Refining Your Story, One Sentence at a Time with Line Editing
We believe in the precision of language, the power of detail, and the art of refining every sentence to perfection.
Let us help you polish your story, enhancing its rhythm and clarity to create a seamless, immersive experience that captures readers from start to finish.
The Wicked Ink Editing Approach:
Refined Editing, Remarkable Results
At Wicked Ink, our line editing service is designed to help your writing shine. We go beyond surface-level corrections to refine your style, sharpen your language, and enhance your overall narrative. Our editors focus on ensuring clarity, precision, and consistency, giving each sentence the attention it deserves. Whether it’s polishing grammar, tightening structure, or refining your tone, we work with you to elevate your prose and keep readers fully immersed in your story.
Tailored Line Editing
Every manuscript has its own unique voice, and we tailor our line editing process to suit your writing style and objectives. We collaborate closely with you to ensure that the essence of your voice remains intact while honing the language to perfection. From smoothing awkward phrasing to removing redundancies, our goal is to make your sentences flow seamlessly, capturing the reader’s attention with each turn of the page.
Collaborative Follow-up
Our editing process doesn’t end with your manuscript’s final draft. Once the line edit is complete, we provide a 60-minute virtual call to walk you through our edits. This collaborative follow-up allows you to review the changes, ask questions, and discuss revisions. Together, we ensure that the final product reflects your vision while benefiting from our editorial refinement.
Transparent Pricing
At Wicked Ink, we believe in full transparency when it comes to pricing. We offer clear, upfront rates with no hidden fees. Our commitment is to provide you with peace of mind throughout the editing process, so you can focus on your writing while we focus on fine-tuning your work. With our straightforward pricing, you’ll know exactly what to expect as we work together to perfect your manuscript. (Priced at $0.025 / per word)
How We Enhance Your Manuscript:
In-Depth Sentence-Level Refinement
Our line editing service dives deep into the details of your writing, refining each sentence to enhance its clarity, flow, and impact. From punctuation choices to word selection, we focus on every aspect of language to ensure your prose is polished and compelling. Each edit works in harmony with the overall structure of your story, elevating the quality of your writing with meticulous attention to detail. we make sure your voice shines through with precision and purpose.
Supportive, Constructive Feedback
We provide direct, constructive feedback to help you improve. Our approach ensures that we highlight areas where your writing can be strengthened, whether it's tightening dialogue or improving transitions. We encourage you to take creative risks and explore new ways to enhance your narrative, pushing your writing to its fullest potential. You’ll gain fresh perspectives that guide you toward crafting a story that is both impactful and engaging.
Tone and Voice Consistency
Your voice is integral to your story, and we work hard to maintain consistency throughout your manuscript. Whether it's adjusting language for tone, refining dialogue, or ensuring character voices are distinct and authentic, we make sure your narrative sounds cohesive and resonates with your readers. Every word is carefully chosen to support the emotional impact, of your story.
Flow and Rhythm Mastery
Great writing flows effortlessly from one thought to the next. Our line editing focuses on refining sentence rhythm and structure to ensure the pacing of your narrative is smooth and engaging. We’ll smooth out choppy phrasing, eliminate awkward sentences, and ensure every moment of your story unfolds naturally and is captivating.
Key Areas of Focus in Line Editing
We take your words to the next level, refining each sentence to sharpen clarity, enhance impact, and preserve the essence of your story.
Grammar and Syntax:
Line editing ensures your manuscript adheres to language conventions, focusing on correct sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, and tense consistency. We also refine syntax, enhancing sentence structure for readability and overall effectiveness, making sure that each sentence conveys your ideas clearly and fluidly.
Word Choice and Redundancy:
Effective word choice elevates your writing by selecting the most appropriate and impactful words for your message and context. We also focus on removing redundancy, cutting unnecessary repetition, and ensuring every word serves a purpose, making your writing more concise and powerful.
Punctuation and Clarity:
Proper punctuation is vital for clarity, helping to convey meaning and prevent confusion. Line editing focuses on the correct placement and usage of punctuation marks to improve readability. We also work to eliminate ambiguity and convoluted language, ensuring that your writing communicates your ideas with precision and ease.
Flow and Transitions:
A seamless reading experience relies on smooth transitions between sentences and paragraphs. Line editing ensures that your ideas flow naturally, with each sentence building upon the last. We focus on enhancing transitions and sentence progression to maintain a steady rhythm, improving coherence and keeping readers engaged.
Consistency and Voice:
Maintaining consistency in style, tone, and formatting is essential for a cohesive narrative. We ensure your unique voice remains intact while refining language choices and tone for maximum impact. Whether it’s preserving character voices or adjusting narrative tone, we enhance your authentic voice without compromising its integrity.
Readability and Rhythm:
Line editing optimizes sentence length and structure to improve readability and comprehension. We fine-tune pacing, rhythm, and complexity to strike the right balance between engaging narrative and clear communication. By adjusting sentence structure and length, we create a more dynamic and immersive reading experience.
When Should You Consider Line Editing?
After Developmental Editing:
Once your manuscript has undergone developmental editing and structural issues have been addressed, line editing comes in to polish the prose. This step fine-tunes your writing, ensuring every sentence is refined for clarity, flow, and emotional impact.
Final Draft Stage:
Line editing is essential before submitting your manuscript to publishers, agents, or self-publishing platforms. At this stage, the focus is on ensuring your writing is pristine, clear, and compelling, helping your manuscript stand out in a competitive market.
Improving Writing Style:
If you're looking to elevate your writing style, line editing refines it by smoothing out awkward phrasing, enhancing word choice, and making the prose more engaging and sophisticated. It helps you sharpen your unique voice while ensuring consistency and fluidity.
Language Enhancement:
If you’re concerned about language precision, line editing is crucial. It ensures your manuscript adheres to proper grammar, syntax, and idiomatic expressions, making your work sound professional and polished.
Enhancing Readability:
Line editing is the key to making your manuscript more accessible and reader-friendly. It smooths out overly complex or confusing language, ensuring that your writing flows smoothly and is easy for readers to absorb and enjoy.
Preparing for Publication:
Before moving toward publication—whether traditional or self-publishing—line editing is an essential step. It ensures that your manuscript is polished, professional, and ready to make the best possible impression on editors, agents, and readers.
Meeting Industry Standards:
For authors aiming to meet the professional standards of the literary world, line editing is a critical step. It ensures your writing aligns with industry expectations in terms of style, language, and formatting, increasing your chances of success in the competitive literary market.
Our Line Editing Service: What You’ll Receive
Our line editing service focuses on refining each sentence to improve clarity, flow, and impact, all while preserving your unique voice and creative vision.
🔍 Immersive Manuscript Read-Throughs
Our editors don’t just read your manuscript—they dive deep into your story. We conduct two thorough read-throughs, ensuring we fully grasp your unique voice and the essence of your narrative.
First Read-Through: This initial, uninterrupted read is done with an empathetic eye, allowing us to fully connect with your story's heart and tone. We absorb every detail to understand the flow and emotions driving your narrative.
Second Read-Through (Line Editing): This is when the magic happens. With meticulous attention to every line, we provide in-depth edits, offering precise suggestions and detailed comments to refine every sentence and enhance your prose.
🖋️ Detailed Editing Markup
Our editing process is crystal clear and organized. Using Microsoft Word's Track Changes feature, we provide a fully annotated Word file that highlights every suggestion, revision, and comment, making it easy for you to review our edits and decide which changes best serve your vision.
Our editors focus on refining:
Style Nuances – Perfecting tone and voice
Pacing Intricacies – Ensuring a gripping, well-paced narrative
Descriptive Eloquence – Enhancing sensory details to immerse your readers
Authentic Dialogue – Strengthening character interactions
Narrative Continuity – Ensuring smooth transitions and logical flow
Plot Coherence – Fine-tuning structure for a compelling, cohesive storyline
📝 Extensive Editorial Letter
Alongside your edited manuscript, you'll receive a comprehensive editorial letter (typically 8–10 pages, depending on your manuscript’s length).
The editorial letter includes:
Actionable Feedback:
Offering you suggestions and clear recommendations to take your manuscript to the next level.
Personalized Insights:
Tailored suggestions that enhance your unique voice and writing style.
We highlight your strengths, pinpoint areas for improvement, and provide guidance for your next steps.
📞 Collaborative Follow-Up
We include a 60-minute virtual call to discuss your Editorial Letter and overall feedback. This one-on-one session is your opportunity to:
Ask questions about the feedback.
Clarify specific points or suggestions.
Develop a clear action plan for the next stage of your manuscript.
💰 Cost: $0.025 / per word
📆 Delivery Time: 20 business days
Elevate your manuscript with our meticulous line editing service, designed to fine-tune your prose and sharpen your narrative.
This is more than a simple edit—it’s a transformative step toward making your story clearer, more engaging, and unforgettable.
How to Book Our Line Editing Service
From inquiry to delivery: With our simple 6-step booking process.
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Submit your Line Editing Quote to get started. An editor will contact you within one business day with a personalized quote. This form allows us to gather key information about your manuscript, including:
Genre
Word count
Your preferred completion date
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Once you accept the quote, we’ll send you a detailed service agreement outlining:
Terms and conditions
Agreed-upon timeline
Deliverables & scope of work
Payment schedule
Once the service agreement is accepted, we’ll send you a deposit invoice to confirm your booking. A $150 deposit is required, this deposit secures your spot on our editorial calendar and ensures we can begin work on your manuscript as planned.
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To officially start the editing process, 50% of the total project cost must be paid by the agreed-upon start date.
Once the payment is processed:
Submit your manuscript to us the day prior to when your service is to officially begin. The required manuscript file can be submitted via email and is due by 11:59pm MST, prior to the project start date.
Follow the submission guidelines below:
Full Manuscript
1.5 or 2.0 Line Spacing
12 point font - Times New Roman
File Type: .docx
File Name: “yourname_title”
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With your manuscript in hand, our experienced editors will:
Thoroughly review your work.
Provide suggestions, revisions, and detailed feedback on flow, transitions, pacing, word usage, voice, etc.
Deliver a tracked document with clear edits, comments, and actionable suggestions.
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As the editing process nears completion, we will send the final invoice balance. The remaining balance must be paid in full before the project’s delivery date to ensure we can provide all agreed-upon deliverables.
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After receiving your final payment, we will:
Deliver the fully edited manuscript.
Provide all additional project deliverables, ready for the next phase of your writing journey.
Booking link for your follow-up call.
Also a link to fill out a feedback (testimonial) form if you wish.
Still Unsure? Let's Talk Editing!
Book a Discovery Call now to make sure a Line Edit is the "write" choice for you.
Not ready to commit? Submit a Sample Edit and experience our editing expertise firsthand before making your decision!
Learn More About Line Editing
We specialize in the following genres for Line Editing
Action & Adventure | Contemporary | Contemporary Romance | Cozy Mystery | Cozy Romance | Crime | Dark Fantasy | Dark Romance
Dystopian | Fantasy | Historical Fiction | Horror | Literary Fiction | Mystery | New Adult | Paranormal | Psychological | Romance
Science Fiction | Serial Killer | Slasher | Supernatural | Suspense | Thriller | Women’s Fiction | Young Adult
Frequently Asked Questions
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Our Line Editing service is priced at $0.025 per word, with delivery within 20 business days.
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Below is an example of a Line Editing Quote price breakdown:
Booking Date: March 1
Word Count: 75,000
Project Start: April 1
Project Due: May 15
For a 75,000-word manuscript at $0.025 per word, the total cost is $1,875. Here’s an example breakdown:
Deposit: A $150 deposit is due upon booking, on March 1 to secure your spot.
50% of the remaining balance ($862.50): Due at the project start, on April 1.
Final balance ($862.50): Due before receiving the completed deliverables, on May 15.
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Our line editing service focuses on enhancing every aspect of your manuscript to refine its flow, voice, and structure:
Immersive Manuscript Read-Throughs:
First Read-Through: A deep, uninterrupted read to connect with your story’s heart and tone.
Second Read-Through (Line Editing): Focused editing to perfect every line, offering detailed suggestions and precise changes to elevate your prose.
Detailed Editing Markup: Using Microsoft Word's Track Changes, we provide an annotated file highlighting every revision, suggestion, and comment. Key areas of focus include:
Style and voice refinement
Pacing and flow
Descriptive details and sensory immersion
Authentic dialogue
Narrative and plot coherence
Extensive Editorial Letter:
Provides actionable feedback, personalized insights, and guidance to help elevate your unique voice and writing style.
Includes specific suggestions for improving clarity, pacing, and narrative flow.
Collaborative Follow-Up: A 60-minute virtual call to discuss your editorial letter, clarify feedback, and plan your next steps.
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Line editing is best done after you've finalized your story structure, character arcs, and pacing. It’s the step focusing on refining sentence structure, improving clarity, and polishing language. Make sure your manuscript is in solid draft form and free of major revisions before moving to line editing.
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To ensure availability, it’s recommended to book your Line Editing service on average 1–3 months in advance. However, timelines may vary based on our editorial schedule. If you have a specific deadline, contact us early and we can help secure a spot and plan for any additional editing services.
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Yes! We love working on all fiction genres. If you’re unsure on what we might bring to your work (genre), feel free to contact us to discuss your project or submit for a Sample Edit.
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After you receive your edited manuscript and deliverables, we suggest reviewing the feedback and then scheduling your included 60-minute virtual call where you can:
Ask questions about the feedback.
Clarify specific points or suggestions.
Develop a clear action plan for your next draft.
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Yes, of course! We encourage open communication and are happy to answer any questions. This is why we include the 60-minute virtual call. This is your opportunity with us to answer any questions you may have and go over the feedback!
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Yes, confidentiality is a top priority. Your manuscript will remain secure and private throughout the editing process. If you decide to move forward with us and book a full editing service, part of our service agreement includes a non-disclosure clause. So your work is fully protected.
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Yes! We offer a Sample Edit, so you can experience how our feedback works and decide if it aligns with your vision before committing to the full editing service.
You can also download our Line Editing Booklet (Link download) which has more information and a sample of a Line Edit.
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Yes! Absolutely! We provide a free, no-obligation discovery call where we can answer any questions you may have regarding our services. We’ll go over your goals, answer your questions, provide clarity, and recommend the best editing service for your story.
You can Book your Discovery Call now.
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Absolutely! After we send you the deliverables and complete the follow-up call, we'll provide you with a link to a feedback form. We truly value your feedback, as it helps future writers who may want to work with us. As a token of our thanks, we offer a discount code for your next editing service after completing the feedback form. While it's entirely up to you, we encourage you to share your thoughts to help us improve and continue offering the best service possible.
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You can always reach out to us through our Contact Form and we would be happy to answer your questions.