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 (depending on word count) = 500-800 USD
And that’s it! I’m now accepting clients for the rest of 2024, 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 (CURRENTLY PUBLISHED):
A cli-fi fiction novel by author Anna Klapdor.
A non-fiction self-help guide by Jan Verellen.