Publish your story with confidence.

Editing services for indie authors of fantasy, paranormal, and young adult fiction.

You’ve poured your heart into your manuscript, and you want readers to love your plot and characters as much as you do.But when you’ve read your draft so many times, it becomes hard to tell what’s pulling your readers in or out of the story.As an editor, I’m here to help you identify what’s working and what needs refining in your story—whether it’s at the big-picture level
or sentence level—so that your readers stay captivated from beginning to end.

Meet the editor

Hi, I'm Jacqui!

I help authors create page-turning stories that resonate with readers.With over five years of industry experience, I’ve worked closely with authors at every stage of the editorial process, guiding manuscripts from first draft to publication. My work is grounded in professional training and hands-on experience, helping authors craft compelling stories and giving them the confidence to take the next step.Having worked with authors of all levels, I understand that every voice is unique and every manuscript is different. My approach to editing is thoughtful and collaborative, designed to work with your voice and ideas, not override them.

Services

Thoughtful and collaborative

As your editor, my goal is to provide feedback that respects your vision, while providing actionable steps to help you take your story to the next level.

Professionally trained

With over five years of industry experience, a Master of Writing and Publishing, and ongoing training through the EFA and IPEd, you can rest assured that your manuscript is in capable hands.

No genAI

Supporting human creativity is important to me, which is why I don't use any generative AI in my editing work, and only work with books that have been created by human minds.

"Jacqui's ideas elevated the manuscript, and her edits helped tighten the story without compromising its tone or meaning."

– Tahnee Arlt, dystopian fiction

Work with me

Get in touch to book a free sample edit or to discuss your project! You can fill out the form or email me at [email protected].Please include the following information in your message.

  • Word count

  • Genre

  • Brief synopsis

  • Which services you're interested in

Manuscript wishlist:

  • Fantasy

  • Paranormal

  • YA fiction

  • Romance

  • Sci-fi

  • Historical

  • Horror

Work with me

Get in touch to book a free sample edit or to discuss your project! You can fill out the form or email me at [email protected].Please include the following information in your message.

  • Word count

  • Genre

  • Brief synopsis

  • Which services you're interested in

Manuscript wishlist:

  • Fantasy

  • Paranormal

  • YA fiction

  • Romance

  • Sci-fi

  • Historical

  • Horror

Services

I offer a range of editing services, including individual and package deals.It’s important to find an editor who suits your needs and is the best fit for your story. If you’re unsure about my services, I offer a free sample edit of up to 1000 words. This allows you to get a feel for my editing style before you make any commitments.


Manuscript assessment

A manuscript assessment provides feedback on the key elements of your manuscript, examining the strengths of your story and providing ideas on what you could focus on during your next edit.The feedback may cover elements such as:

  • structure

  • character development

  • dialogue

  • pacing

  • point of view

  • writing craft in general

Similar to a developmental edit, the feedback mainly focuses on the big-picture elements of your story. However, it is less collaborative in nature, providing broader guidance to assist you with self-editing and help you improve your writing.This service is ideal if you’ve finished an early draft and you’d like insight into how your manuscript reads from an editorial perspective, or if you’re unsure which direction to take next during your next round of revisions.

Deliverables:

  • Editorial report (5–10 pages)

  • In-manuscript comments

Pricing: AUD$0.012 per word

Developmental editing

Developmental editing focuses on the big-picture elements of your manuscript. This is an in-depth read of your story and a more collaborative process, providing you with feedback and actionable suggestions to help you refine your manuscript at the story level.You’ll receive feedback on story elements such as:

  • plot

  • structure

  • pacing

  • point of view

  • dialogue

  • worldbuilding

  • character development

This service is ideal if your story has already been through multiple drafts, and you’re looking for in-depth feedback and solutions to help refine those big-picture story elements. It includes ongoing support after the initial editing phase, where you’ll have the opportunity to ask me questions or talk through ideas together.

Deliverables:

  • Editorial letter (8–15 pages)

  • Manuscript mark-up

Pricing: AUD$0.02 per word

Line & copy editing

This is a combined service to help refine your writing at the sentence level, and should be completed once the manuscript has gone through some form of developmental editing.Line editing focuses on the prose itself and can involve:

  • improving word choice and phrasing

  • reducing wordiness and repetition

  • strengthening overall clarity and flow

  • checking continuity and consistency issues


Copy editing is more technical and can involve:

  • correcting spelling, grammar and punctuation

  • ensuring consistency with the chosen style guide and dictionary

  • checking continuity and consistency issues

  • fact checking information

  • creating a style sheet to track spelling and punctuation preferences, character profiles, etc.

Line editing and copy editing often overlap, which is why I offer these as a combined service. Pricing for individual services can be provided upon request.

Deliverables:

  • Editorial letter (if needed)

  • Manuscript mark-up

  • Style sheet

Pricing: AUD$0.015 per word

Proofreading

Proofreading is the final quality check once all other editing stages have been completed, ensuring that your manuscript is polished before you go to publish.Proofreading can involve:

  • catching any remaining errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation

  • checking consistency in terminology, capitalisation and hyphenation

  • ensuring spelling and punctuation preferences align with the style sheet, chosen style guide and dictionary

  • correcting basic grammatical issues

In the case where the manuscript has been formatted, this will also include checking layout and design elements such as fonts, spacing, headings, page and scene breaks, and running headers and footers.

Deliverables:

  • Manuscript mark-ups

  • Style sheet (if needed)

Pricing: AUD$0.01 per word

Formatting

Once all relevant editing stages have been completed, it's time for formatting!Formatting deals with the interior design of your book. This includes choosing the right fonts, page layout and trim size to ensure the design meets industry standards and aligns with your genre.Designs must be provided, including any additional graphics such as maps, ornamental breaks, chapter headers or artwork.Alternatively, you may provide inspiration for the overall design, and a selection of formatting styles will be created for you to choose from. However, this may incur an additional fee depending on the complexity of the design.Pricing: AUD$200 flat rate

Editing packages

If you're after more than one level of editing, I offer editing packages at a 25% discounted rate.Each service is completed separately, with time in-between each stage for you to review the feedback and make revisions before moving on to the next step.

PackagePricing (AUD)
Developmental editing, line/copy editing, proofreading$0.034 per word
Manuscript assessment, line/copy editing, proofreading$0.028 per word
Developmental editing, line/copy editing$0.026 per word
Line/copy editing, proofreading$0.019 per word

Formatting can be added to any bundle for AUD$200.If you're interested in a package that isn't listed here, get in touch to receive a custom quote!

About me

Hi, I'm Jacqui! I'm a freelance editor based in Australia. I'm a lifelong lover of all things related to books, particularly those that involve magic, mythology, the paranormal, dystopic realities, and everything in-between.

My background

I've been in the publishing industry for over five years, working both in-house and as a freelance editor. My in-house experience began at Bowen Street Press, editing a variety of texts across fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Later, I worked as a Senior Content Developer at Neap Education, where I helped authors develop books and other resources for young adults.I've been freelancing for a little over a year now, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to build more meaningful relationships with authors and work on the genres I love most!

My training

I have a Master of Writing and Publishing from RMIT University, where I completed training in the full editorial process, from developmental editing, line and copy editing, to typesetting and proofreading.I'm an Associate Member of the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd). I'm constantly building my professional development through IPEd's classes and workshops, as well as through courses by the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA).I also hold a Bachelor of Arts from Deakin University, majoring in Literary Studies, along with minors in Children's Literature and Creative Writing.

When I'm not editing...

I'm usually reading, studying tarot, drinking copious amounts of tea, spending time in nature, going to concerts or dancing to Florence + The Machine.If you think we'd be a good fit, feel free to get in touch for a free sample edit and to chat about your manuscript! I specialise in fantasy, paranormal and YA fiction, but I love working on a range of other genres as well.

Kind words from my indie clients

Title: The Painting (release date TBA)
Genre: Thriller/Horror
Service: Line and copy editing

"I was really impressed with Jacqui's service! I appreciated the thought put into her edits, and the time taken to explain why changes should be made, so it felt like I was still in control of my own work, and I could learn from mistakes. I will definitely reach out to Jacqui in future!"

– Amelia Burrell (author of The Soul Beneath the Skin)

Title: Book of Brujo
Genre: Young adult, fantasy
Service: Line and copy editing

"It was an absolute pleasure working with Jacqui. She was consistently kind, professional, and provided insightful feedback that helped elevate my work. I definitely look forward to collaborating with her again on future book projects."

– Mark Shaw

Title: To Catch a House (release date TBA)
Genre: Middle grade, dystopian
Service: Developmental editing

"I was genuinely impressed by Jacqui’s thoroughness and attention to detail. ... She picked up on so much that I had overlooked, and I really appreciated her insight and suggestions. Jacqui's ideas elevated the manuscript, and her edits helped tighten the story without compromising its tone or meaning."

– Tahnee Arlt

Title: Fiona's Tale: The Ghost Witch
Genre: Historical fiction
Service: Beta reading

"Jacqui was amazing to work with! Her feedback was thorough, thoughtful, insightful, kind, constructive, and wonderfully helpful. Thank you Jacqui!"

– Kellsie Moore

Title: Tolerance
Genre: Romance
Service: Proofreading

"Jacqui is awesome to work with and very patient. She knows her stuff!"

– Mark Shaw