Deep Discounts on Editing Services for the New Year!

The birthday week celebrations continue!

Did you know that we're having a lunar eclipse on Wednesday?

To celebrate my birthday week and the lunar eclipse, I'm offering a big discount for clients who book for February.

To take advantage of my 15% off any service discount, please send me an email at sephgiron @ gmail.com before January 31, 2018.

Tell me about your book or story, and I will send you a price quote.

This offer is good until January 31, 2018.

If you know you need editing in February, contact me today so you don't miss out on the special rates.

You don't have to have your book finished by January 31, but I need to know if you want to take advantage of my big discount.

Have a great day!

And Happy Birthday to all my fellow Aquarians!

Now Booking Editing Clients!

Don't hide your work away! 

Hire an editor to get it all polished up to purrrfection!

Here at Scarlett Editing, we offer all levels of editing:

Developmental Editing

Line Editing

Copy Editing

Proofreading

Book Reports

We offer special prices for a combination of services!

We are now booking clients for September and October. 

Reserve your spot now!

Our prices range from .01 to .02 cents a word, depending on the service!

Ask us for a free estimate today!

sephgiron @ gmail.com

Over fifteen years experience as a professional freelance editor!

Editing Doesn't Take a Vacation...But You Can!

Have you spent the summer banging away on the keyboard?

Getting that first draft or tenth draft finished always feels so good!

But after that moment, the editing needs to begin.

It can be difficult to edit your own work.

Let us help you!

Here at Scarlett Editing, we will work on your manuscript so you can go swimming or hiking or just play video games all day!

Whether you need to know if your plot makes sense or if your commas are in the correct place, Scarlett Editing can help you out!

In fact, we're having a Back-to-School Sale!

From now until August 31, 2017, Scarlett Editing is offering a 5% discount on all levels of editing services.

Developmental Editing
Line Editing
Copyediting
Proofreading
Book Report

Pop us an email with your word count for a quote!

sephgiron @ gmail.com

We have limited spots for August and September!

First come, first served!

sephgiron@ gmail.com

Happy Summer!

Happy New Year from Scarlett Editorial Services

Happy New Year from Scarlett Editorial Services!

We are here to serve you seven days a week.

If you have a question or concern about editing, drop us a line!

Now Accepting Clients!
Currently, we are booking clients for January and February. Reserve your spot early so that you don't miss out.

We never take on more clients than we can service properly so don't delay when booking your spot.

If you have a deadline, let us know.

If you don't know what kind of service you need, send us an email describing what you need and we'll help you out.  This is an easy breakdown of some of the types of editing we offer: Editorial Services

When asking for a quote, please give us a word count, genre, and if you have to meet any specific deadline.

We offer discounts when you use a combination of services such as developmental editing and copy editing. Members of the Horror Writers Association always enjoy deep discounts!

It is recommended that you hire a proofreader who isn't your developmental editor or copy editor in order to have as many eyes as possible to catch any mistakes.

Hire an Editor
There are many articles about self-publishing these days with people trying to figure out the best shortcuts and advantages. Some offer great advice, some offer not so great advice. The best advice is to hire at least one professional editor. After all, a traditional publisher would hire four or five editors to work on your book before it's released into the world. Yes, they do! There's the acquisitions editor who bought your book, a line editor, a copy editor, and a proofreader at the very least. That's not including input from the publisher, the marketing team, or even the cover artist who might have something unofficial to offer. And that's just one round. Many authors working with a publishing house go back and forth with various editors in different stages of the process several times until each word is perfect. And even then, mistakes happen, as we've all seen.

As a self-publisher, you need to provide the same professional attention to your own book. Never skimp on editing. You are competing with companies who sink thousands of dollars into a product; you need to do the same. If you can't afford to pay an editor, get a job and save up until you can.

I just read an article about someone offering to edit entire books for five bucks because she thinks it's fun and books need to be edited. Do not take this offer.What professional offers any service at all for five bucks? I'm not even talking about Fiverr, that's something different. People who offer to edit your book for free or five bucks or even fifty bucks will likely not give it the professional workout that you need. Sure a book worm can offer great advice, this is your audience and you should at least listen. However, there are things that happen under the hood that bookworms or your mom or your beta readers won't know or understand as they are not professional editors.

Real editors have to pay rent like everyone else and charge accordingly. Real editors edit for a living and therefore charge professional rates. Google the rates, real rates for real editors. Editors, like us at Scarlett Editing, who have actually taken courses, have a degree, and have years in the trenches as professional, working, good quality editors will charge rates that a lot of writers don't want to pay. However, who likes to pay for the dentist or the cleaning lady or a lawyer? An editor is the same. A professional providing a valuable service that takes years of training to achieve shouldn't give it away for five bucks or fifty.

You will see people offering editorial and proofreading services on Fiverr. On closer inspection, many of them aren't "giving it away" at all. They have figured out how to charge a living wage on Fiverr once you look at the process. Scarlett Editing is also on Fiverr (as Sephera Giron) and our rates on there are the same as when you order directly from us on here except there will never be a sale or combination of services discounts on Fiverr.

Eleven Years in the Business
We have worked with self-published authors for over eleven years and hundreds of books. We have not only watched the evolution of self-publishing but have been working in the trenches for years. We were here before it was "cool" to self-publish. We know what to look for and how to help you create a book that will be professional.

We care about your book, your hard work, and will do our best to make it shine!

Happy New Year from Scarlett Editorial Services!

Please think of us when you are looking for an editor for your next book!

sephgiron @ gmail. com

Are You Writing?

There are a million gadgets for writers to use to write. You can spend hundreds on programs and spend hours learning about software to write novels, make notes, and more.

However, at the end of the day, all the gadgets in the world aren't going to make you write better.

A story is still a story no matter how many bells and whistles you drape over it.

A story needs to have a beginning, middle, and end.

A story needs to be compelling.

If you don't have a plot or interesting characters, it doesn't matter how many thousands of dollars you spend on your laptop.

Writers write.

You can put pen to paper or fingers on a keyboard.

As long as words are going onto paper, then you are writing.


Are You Writing?
Talking about writing isn't writing.

Reading is part of the writing process but still isn't writing.

Going to a reading series is part of the process but isn't writing.

Sitting in Starbucks with a laptop isn't writing unless you're writing.

Applying for grants isn't writing.

Wearing scarves and berets isn't writing.

Having long debates about writing isn't writing.

Attending conventions is part of the networking process but isn't writing.


Writing is Writing
Scribbling notes while the kids are at class is writing.

Rewriting paragraphs and sentences is writing.

Staring out at the lake and creating stories in your head that you will later use is writing.

Putting words on paper is writing.

Sharing words on paper with others is writing.

Sending your work to publishers and editors is writing.

Listening to (though not necessarily taking) well-meaning editorial advice from friends, family, peers, and editors is writing.

Writers Write!
So stop talking about it and get writing!

And if you need professional editorial advice, pop us an email!

We are taking new clients this week!

sephgiron @rogers.com


Flash Sale!  
25% off for the first five clients who book services with a $100 deposit.
The manuscript doesn't have to be ready to send today but the deposit needs to be sent by MIDNIGHT May 4, 2016

Payment sent to sephgiron @ paypal.com

Please feel free to ask any questions about how the sale works.

Time for Editing

Summer will be here soon which means long, lazy vacations or maybe it means rushing around with the kids. At any rate, the last thing you're going to feel like doing is editing your manuscript.

If you've been working on a book or a story all winter, you're likely sick of it by now. Why not turn your work over to the professionals at Scarlett Editorial Services?

While you're off having a life, we'll be here bringing your work to life.

Summer is a fantastic time to make notes and start working on your next book. So feel free to jump ahead into the next project while we wrap up what's left to do on your previous one.

For rates, please go.here .

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us.

Members of the Horror Writers Association always enjoy a discount. Be certain to tell me that you're a current member.

Clean Up Your Act!

How many times have you hired a cleaning person?

How many times have you hired a cleaning service?

Do you have a weekly cleaning service in place at your home?

Do you have a live-in housekeeper? A cook? A nanny? A dog walker? Someone to mow your lawn? Shovel your snow? Weed your garden?

Do you hire staff when you have a party?

A lot of people hire other people to clean up their messes. It’s always been this way.

Here's A Story

Way back in the seventies, in what was considered cutting-edge times, The Brady Bunch, a fictional TV family, had a housekeeper even though Carole was a stay-at-home mom and Mike was only an architect.

But Alice was there mopping and dusting and cooking while Carole ran around to PTA meetings.

It’s still the same today for many types of (lucky!) people.

Why?

Because no one wants to clean up a mess.

Cleaning wastes time.

It’s boring to clean. It takes time away from earning money or playing with the kids. Most people hate cleaning. And so they will find a way to have other people clean at least a few things for them, depending on their budgets.

A Clean Sweep

I have a friend who was laid off from a great job about a year ago. She set to work cleaning other people’s houses in the neighbourhood for extra cash. A year later, she has a multi-woman team, and is making a great living cleaning other people’s houses, and funny enough, pretty much in her own neighbourhood.

It just goes to show you how many people hate to clean! Or at the very least, don’t have time to scrub toilets and bat away cobwebs. They hate cleaning so much they will pay others to do it for them.

There is a rare breed, and I’ve met a few of them over the years, my friend being one of them, who love to clean. They are in their glory cleaning other people’s stuff. So yes, some people love to clean and they will clean for almost anyone, for a price.

The funny thing about house-keeping is that anyone can do it, even little kids, and yet people will pay big bucks for other people to come in and mop the floors or pick up after a party or shovel the snow.

However, we all admit, nothing in the world feels better than walking into a shiny, clean, fresh-smelling home after a long commute.

Cleaning Is an Art

People who clean houses for a living have it down to an art. They work quickly and efficiently, knowing the short-cuts and how to combat specific challenges.

Freelance cleaning people can make $10 to $100 an hour, depending on how fabulous they are at their jobs, the type of house they are cleaning, and the financial means of their client. Some cleaners receive great tips and perks in addition to their fees.

Clean Up That Manuscript

Editing is much like cleaning. 

An editor’s job is to help the writer reach his full potential without losing his voice or intent. An editor’s role is to remove the clutter of developmental or grammatical errors, trim the fat, tighten up the manuscript, which essentially is cleaning up a writer’s work. When an editor has finished the job, the writer is free to keep or discard the editor’s changes and advice.

Most editors have post-secondary degrees and other training. Years in the trenches as a writer and editor brings experience with the process though not necessarily the skill. Some editors specialize only in specific tasks such as developmental editing or copy-editing. Some editors are well suited to offer all levels of editing. 

Freelance Editors

Considering the cost of education and the millions that publishing houses generate, one would think that a freelance editor makes $100s an hour. But, sadly that’s not true for the average freelancer. The current average of set fees posted on the internet against real editing time, not including emails, phone calls, and meetings, would likely fall between $5 to $60 an hour. It depends on the size of the project, level of editing, the level of the author’s writing ability, and the fee.

When it comes to editing, you often get what you pay for. Editing done dirt cheap will likely be competent but things will likely fall through the cracks, as the editor is working quickly. A really high priced editor may or may not deliver the best darned editing ever invented. A fee in the middle from an editor who has been working for a few years will likely guarantee a good job.

And it’s the same with the cleaning services you use in your home. You likely don’t hire the cheapest cleaning lady on the block but you don’t want to shell out big bucks either. So you go with the middle priced candidate and get a decent job, sometimes excellent.

Start the New Year with a Clean Slate

The next time you decide that you don’t want to pay for editing or proofreading, think about how much you shell out on other people cleaning up after you, your kids, and your dog. Isn't that manuscript you poured your blood, sweat, and tears into worth a cleaning as well?

Proofreading: A Fact of Life

Sometimes when we're in a hurry, simple things can be overlooked. We forget our keys, we leave our coffee cup on the counter, the kids forget their lunch, and we overlook grammatical errors in our communication materials.

A Fresh New Look
A simple proofread by a fresh set of trained eyes can often catch those last minute typos that weary editors and copy editors may miss in their own corrections.

A proofread can catch missing sentences and paragraphs that may be out of order from other manipulations the text may have gone through in the revision and formatting process.

Proofreading may be that last chance to notice that Jimmy's name is spelled Jimmie for half the book.

Why Can't the Editor Proofread?
Editors do proofread their own work. When they send the work back to the author, they believe they have found everything they can find at that time. An editor who has gone through the developmental and copy editing process with the author may become as blinded to the story as the author when it comes to catching random typos and grammatical errors.

A developmental editor helps the author shape the story and create engaging characters. Grammatical corrections aren't performed as the work is still mutating.

The copy editor and/or line editor, (depending on how many editors with whom you work), will go over the manuscript with a fine tooth comb. If you want a quick turnaround, you can expect a few things may be missed. Even when a editor has time to do several passes there are ways that errors can occur once the manuscript leaves his or her hands.

How Can There Be More Mistakes?
When the author receives a corrected manuscript from an editor, there will likely still be revisions that the author needs to perform. Even very simple revisions can result in more errors, depending on the skill of the author.

If the author is self-publishing, he will have to put the story into the correct format if it isn't that way this far into the process. Sometimes when work is reformatted, words can be dropped or punctuation can be changed. The author should check the work himself for errors and correct them before sending the work on to the final proofreader.

The best person to proofread a book is someone new to the story. Most proofreaders don't actually read the book for the story, so they don't get bogged down in details. Some read the book like a book but most treat the book like a text book. They are looking for mechanical and technical errors.

Some proofreaders even read work from the end to the beginning to really search for errors.

A proofread is the very last service to be performed after a work is deemed complete and ready to publish/send/upload.

Keeping Your Reader Engaged
Your number one job as a writer is to tell a great story or share information.

Your next job is to be certain you are using the best presentation possible.

Readers fall out of stories or get bored with information if there are too many typos or formatting issues. Don't irritate your readers with missing words, wrong spelling, and irregular formatting.

There is fierce competition out there for your attention created by millions; from other talented artists to corporations with deep pockets. Think about how you're going to compete for that attention whether it's with your book, your website, your brochure, or your essay.

Everyone has a story to tell. Be certain that your reader can understand it. Show your respect for your reader by presenting a clean and easy-to-read document. Editors and proofreaders can shine up your product to its full potential and give you the confidence to share it with your audience.

Contact Us!
If you'd like your story, book, website, email, or any other document proofread, please see our rates and email us.  sephgiron @ gmail.c om

Expiration Date Launch and Spring Editing!

On Thursday April 9, author and editor Sèphera Girón will be signing autographs in Toronto at the Sellers & Newell Bookstore for the Expiration Date Anthology. If you've had questions for Sèphera about her editorial services, feel free to ask her at the launch.

Sèphera will also be attending Ad Astra April 10 - 12 and will be on several panels as well as attending the mass autograph session from 2 - 4.

It was a very long and cold winter in Toronto. In fact, it's snowing right now on Easter Sunday!

The great thing about long, cold winters is that a lot of books and stories get written.

After you've written your book or story, you will need an editor.

Scarlett Editing has over ten years experience with hundreds of clients. Services range from a general reading of your work with general comments to very specific editorial services.

If you're not sure what kind of editing you need, don't be shy. Pop us an email and describe your work. We'll let you know what you need.

Our rates are very competitive and reflects our years of professional work and satisfied customers.

When you purchase two or more services, you will receive a discount.

We encourage you to book your spot in advance if you have a specific deadline, otherwise we work on a first come, first serve basis.

We take great care and detail in our work. Turnaround time varies per project but we work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Scarlett Editorial Services looks forward to hearing from you!

Contact us today for rates and availability.

sephgiron @ gmail.com

Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday Discounts

The holidays are fast approaching. Will so much to do and so little time, editing your opus is the last thing you feel like doing!

Don't worry, you are in safe hands with Scarlett Editorial Services.

We love to edit. We work in publishing. We understand the market.

If you need a quick overview of your work, you can order a book report.

If you need a thoughtful, thorough examination of plot, characters, tone, narrative structure, and  style, you can order a developmental edit.

If you require a line edit, we are here for you!

To take advantage of our Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday holiday specials, just pop us an email at

sephgiron@ gmail.com


Tell us a bit about your project, the length, if it is a rush job, and so on. We can work with you to determine which service or combination of services you require.

Between now and December 3, you will receive 10% discount if you book with us and provide a down payment. The manuscript doesn't need to be ready until you are happy with it enough to send.

Happy Shopping!

School Daze

It's back to school time for many people. For others, there is great rejoicing as with the kids away, there is finally time to get to work on your new novel!

Writing a novel, a book, even a story, is great fun but also a lot of hard work.

Many people don't realize how much work is involved in taking a piece of work from your mind and turning it into a published piece that others will buy.

Your best friend can be your editor.

Most books that go through traditional publishing routes will see one to five editors along the way. This is a lot of people who will look at your work, disect it, and "make it good;" good enough to expect others to pay hard-earned money to buy it.

Self-published authors need to think carefully about their own route to the bookstore shelf. The savvy  self-published author will hire a team to "make it good" and it can be daunting to decide who to hire for these many and varied tasks.

A self-published author at the minimum should have the expertise of a professional working editor for at least one draft. This should be someone who isn't related to you and who has experience in editing. Sure, your friends can share if the story is funny or scary or makes sense. An editor will help you understand how and why a scene may or may not work. An editor will help you keep your tenses consistent, and keep "head-hopping" to a minumum. An editor can point out where the tension gets lost or if there are lot of "facts" that simply aren't necessary.

Scarlett Editing offers many services for the self-published author.

We can prepare a book report, which is an overview of your work.

We can do line-editing which is the most detailed and expensive service that we offer.

We can do a variety of edtiorial services that fall in-between.

Scarlett Editing focusses primarily on editiorial services but we are happy to provide leads from our professional network for other services.

You may also need to hire book designer, a cover artist, and publicist and there are a great many talented people who are ready to help you with those services as well at a variety of companies aimed towards the self-published author.

An editor is not a publisher.

An editor is not a publicist.

An editor is not a formatter.

An editor is not a lawyer and can't give you legal advice.

An editor is not a cover artist.

An editor is not an agent.

An editor can not guarantee that your book will ever sell at all but we're going to try our best to give it the best possible chance to fly off the bookshelf.

You can contact Scarlett Editing with any questions: sephgiron@gmail.com

Starving Artist Editing Discount:Limited Time Offer

You've spent weeks, months, perhaps even years writing your book. You've typed "the end" and now wonder what's next?

Showing your work to your friends and family is an excellent way to get feedback from your average reader.

However, most friends and family aren't professional publishers and editors. They will not be able to spot grammar errors, or they may find that something doesn't "feel" right but they can't help you correct it.

Editors can help you. Whether it's a quick "book report" overview of your work, or thorough word-by-word line-editing, shining up your work to its absolute best shows your readers you respect your work and that you respect the time they put into reading your work.

Some writers write full time. Some writers have day jobs. Some writers have spouses who pay the bills.

The reality is that professional editing by an experienced editor is not cheap. Editing is a real job and can make a huge difference to the quality of a manuscript. Whether it's finding plot holes, removing repetitive information, finding spots where names change, or hacking out those unnecessary commas, an editor can make your work excel.

From now until midnight July 8, 2014, Scarlett Editorial services is offering a 15% discount on all editing services. 

To take advantage of this offer, you must make a deposit by July 8, ensuring your spot for editing.

You don't have to have your work ready by July 8.

All you have to do is reserve your spot for future editing by making a small deposit today that will go towards your fees and you will be locked into the 15% discount rate.

For instance, you are working on a 100,000 word manuscript and you know you'll want line editing for it when it's complete. Secure a 15% discount by reserving your spot with a deposit today. The deposit goes towards your final fee.    

Even if your book isn't ready for editing until December, you will still receive the 15% discount as long as you've paid your deposit by Paypal by midnight of July 8, 2014.


100000 x .02 = $2000 x 15% discount = $1700 


You would enjoy a $300 savings on this project if you take advantage of our offer by July 8, 2014.

Timelines for editing vary by project and service. Expect a book to take from one week to four weeks to be edited.


We look forward to working with you. Now go outside and enjoy the summer while we take care of your work for you!