reader—make every one of them count.” ~ Sandra Byrd, multi-best-selling and award-winning author

(These editorial and marketing copy creation services were formerly operated by author/editor Serena Chase as Reviewer’s Eye View: a critique service of Candent Gate LLC)

Serena Chase (Candent Gate LLC) reserves the right to cancel or refuse any critique or marketing copy service. If a service is refused or canceled by Serena Chase, all monies paid will be refunded within 7 days of cancellation. Serena Chase does not edit or create copy for erotica or books with graphic sexual content.