Book Editing Services

Sara Wilson

Freelance Copyeditor, Developmental Editor, Project Manager, Proofreader, Writer

nonfiction book editing

I specialize in editing, proofreading, and managing non-fiction books, monographs, college textbooks, medical textbooks, software manuals, magazine articles, Web sites, marketing materials, business documents, and strategy guides. I also write articles for newsletters and magazines, and ad copy for advertising agencies.

Client testimonials -- Professional experience -- Titles edited/proofread

Clients include the following individuals, companies, and publishers:

Prima Games
Clark & Associates Advertising
Sacramento magazine
Kele Publishing
Dynamic WordWorks, Inc.
Asbestos Victims Organization
Wadsworth/Thompson Higher Education
Prentice Hall Health/Pearson Education
Scratchgravel Publishing Services
Augsburg Fortress
Hockett Editorial Services
Arch Technologies
Animal Protection Institute
Will Brandon, Ph.D. candidate
Soroptimist International of Sacramento North
Chelsea House Publishers

Titles Copyedited

Knight, David. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas, Prima Games. ISBN: 07615 54343. 2006.
Bueno, Fernando and Bell, Joe Grant. Fight Night Round 3, Prima Games. ISBN: 07615 54740. 2006.
Black, Fletcher, Sonic the Hedgehog, Prima Games. ISBN: 07615 55102. 2006.
Black, Fletcher, Just Cause, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761554440. 2006.
Littlefield, Michael. Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761554114. 2006.
Dulin, Ron. TimeShift, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761552537. 2006.
Off, Greg. Black, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761551441. 2006.
Animal Protection Institute. Caring for Captive Exotic Birds: A Guide for Shelters, Animal Protection Institute. 2005.
Randy Gaschler. Parent Driven Schools: A Public School Warrior's Fight to Revolutionize Education and Take Back Our Schools, Kele Publishing. 2005.
Anthony, Brad. L.A. Rush, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761552200. 2005.
Stratton, Stephen and Hodgson, David, Jak X: Combat Racing (with DVD), Prima Games. ISBN: 0761551948. 2005.
Van Stone, Matt and Bell, Joe Grant. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761552197. 2005.
Bueno, Fernando. Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel without a Pulse, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761552480. 2005.
Off, Greg. One Piece, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761552383. 2005.
Rich, Jason, American Idol Season 4—All Access, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761549463. 2005.
Miller, Katherine, Organizational Communication, 4th Edition, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.
ISBN: 0534617883. 2005.
Off, Greg. Dynasty Warriors V, Prima Games. ISBN: 076155141. 2005.
Knight, David. SWAT 4, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761539824. 2005.
Bakke, O. M. When Children Became People: The Birth of Childhood in Early Christianity, Augsburg Fortress. ISBN: 0800637259. 2004.
Mylonas, Eric. The Punisher, Prima Games. ISBN: 761547771. 2004.
Lanzetta, Beverly J. Radical Wisdom: A Feminist Mystical Theology, Augsburg Fortress.
ISBN: 0800636988. 2004.
Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collectors' Edition, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761547614. 2004.
Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Prima Games. ISBN: 0761547088. 2004.
Knight, David. Chronicles of Reddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, Prima Games. ISBN 0761545689. 2004.
Cohen, Mark. Samurai Warriors. ISBN 076154568. 2004.
Littlejohn, Stephen W. and Foss, Karen A. Theories of Human Communication, 8th Edition, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. ISBN: 0534638732. 2004.
Knight, David. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3, Prima Games. ISBN 0761545425. 2004.
Essig, Linda. Lighting and the Design Idea, 2nd Edition, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
ISBN: 0534639240. 2004.
Chin, Elliott and Dulin, Ron. Lords of EverQuest, Prima Games. ISBN 0761544216. 2003.
Stratton, Bryan and Stratton, Stephen. Mario Party 5, Prima Games. ISBN 0761544801. 2003
Mylonas, Eric. Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu, Prima Games. ISBN 0761544011. 2003.

Titles Developmentally Edited/Projects Managed

Louise, Holly. Walk in Beauty: An Atlas for Human Inspiration and Manifestation, in progress 2006.
Benjamin, Pat. Professional Foundations for Massage Therapists, 1st Edition, Prentice Hall Health, in progress 2006.
Prendergast, Alice V., and Fulton, Frances L. Medical Language That Works, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall Health, in progress 2004–06.
Mylonas, Eric and Carlson, Linda. EverQuest II Atlas, Prima Games. ISBN 0761545050. 2005–06 (also copyedited and proofread this book).
Off, Greg. Ratchet, Prima Games. ISBN 0761552049. 2005 (also copyedited and proofread this book).
Kramer, Greg. The Movies: Run the Studios, Shoot the Movies, Make the Stars, Prima Games. ISBN 0761544453. 2005 (also copyedited and proofread this book).
London, Marcia L., Ladewig, Patricia Wieland, Ball, Jane W., and Bindler, Ruth C. McGillis. Maternal-Newborn and Child Nursing: Family-Centered Care, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall Health, ISBN 0130994065. 2005 (also managed and executed peer review with more than 80 reviewers for this text).
Knight, David. Axis & Allies, Prima Games. ISBN 0761545824. 2004 (also copyedited and proofread this book).
Mylonas, Eric. Shaman King: Power of Spirit & Master of Spirits, Prima Games. ISBN 0761545654. 2004 (also copyedited and proofread this book).
Allen, Ken. RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, Prima Games. ISBN 0761545832. 2004 (also copyedited and proofread this book).
Wingerd, Bruce. Medical Terminology, Prentice Hall. ISBN: 0130488402. 2004 (part of development team).
Mueller, Nell. Soroptimist International of Sacramento North History: 1954-2004. 2004.

Titles Proofread

Mauddi Darraj, Susan. Asian Americans of Achievement: Amy Tan, Chelsea House Publishers. ISBN: 0791092690, in progress 2006.
Gardner, Thomas J., & Anderson, Terry M. Criminal Evidence: Principles and Cases, 6th Edition, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. ISBN: 049500605X. 2006.
DeLaet, Debra. The Global Struggle for Human Rights—Universal Principles in World Politics, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. ISBN: 0534635725. 2004.
Alloway, Tom, Greg Wilson, and Jeff Graham. Sniffy the Virtual Rat Lite, Version 2.0. 2nd Edition. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. ISBN: 0534633579. 2004.
Alloway, Tom, Greg Wilson, and Jeff Graham. Sniffy the Virtual Rat Pro, Version 2.0. 2nd Edition. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. ISBN: 0534633609. 2004.
Brown, Jonathan C. Latin America: A Social History of the Colonial Period, 2nd Edition. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. ISBN: 0534642330. 2004.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. ISBN: 0534521452. 2004.

Magazines/Periodicals/Web Sites (Writing clips are available upon request.)

Sacramento Magazine. Co-wrote "Cutting-Edge Nutrition," article published in 09/2006 issue.
Sacramento Magazine. Wrote "Parental Support," article published in 09/2006 issue.
Sacramento Magazine. Wrote "Easy Does It: Seniors and People with Health Problems Can Benefit from a Program of Gentle Exercise," article in press for the 07/2006 issue.
Sacramento Magazine. Wrote "Easy Does It: Seniors and People with Health Problems Can Benefit from a Program of Gentle Exercise," article published in 07/2006 issue.
Sacramento Magazine. Copyedited medical articles in published in 7/2006 Medical Guide insert, 5/2006.
Sacramento Magazine. Wrote "Wise Exercise for Weekend Warriors: How Good—or Bad—for You Is Getting Lots of Exercise, But Only on the Weekends?" article published in 07/2005 issue.
Sacramento Magazine. Wrote "Crafting Memories: Scrapbooking Preserves Your Family History with Flair," article published in 08/2005 issue.
Sacramento Magazine. Copyedited medical articles in published in 7/2005 Medical Guide insert, 5/2005.
Sacramento Magazine. Wrote "Paths of the Spirit: Seeking Religion in Today's World," article published in 01/2005 issue.
Sacramento Magazine. Wrote "Knitted Together: How Local Women Are Turning Grrrl Power into Purl Power," article published in 02/2005 issue.
Sacramento Magazine. Proofread medical listings published in 7/2004 Medical Guide insert, 5/2004.
Sacramento Magazine. Copyedited medical articles in published in 7/2004 Medical Guide insert, 5/2004.
Sacramento Magazine. Wrote "Where Moms Meet," article published in 8/2004 issue.
Asbestos Victims' Organization. Copyedited Web site content 5/2004–6/2004.
Go West: The West Side Story—Showcasing the Faces, Places, and Opportunities of West Sacramento. Proofread articles about West Sacramento published for the West Sacramento Chamber of Commerce by the Sacramento Magazines Corporation, 5/2004.
The Birth Center newsletter. Wrote "My Birth Story," article published in Fall 2002 issue.

Copy Writing

Learning ARTS. Rewriting and editing Web site copy, brochure, parent information packets, and client intake documents, in progress 2006.
Clark & Associates Advertising. Rewrote brochure and direct mail copy for Stead Motors of Walnut Creek Mercedes-Benz "Dealer Customer Journey." 2004.
Clark & Associates Advertising. Wrote ad copy for Landmark Financial's "Partner's in Success" direct mailer. 2004.
Clark & Associates Advertising. Wrote extensive brochure copy for Coit Commercial Services ad campaign. 2004.
Clark & Associates Advertising. Rewrote ad copy for Arch Technologies direct mailer. 2004.

Professional Experience

Prima Games, Roseville, CA. (Imprint of Random House) 1997–2003

Senior Product Manager.

Managed 200 computer and video game strategy guides (up to 25 active books at a time); created book production schedules and ensured timely completion of books.
Hired specialized, technical authors and negotiated fees; managed freelance author pool; recruited new freelancers; evaluated freelance author performance in conjunction with feedback from editorial and communicated feedback to freelancers.
Developed and approved book content.
Managed three-person editorial teams of project editors and editorial assistants; supervised their work.
Supervised book design, layout, and cover creation; ensured that books met age-appropriate reading levels and target markets.
Established and managed long-term licensor relationships; analyzed and improved production processes and licensor relations.
Worked closely with sales department to position books for optimal sell-in; assisted sales with responding to buyers' feedback; wrote sales sheets and ad copy.
Collaborated with international publishing department to localize English language content into German, French, Spanish, and Italian.
Managed the production of marketing and promotional items such as calendars, posters, hint books, stickers, trading cards, and other assorted bind-ins.
Assisted in hiring and developing training programs for associate product managers.
Coordinated with manufacturing department and printers to meet printing deadlines; determined color, page count, and inclusion of bind-ins by evaluating cost of goods per unit; communicated book specifications to printers.

Project Editor.

Edited manuscripts for accuracy, consistency, adherence to house and product style guides, age-appropriateness, and eliminated all manuscript errors (technical, spelling, grammar, punctuation).
Managed and edited 59 books (up to 10 active books at a time); ensured quality of all book elements (manuscript, interior design, cover, and laid-out pages) at every stage of book production.
Queried authors and negotiated changes; implemented changes in manuscript and into laid-out pages.
Worked closely with product managers, authors, designers, and editorial assistants; supervised editorial assistants, directing their daily priorities and approving their editorial changes in manuscript and laid-out pages.
Evaluated design templates with product managers and edited page proofs to ensure accurate, consistent, attractive, and functional design; proofread laid-out pages on each book, implemented and verified changes for completeness and accuracy.
Reviewed manuscripts to determine overall quality and the level of developmental edit, technical edit, and copyedit needed; evaluated and provided feedback for freelance authors.
Wrote cover copy and ad copy; edited ad copy and website copy for http://www.primagames.com; proofread cover design and coordinated arrival of cover and interior book files arrival at the printer.
Worked closely with authors and product managers to ensure that books met target market groups, Prima Games' product goals, and licensor intellectual property and franchise style guides.
Executed the production of marketing and promotional items such as hint books, posters, stickers, trading cards, calendars, and postcards.
Reviewed and approved printer proofs and made in-person press checks.

Sacramento Magazine, Sacramento, CA. 1996–1997

Intern, Writer. Wrote articles for publication; proofread manuscripts; conducted research and interviews for my articles and assisted other writers; and checked facts presented in articles, directories, reviews, and magazine recommendations.

The Comic Press News, Sacramento, CA. 1995
Editorial Assistant, Proofreader. Proofread issues and ad copy; assisted with compositing.

Education

University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA. 1994
Bachelor of Arts Degree with High Distinction, Classical Languages (Ancient Greek, Latin). Dean's Honors List. GPA 3.8

EEI Communications Online. 2003. Introduction to Copyediting

Feedback

Client Testimonials

"Thanks for doing such a terrific job copyediting Black: Prima Official Game Guide. I'm so glad you were able to keep track of all the types and names of the dozens of different weapons; it made my proofread so much easier. You're so skilled and always fun to work with! I would recommend you to anyone who needs any copyediting work done. Again, thank you so much! I can't wait to work with you again." —Brooke Hall, Senior Project Editor, Prima Games

"Thank you so much for the great copyedit you did on Stubbs the Zombie: Prima Official Game Guide. That book was under such a tight deadline, and having you as the copyeditor on it made things flow much more smoothly. I worked with you before on some military sims, RPG titles, and sci-fi strategy titles, but this one was an oddball zombie action title, so I was unsure of how it would go. But it was great, and you preserved the author's very specific tone and voice. The author loved the work you did, and the licensor gave us a ton of praise for the guide." —Brooke Hall, Senior Project Editor, Prima Games

"Sara Wilson has become a regular copy editor and proofreader for our magazine because we have so much confidence in her work. Her broad knowledge base and her eye for detail, combined with her flexibility and adherence to deadlines, make her an ideal freelancer for us. Plus, she has a warm personality, so we enjoy working with her." —Darlena Belushin McKay, Managing Editor, Sacramento magazine

"I have a unique communication challenge. We are a technical firm and we have to make sure that we are able to present technical concepts in a manner that is readable, understandable, and approachable to our customers. It this regard, Sara Wilson's help has been indispensable. She has a discerning eye that takes my customers' point of view into consideration. I have seen a true value to using her services in my proposals, contracts, letters, and newsletter. Because of her editing and proofreading skills, I have been able to get better jobs. Good quality in my communications adds a credible, competitive edge to my business. And I can't image doing business with out her." —Suzi Sherman, Chief Operations Officer, Arch Technologies, LLC

"I've found Sara Wilson's insightful queries enormously helpful in all the projects we've worked together on. She had a knack of keeping all the specialized terms straight and querying to ensure the author's use of them is clear to the reader." —Rebecca Chastain, Project Editor, Prima Games

"Just wanted to write you a short note and thank you again for the wonderful job you did with the One Piece: Prima Official Game Guide copyedit. I know that the project presented some logistical challenges with the amateur author and huge gaps in storyline, but you were more than up to the task of pulling it all together. I greatly appreciate your accessibility and diligence in getting the job done." —Brooke Hall, Senior Project Editor, Prima Games

"Just wanted to thank you for the excellent job you did on the copyedit for Just Cause: Prima Official Game Guide. There were so many character names and proper terms to keep track of, you made my job so much easier by keeping track of them so nicely. It was worth every penny and more! The author was so pleased with the way you cleaned up his rough text, and was grateful for your insightful queries that helped clear up some grainy issues. Thanks again!" —Brooke Hall, Senior Project Editor, Prima Games

"I've worked with Sara on a wide variety of titles, from military-based game guides to pop-culture fan books, and her attention to detail has helped me complete many wonderful products. It's always great to work with a copyeditor who is conscious of the importance of maintaining the author's voice, but who also understands the needs of the reader." —Rebecca Chastain, Project Editor, Prima Games

"I want to thank you again for all of your help over this past year. You have become an invaluable part of our public image—from writing and editing our employee training materials, marketing materials, parent support elements—even editing our CEO's dissertation. The level of professionalism that you have brought to our printed materials, and thus to our agency, has made a measurable difference in the public perception of abilities. I can no longer imagine having a single piece of written material leave this office without it first crossing your desk. Knowing that you can do that for us takes a great deal of worry off of my plate." —Justin M. McCoy, MA, Executive Director, Learning ARTS

"Our nonprofit organization hired Sara Wilson to copyedit a complex and lengthy handbook with a good deal of specialized language, charts, and forms. She did an excellent job not only in catching errors, but also in helping improve the readability and usability of the publication. Her work was thorough and professional, and I would definitely use her services again on future projects." —Karen Hirsch, Editor, Animal Protection Institute

"I have had the opportunity to work with Sara Wilson as my editor many times, beginning in 1997. As an author of 70 published books, I have worked with a number of different editors. Sara is one of the best with whom I have worked on a project. Sara always kept in close communication to provide assistance and support as needed, which was vital for completing projects with a short turnaround time. Furthermore, I was always confident that the finished product would be something I would be proud to have bear my name. I am happy to recommend Sara Wilson without any reservation." —Michael Knight, Author

"Thank you for making my job easier by doing a great job on Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy—Prima Official Game Guide. I appreciate that you did the Star Wars research to confirm the proper spelling and capitalization of each Star Wars term. I also appreciate your attention to detail—you were careful with the author's intended meaning and queried confusing text, rather than guessing in error. In those situations, it was so helpful, however, that you provided the possible change for me, which made my job so much easier later!" —Christy Seifert, Editorial Supervisor, Prima Games

"When facing a tight deadline, as I often do, a meticulous and punctual copy editor is essential. That's why I specifically request Sara whenever I start a new book. I've worked with several other editors, but Sara is by far the most thorough, carefully poring over my rough manuscripts till they're clear, concise, and ready for publication." —David Knight, Author

"Sara Wilson has provided copyediting and proofreading services for Sacramento Magazines Corporation for several years, working on our core monthly magazine and the annual publications we create through our custom publishing division. She brings a balanced eye to our publications, understanding the need for us to produce the highest-quality magazines possible in the time frame we have available. With a pleasant, never-condescending manner, she marks the "right" errors, asks the "right" questions and makes the "right" suggestions, and the addition of Sara to our editorial production team has made a tremendous difference in our level of quality and the speed we're able to move files through to the printer." — Krista Minard, Editor, Sacramento Magazines Corporation

"I recommend Sara Wilson for your copyediting needs. Having been in publishing for over thirty years and director of my own book production service for the past sixteen, I have hired and worked with dozens of freelancers. Sara offers qualities that are the most valuable—intelligence, conscientiousness, and keen attentiveness to detail. In addition to meeting or beating deadlines, her fees match the project's budget. She is willing to make the extra effort that distinguishes her from the ordinarily competent and makes her services truly desirable." — Rachel Hockett Youngman, Director, Hocket Editorial Services

"Thanks for your attention to detail on Dynasty Warriors V: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Not only did you manage to keep straight the many Asian names, you managed to complete your copy edit within our hectic deadlines. Prima places unusual demands on its copy editors, so thank you for being so flexible and open to doing what we need to get the job done, and done well. Through it all, your friendly, easygoing personality made this process enjoyable. Prima made a great impression on the licensor by producing such a clean product, so thanks again!" —Christy Seifert, Editorial Supervisor, Prima Games

"For me, working with Sara allows me a certain amount of comfort. Though I'm proud of my work and own personal style, I know that once it passes through her hands, my text will come out ten times better. While working on Fight Night Round 3: The Official Game Guide, my paramount concern was that I would get an editor who knows when to trust me and when to reign me in, one who would edit the text while preserving its unique voice. Sara was the perfect choice. She's fast, professional, and is probably editing this as she reads it." —Fernando Bueno, Author

"As a freelance proofreader, Sara Wilson has brought a savvy set of editing skills to our magazine and has become a valued visiting member of our editorial team. She is thorough yet efficient, professional yet personable, makes great catches and approaches whatever tasks we throw her way with a great attitude and aplomb. As such, Sara is a true team player, eager to share her take on things without letting ego get in the way. Working with Sara is both a professional and personal pleasure." —Kari L. Rose Parsell, Copy Editor, Sacramento Magazines Corporation

Submission

Cut and paste the questions and answers into an e-mail:

EditMyBook@Gmail.com

Alternates:
2010 at book-editing.com
help2010 at airmail.net

Required:
Submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript (Word/DOC or RTF attachment preferred). Large files should be zipped. Attachment not required if writing has not started (e.g., because you're looking for a ghostwriter).

Along with a sample, the following information is required. Ignore questions that do not apply to your project (e.g., footnotes).

(01) Word count of complete project (under "Tools" in MS Word):

(02) Put your 100-word (approx) synopsis/description here (or attach):

(03) Describe your genre and topic (e.g., nonfiction/self-help, science fiction, horror, romance, mystery, Western, young adult, children, poetry, Christian, creative nonfiction, literary):

(04) Deadline date, if any, for return of complete project. (Please be realistic. Remember that professional editors usually have a project in process.):

(05) If you have no immediate deadline, when do you want to start the editing process?: (For instance: within 30 days, within 60 days, within 90 days, 4-12 months)

(06) Level of editing desired/expected --

Copyediting / Proofreading / Line Editing (e.g., English corrections, typos, paragraph and sentence structure, word use)
Developmental (e.g., help with the big picture, such as flow/pacing, telling the story, characterization, structure, style)
Rewriting / Ghostwriting
Critique / Evaluation

(07) Number of charts/tables/pictures (if any):

(08) Writing style/format manual (e.g., Chicago Manual, APA, MLA), if applicable:

(09) Number of footnotes/references:

(10) Do you have a contract with an agent or publisher?:

(11) Do you plan to self-publish?:

(12) What is your budget for the entire project?
$ ________________
(Note: The editors will quote their regular rates, but having an idea of your budget allows the editors to tell you what services they can provide to stay within that budget.)

(13) Your name:

(14) E-mail addresses:

(15) Day/evening phone numbers (required -- in case the response to your e-mail bounces or the editors need clarification regarding the scope of service needed, deadline, etc.):

(16) City, State, Country (or time zone):

(17) The name(s) of the editor(s)/writer(s) you'd like to contact.
(If no names are selected, your e-mail will be sent to several consultants chosen by the coordinator):

(18) Do you want the coordinator to reroute your submission if you requested editors/writers who (a) are not available by your deadline date, (b) do not handle the type of material you submitted, and/or (c) do not perform the service(s) you want?

(19) How did you learn about our service?:

(20) Attach the first 50 pages of your manuscript (include prologue/preface, proposal, query)

Notes:

No hidden charges
We won't quote you one price and charge you another. When possible, we'll provide you with a per-word or per-page rate so you'll know up front exactly how much your project will cost. (Of course, we ask that you fairly represent the scope of your project.)

To learn more about the rates charged by professional editors, please see: Editorial Freelancers Association

It is a mistaken notion that freelance editors work "on spec" (speculation) with no payment to the editor. It is basically asking the editor to work for free. There's no guarantee that a book will see a profit (or even be published). The editors posted here do not work on spec.

LIVE AGENT

Note: Price quotes and time estimates for individual editors cannot be given over the phone or via chat. This is a network of freelance editors with varying prices and work schedules (see our FAQ). To obtain a price quote please follow the procedures listed on our quotes page. Contact live support if you do not receive a response within three hours. It is possible that your submission was not received. You may also page the network coordinator by leaving voicemail or sending a fax to 469-789-3030.

Please be as complete as possible in representing your project's scope and size so you will receive the most accurate estimate.

Disclaimer: Your agreement, whether oral or written, is with your freelance editor / proofreader / writer, not with the freelance network as a whole or its coordinator.