When I’m not working on my own stories, I love helping authors polish their manuscripts, queries and submission packages. I’ve been editing non-fiction (mostly articles) since 2015 and fiction since 2017. Sadly, many of the projects I’ve worked on involved signing NDAs, so I can’t say disclose much about them. But if you’re interested in my range, here’s the link to my UpWork profile, where you can see some reviews my clients have left. I’ve worked with authors who are pursuing traditional publishing, as well as with authors who are looking to self-publish.
Check out what some of my clients have to say:
Danai is a sharp and quick editor, but also detailed and thorough. I was at ease knowing that my manuscript was in their hands. I will definitely be going back to them for future projects!
@VioletMMoreno, querying author (YA contemporary)
I want to just shout from the rooftops about how amazing of an editor Danai is! She turned my dusty ole manuscript AND query letter into beautiful masterpieces. And she’s patient, attentive, and so kind. You can’t lose with her!
@nicooolibre8, querying author (picture book)
Want to hire me to edit your story? Great! Here’s how it goes:
-I do a mix of developmental and line edits and a second round of proofreading.
-We discuss the scope of your project: genre, approximate number of words, when you need it by. I will then give you an initial fee range (I work with flat fees as opposed to a fee per word). I try to keep my fees competitive to help new authors—check the table below for details on my rates.
-You send me the manuscript (or your submission package). After a first read, I make an evaluation. We agree on more specific fee (within the range we discussed, obviously) and a deadline.
-I send you a standard editing contract. We both sign it.
-You pay 20% of the agreed fee in advance, after the contract is signed.
-I edit in Google docs or Pages, so that I can make comments and suggestions and you can see them and decide what works/what doesn’t work for you. That being said, I’m open to suggestions.
-Once the first round of edits is done, depending on how you feel about the changes and what the MS needs, we can do a second round (one that hopefully will be more focused on small details and proofreading) for no extra fee. Or we can see that the MS is already good to go!
-After that, you pay the rest of the amount. I take PayPal, Kofi (for smaller fees) or a bank transfer, if you prefer. I’m always happy to offer 2-3 instalment options, especially to returning clients.
My rates:
-Query and synopsis package (two rounds, if needed) = 25 USD
-Query, synopsis + 10 first pages (applies only to larger works, like novels*) = 35 USD
-Query, synopsis + 25 first pages (applies only to larger works, like novels*) = 60 USD
-Query, synopsis + 50 first pages (applies only to larger works, like novels*) = 85 USD
*pages should be properly formatted, double-spaced, Times New Roman or equivalent font, size 12
-Picture books and flash fiction (depending on word count) = 50-100 USD
-Short stories and novellas (depending on word count) = 80-400 USD
-Novels, line edits and proofreads (depending on word count) = 500-1,000 USD
-Novels, dev edits only (edit letter or Zoom call) = 250 USD
And that’s it! I’m now accepting clients for the rest of 2024 and 2025, and as always I will prioritize works by LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled authors. DM me on Twitter for more, or send me an email at danai.christo@gmail.com with EDIT REQUEST on the subject line.
SOME OF THE BOOKS I’VE EDITED (PUBLISHED OR FORTHCOMING):
A cli-fi fiction novel by author Anna Klapdor.
A non-fiction self-help guide by Jan Verellen.
AUTHOR/WRITING COACHING SERVICES
In the beginning of Autumn 2024, I was asked by one of my clients whether I would consider offering author/writing coaching sessions. I struggled with the idea at first, because while I know how valuable coaching can be, I also know that these services are usually expensive, inadvertently acting as yet another gatekeeper in an industry that’s already too gatekeep-y on working class and marginalized authors. But in the end, I realized I can do this in a way that would be helpful to authors while also being feasible for me and my time.
So here’s how my coaching services work: we will be doing hourly sessions, weekly or bi-weekly via Zoom, and they can be about anything writing/publishing related you’re struggling with. For instance, with my existing clients so far we have done pitch preparations for them to pitch agents at workshops, we have revised book outlines, we have looked at short stories and how to sharpen them, and we’ve worked on strategies for being consistent with writing and with pursuing publication. I am offering starting, half-hour sessions at 25USD, so that you can decide if we’re a good fit.
(After that, prices start from 50USD per hourly session, which includes me reading and giving you verbal feedback on up to 5K words of text.)