AUTHOR SERVICES
Ghostwriting, Author Coaching, Editing
Finding the right editor for your book can make all the difference. Carmilla Voiez offers competitive rates and flexible services.
Carmilla Voiez Author Services can provide ghostwriting, author coaching, editing and proofreading.
If you want to learn how to do it yourself, scroll down to the bottom of this page to access a step-by-step guide to writing, rewriting, editing and proofreading your novel.
Ghostwriting:
Do you have a story idea or character but lack the time or skills to do it justice? Carmilla Voiez has previously ghostwritten romance and speculative fiction. The cost will depend on the complexity of the project and the amount of research required.
- Stage one – a meeting via zoom to discuss the scope of the project.
- Stage two – agree a story plan/synopsis.
- Stage three – delivery of first draft, either by chapter or 5,000-word sections with a zoom meeting after the first section to ensure satisfaction.
Editing services:
Developmental editing, with or without coaching
Carmilla will read your manuscript and prepare a report on its strengths and weaknesses. I will look at genre, characters, point of view, plot, pace, structure, clarity, timeline and consistency. My report will suggest ways to make your manuscript stronger and more appealing to readers or publishers. As you work through my feedback, I can also offer one-to-one coaching sessions via zoom to discuss any concerns, help you find solutions and keep you on track. The cost will depend on the scope and complexity of your project.
Copyediting (also known as line editing)
When your manuscript is ready, Carmilla can help you perfect it by identifying issues with pacing, characterisation, plot, genre markers, style, point-of-view, accessibility and sensitivity. I will flag or correct (according to your preference) any grammar issues, including tenses, punctuation and sentence structure; do the same for any spelling errors or inconsistencies (British or American English only); and help you tailor your use of language to ensure your message comes across as clearly and elegantly as possible. All changes will be logged, and I will suggest improvements where applicable. For authors who struggle with particular aspects of writing and rewriting, one-to-one coaching on specific aspects of craft can be added to this service. The cost will depend on the scope and complexity of your project.
Proofreading
This is a light-touch service, which corrects remaining spelling and grammatical errors and checks for consistency. I will check spelling (British or US English) and basic grammar, and correct any mistakes. My fee will be £25 per 5,000 words.
Although I am willing to provide all three editing services as a package, I recommend that you use one editor for copyediting and a different editor for proofreading in order to bring a fresh pair of eyes to your manuscript. No editor can guarantee that your finished manuscript will be 100% error free, but I will help you bring your work as close to perfection as is humanly possible.
Author Coaching Packages
In addition to one-to-one coaching during the editing process, I can work with authors who are struggling with specific concerns. We can meet once or frequently to explore issues such as plotting, how to achieve a balance between showing and telling, accountability, or other aspects of a writer’s craft. My fee will include an hour of reading, an hour for the meeting and half an hour for writing up notes (average cost £50 per session). Most coaching packages will require you to produce work to discuss during the meeting.
Further details
For further information about any of these services (including my terms and conditions), to check my availability, and receive a personalised quote, please email me at carmillavoiez@gmail.com. I accept payment via Paypal or bank transfer. If you prefer to use Escrow for payments, we can set up a contract on Upwork (additional costs will apply to cover Upwork fees).
Testimonials
My novel Ink Calls to Ink had gone through at least eight revisions/rewrites with two different editors and three beta readers before it was picked up for publication by CHBB Publishing. They handed the manuscript over to Carmilla Voiez for final editing. I figured the manuscript was in pretty good shape considering how much work it had seen before getting to her, so I anticipated a reasonably quick turn-around. Not only did she find, fix, and standardize things no one else had managed to catch or even think about, she did it quickly and painlessly. The work she did for my novel was astounding. I couldn’t have hoped for better.
My novel Ink Calls to Ink had gone through at least eight revisions/rewrites with two different editors and three beta readers before it was picked up for publication by CHBB Publishing. They handed the manuscript over to Carmilla Voiez for final editing. I figured the manuscript was in pretty good shape considering how much work it had seen before getting to her, so I anticipated a reasonably quick turn-around. Not only did she find, fix, and standardize things no one else had managed to catch or even think about, she did it quickly and painlessly. The work she did for my novel was astounding. I couldn’t have hoped for better.
- Nathan Crowder
I have worked with Carmilla Voiez as editor on my young adult contemporary romance novel, Dismantling Evan. Her keen eye for details, description, and the overall flow of content and plot have definitely made my manuscript shine. Not only has she improved my manuscript, she has improved me as a writer explaining along the way why certain things work and others don't in the manuscript. She is expeditious with her work, which I am so grateful for, while still being thorough. There was no point in which I felt the editing of my manuscript was cheated by a quick read through. I am happy to say that because of Carmilla's hard work, Dismantling Evan has received a 5 star review from Readers' Favorite Editorial Review - a professional review service. I highly recommend Carmilla Voiez's editing services.
- Venessa Kimball
As a new author I was nervous about the whole editing process. Carmilla made it easy and fun! She made my manuscript better than I ever could. I highly recommend her services and will want to use her for all my future novels.
- A.B. Novak (author of Mr Blackwell)
I first approached Carmilla in a very shy and humble fashion. Having been a fan of her Starblood trilogy and a little nervous, I did not anticipate that she would be available to a new writer such as myself. My fears were very quickly extinguished by not only her immediate professionalism but also her kindness and instant interest in my project. In fact I did not know how to respond at first to her enthusiasm and drive, except of course with immense gratitude. I had a total of thirteen stories I needed edited and expected this to take some considerable time, which was also stressing me, as I had a looming deadline. This also proved to be of no problem. The turnaround was fantastic. And the results were amazing! Things I never would have caught she picked out with ease. When all was said and done I left with total confidence in the quality of my project and a sense of total satisfaction. Carmilla, I address you in this review to tell you once more before anyone that reads this, to thank you for your kindness, your enthusiasm, your fast results and for the quality in which you performed as editor. I recommend you very highly to anyone with no hesitation and total confidence!
- David Storm (Horror Fiction Writer, Artist, Photographer and Actor)
Carmilla has just edited my third book and as always it has been a great experience. When she writes, Carmilla has a supernatural ability to play with words. They dance for her. This comes across in her editing advice. Sometimes she’ll suggest single word changes that transform passages. At other times she will identify passages that need overhauls. She will prompt you into working that bit harder to make something okay into something great. This is really noticeable when I throw in a lazy sentence I have become blind to. I really appreciate the dedication, accuracy and speed with which Carmilla works. I’ve also learned a lot during all three projects. So writers, if you’re considering an edit for your work. I have no hesitation in recommending Camilla Voiez. No matter what crimes you commit against grammar and punctuation, she will help you improve with constructive, meaningful feedback. Your manuscript will be the best it can be and you’ll become a better writer.
- Paul Grover (author of Ghost of the Vale)
I asked Carmilla for her help with the submissions package for my psychological thriller. She found the single most important issue with my opening chapters, and her close reading pinpointed lazy prose that I'd missed. She was both brilliant and brutal with the dreaded synopsis. Brutal is high praise - it is rare to find an editor who gets straight to the heart of the problems, and without that we can't improve our work. The novel has a complex plot with two narrative strands and I couldn't see the wood for the trees. Carmilla was able to highlight all the areas where I was fuzzy and where I had not properly elucidated key plot points. Her clarity and focus helped to simplify the synopsis while maintaining the key story elements. I cannot recommend Carmilla's editorial services highly enough. She is a fine editor and has a strong instinct for prose, story and structure.
- Ann Rawson (author of The Witch House and A Savage Art)
Having collaborated so well with Carmilla as co-author for Our Fearful Roots, she was my first choice when it came time to edit my latest project. This was a collection of short stories I had written over my entire writing career. Not only did Carmilla correct my grammatical issues, she helped me improve my older stories so they matched my current voice and helped me to turn this into a cohesive story. I was kept informed throughout and approved all changes myself. Working with Carmilla made what could have been a complicated process an easy and enjoyable one. I couldn’t be more happy with the results and will definitely call on her services again.
- Faith Marlow (author of Being Mrs. Dracula)
Qualifications
Carmilla Voiez has a diploma in Proofreading and Editing (Distinction), a First-Class honours degree in English Language and Creative Writing, and eleven years of experience in editing fiction (novels and short stories).
Do it yourself
A step-by-step guide to writing and editing a novel can be found on my blog.
Step one: start writing
Step two: plot and theme
Step three: style
Step four: overcoming writer's block
Step five: developmental edit
Step six: editing
Step seven: proofreading