ABOUT ME

I am a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at the University of Southern California, and I’ve worked as an editor, copy editor and proofreader for many publishing companies and individual clients over the past fifteen years. Companies I’ve worked for include Dorchester Publishing (former publisher of the popular Loveswept romances), Cobblestone Press, The Wild Rose Press, and many more! I specialize in copy editing and proofreading—I have an eye for detail and I love to make those sentences shine! I am also a writer myself, so I understand how important your words are to you and am very mindful of keeping the writer’s voice and intentions as my first priority.

I refer to the Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster Dictionary unless otherwise requested.

SERVICES AND RATES

Copy Editing

I will use Microsoft Word Track Changes to edit the manuscript on a sentence level, focusing on grammar, punctuation, word choice, repetition, sentence structure, clarity, inconsistencies, and anything else I notice! I can also comment on larger issues such as structure and character development during a copy edit, as needed and/or as desired by the author. My rate for copy editing is 0.007 cents per word.

Proofreading

For proofreading, I provide all the same services as in a copy edit, with the understanding that the manuscript has already been through at least one round of edits and is in good shape. My rate for proofreading is 0.005 cents per word.

TESTIMONIALS

"Stephanie Parent completely elevated the quality of Beauty of the Beast. This book was my first venture into self-publishing, and I'll admit it now: Going into this book without a publishing team behind me was very intimidating. At times, I was sure it'd be too much and that I wouldn't receive the quality that comes with names like Pan Macmillan. Once I began working with Stephanie, however, my apprehensions went away, and I no longer missed or longed for that publishing team "feel." She had completely transformed the experience. Stephanie was my team, all the support I needed to take Beauty of the Beast from a super rough (and I mean ROUGH) draft to a resonant "The End." 

Stephanie is a true master of her craft. Her attention to the smallest story details, her accuracy in editing, and her insights on the "big picture" stuff blew me away. I really felt like I'd landed a developmental editor, line editor, copy editor, and proofreader all in one go. Her edits were dead on, her fast turnaround time allowed me to meet my other deadlines (with a few days to spare), and her enthusiasm was contagious. Honestly, she impressed me far more than the editors I've worked with at both small and "big" publishing houses. 

Stephanie's experience and knowledge shines through her edits; she knows what works and what doesn't. I even had the gall to write margin comments into my manuscript asking for story, dialogue, and description ideas - and she delivered on every one. She was clearly invested in my work, and that made the editing process all the more rewarding and inspiring. The balance she struck while editing my book especially impressed me; she didn't intrude on my "voice" or stylistic choices, yet never hesitated to meddle with sentences when they needed housekeeping. She's also a rock star at cutting repetition; she'd remember a unique word that was mentioned early in a chapter, and flag the repetition later/suggest an alternate word choice. If that isn't amazing attention to detail, I don't know what is! 

For me, Stephanie's value extended far beyond her superior editorial abilities. She had my back from the start of editing, all the way to the launch day. I frequently contacted her asking for her opinion on different aspects of the book's publication - the blurb, pricing suggestions, and cover feedback are only a few - and she always, always responded with enthusiasm and awesome insights. She even gave me moral support when I hit a little road bump, and provided little "grammar lessons" to help me get a better grip on the rules myself. :) 

Writing is too often a solitary experience, and I'm so grateful for all the support Stephanie has shown me; she was always just an email message away. I can't wait to work with her again (and again) in the near future, and I highly recommend her services if you value accuracy, responsiveness, high quality, and working with someone who will strive to make your book the best it can be. Thank you, Stephanie Parent!"

--Rachel L. Demeter, Author of Beauty of the Beast

“Stephanie is an amazing editor! This woman totally knows her way around words. I could have a line I knew didn’t sound right but wasn’t sure what was wrong with it. And then she would come along, rearrange a couple words here and there with the simplest alteration and suddenly, it was perfect. She’s brilliant from big-picture plot revision to line-by-line proofreading.”

--Linda Kage, Author of Price of a Kiss, Fighting Fate, and many others

“I have worked with Stephanie for years. Not only are her edits dead on, she is quick and not once have I had an author complain. That is quite a feat! I would hire Stephanie for edits and proofing any time—and I often do!”

--Shara Azod, LLC, Author and Publisher 

"There comes a time when you can no longer stare at your own words, typos and grammatical errors no longer stick out, and if you have to reread the same sentence aloud one more time you will scream...this is where Stephanie Parent comes in and saves my sanity! She is easy to work with, fast, friendly, and efficient. If you're looking for a professional freelance editor with expert eyes and speedy precision I highly recommend Stephanie."

--Jennifer Snyder, author of Conjured, The Unloved, and many others

CONTACT ME

Please contact me at steph192536@gmail.com for editing inquiries. I am generally willing to perform a five- to ten-page sample edit for free to determine whether an author and I will work well together. I look forward to hearing from you!