Removing the Mystery: The Step-by-Step Process of Working with Embers Igniting

If you’re interested in Embers Igniting Editing, then you’re probably wondering how the editing process works. Professional editing can be intimidating to newer authors. Even for experienced authors, finding a new editor is an undertaking. So let’s remove some of the anxiety that comes with initiating the editing stage of writing by breaking down our process here at Embers.

STEP ONE: LEARN ABOUT OUR SERVICES
The first step is pretty obvious—go to our website and take a look at our services page. You’ll see detailed descriptions of the primary services, packages, and mini services that we offer, including their base cost per word. As you learn about what we offer, think about what your project needs. On our website, you’ll also find FAQs and other helpful information as you start down the path of working with us.

STEP TWO: CONTACT US
Get in touch so we can learn more about one another. The best way to do this is via our website’s contact form. Provide as much information as possible about your project.

You’ll need to have at least this basic information ready to go for our form:

• Your first and last name
• Your email address (Watch out for typos, because if your address is entered incorrectly, we won’t be able to reply to your inquiry!)
• Whether your project is fiction or nonfiction
• Your primary genre
• Approximate word count of your manuscript

In the “additional questions or comments” box, it’s a great idea to share which service(s) you’re interested in. Or, if you aren’t sure which service(s) is right for you, go ahead and share why that’s the case. The more information we have from you, the better we’ll be able to understand your needs.

We’ll respond to your inquiry within two business days. After we answer any initial questions you may have, if you’ve decided you want a quote for one or more services, we’re happy to provide that for you. If you like the quote and would like to move forward, we’ll ask to do a free sample edit (structural edit, line edit, or proofread) of the first 1,000 words of your manuscript (only for manuscripts at least 30,000 words in length). This sample edit helps ensure we’re a good fit for your project, that we assign the appropriate editor, and that we agree that the type(s) of editing you’re interested in is going to get you the best bang for your buck.

STEP THREE: EDITING AGREEMENT
After deciding we want to partner together, we’ll draw up an editing agreement for your project that helps make sure we’re all on the same page. This agreement specifies any particular things you want us to focus on in our edit, your final cost based on your exact word count, and a timetable that works for everyone. For examples of what you’ll see in this editing agreement, check out our “Terms and Conditions” document and our “Sample Editing Agreement" located under our first FAQ.

STEP FOUR: EDITOR GETS TO WORK
We edit your manuscript in MS Word utilizing its Tracked Changes and/or Comments functions. However, for a foundational edit, we don’t work within your source file, but instead provide you a separate report detailing your manuscript’s strengths and areas for improvement.

We understand that this part of the process is a bit mysterious and nerve-wracking for writers. You’ve handed over your baby to someone else, which is no small thing. We promise your manuscript is with people who care about you and want your project to be the best it can possibly be. With that said, here are some answers to common questions about this major part of the editing journey:

When do I pay?
For works 30,000 words and up, you pay half the total quote for the project up front (after we’ve all signed the editing agreement), then the other half when we’ve completed the edit. For works under 30,000 words, the total cost is due up front.

How long will it take?
The short, honest answer is, it depends! It depends on how quickly you need the edit completed, our current availability, the length of your project, and how “clean” the manuscript is to begin with. All of these factors are discussed so that we can set up a timeline that works for you before we get to work. If we can’t meet your scheduling need for whatever reason, then we won’t take on your project.

How do you protect my work?
From start to finish, everything we exchange with you is confidential. We only share info about your work with our partners, contractors, and consultants as necessary to complete the editing process, and these associates of ours are aware of our confidentiality policy and are likewise beholden to it.

Along these lines, some authors are concerned with copyright—they’re worried about people stealing their work. Rest assured, if you wrote something down, that text is copyrighted under the law. If you still have concerns, feel free to ask us for an NDA. We don’t mind.

What if I don’t like your suggestions?
Criticism, even constructive criticism, is often hard to receive. Again, this manuscript is your baby, and nobody wants to be told their baby isn’t perfect. You may not always like what we have to say, and that’s okay. Just remember, you didn’t hire us to tell you your writing is perfect, but to tell you how it can be improved, and we provide our professional opinions to that end. Take or leave our advice because it’s your manuscript. And in the end, nobody knows your manuscript as well as you do.

It's worth noting that we have open communication throughout the editing process, and for manuscripts of at least 30,000 words in length, we check in with you halfway through the edit with a sample of our work. At that check-in, you can ask any questions you’d like, and if for whatever reason you don’t want to continue, you can back out of the second half of the edit. This is extremely rare. Know that we want you to be satisfied and see the finished product far surpass your expectations.

STEP FIVE: YOU REVISE
After we’ve finished editing your manuscript, it’s time for a crucial step in the editing process—you revise your manuscript in light of our suggestions. You go through and accept or reject specific edits, consider our comments, and make changes to your manuscript. This is the fun part because it’s magical to see your work improve before your eyes.

If you’re just doing a standalone service with us, this is the end of your journey with Embers, at least until your next project. However, if you’ve bundled services into a package with us, you’ll take as much time as you need to revise your work and then reach out when you’re getting close to being ready for the next service/editing stage. The more notice you can give us, the better, because that way we can be sure to get it on our calendar early on to meet your scheduling needs. We’re often booked out several months in advance, so plan ahead as much as possible.

And there it is, the nuts and bolts of working with us here at Embers Igniting Editing. If you have any questions or are ready to get started, reach out via that contact form. Or you can also reach out to us directly at EmbersIgniting at Gmail dot com. Until then, happy writing!

By Madeleine Mozley