My Services

I named my business Jessica Cornwell Author Services LLC so I could add in other chores authors need help with. Because sometimes you need more than just editing.  

Editing Levels

Developmental

If this is your first draft, it might be a messy document. I will look for concepts here. Maybe it makes sense to move your chapters into a different order. Maybe your characters aren’t quite solidified yet, or their development isn’t visible, satisfying, or complete. This is a “big picture” kind of edit, and can go through several different drafts.

Line Edit

This is a “details” read, looking at writing style and grammar, continuity and specifics in the text.

Proofreading

Typos, punctuation, misspellings, false cognates, and errors. This is ideally completed on the final draft.

Other Services

Outlining

Once you’ve mapped out your outline, you might want feedback before you even start writing the first draft.

Outlining includes help with: 

  • Pacing

  • Details such as plot twists and MacGuffins

  • Structure

  • Key scenes

  • Character notes

Critiquing

If you have a finished draft, but aren’t sure if it’s ready yet, I can read through your manuscript and give broad ideas based on theme, style, setting, etc.

I wouldn’t mark up the page but might give you some ideas on rewrites or direction.

Series Bibles or
Internal Style Guides

Writing a series requires organization and consistency. How do you describe the same setting or your character’s car or dog across five books? What if there’s a new/different car or dog change between books?

Continuity is key! Your audience will notice if you forget something, or if something is described differently than you had before

Lists of proper nouns, concepts, how the magic works, the structure of the organization your character belongs to, etc.

Character Lists (Apperance, Characteristics, Plot Points)

It can be distracting for your audience if your character has a scar on their right cheek but it shows up on their left cheek in another book. Or maybe they started out as a blonde but are now a redhead. Like a series bible, this would help you remember who is who and what they look like, as well as any background your audience would know about that character.

Keeping track of vernacular speech or other speech patterns, what they might know between books, what their character arcs are.

Query Letters

If you’re shopping for an agent or editor of a publication, you’ll write a query letter introducing the subject or story you want to write about. This can be for an article or a full manuscript. Either way, I can help with this “sales pitch” of you and your work.

Jacket or Other Marketing Copy

Once the whole book is ready to be published, there is still more to be written! There are synopses for the front and back of the jacket, blurbs for the blurb gods, author bios, and other miscellaneous writing.

Cover Letters for Submissions

Planning on shopping your short stories around? There may be different standards or etiquette depending on what type of story you have, and the length of it. To continue, I would want to read your story or novel (if we didn’t work on it together previously) and get a list of the publications you would like to submit it to.

Website and Business Editing

If you are starting to build, rework, or add to your business website or other materials, you need an editor too! Being certain you have an error-free experience for your customers and readers guarantees you look like a real professional.