Intro’ing KS Book Editing Services
Welcome in, authors!
I’m Kourtney, owner and sole editor of KS Book Editing Services. If your eyes are reading this blog — THANK YOU — it’s been a helluva journey to get here! Mainly because it took me longer than I’d like to admit to figure out Squarespace.
But, enough about my lack of website-building skills and more about what my professional book editing services can do for you.
Who is KS Book Editing Services?
KS Book Editing Services is a one-woman show. The woman behind every edited word, every blog post, every email response, and every Instagram and TikTok post is me – Kourtney Spak.
I’m a passionate, independent book editor (or freelance book editor) who has been professionally editing fiction novels since early 2021.
I got my start on freelancing platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, working for peanuts and paying my dues.
It wasn’t until late 2021 that I felt confident – after online courses through the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), Editorial Arts Academy (EAA), and a mentorship with an incredible developmental editor – to take my services off the platforms and pave my own way.
As of today, I’ve edited over 1.3 million words and counting.
What Book Editing Services Do You Offer?
The book editing services KS Book Editing offers are developmental editing, line editing, first-chapter critiques, and fiction editing packages.
What is Developmental Editing?
Developmental editing focuses on the big-picture elements of your book.
This is likely the first professional editing service writers and authors seek out after self-editing and receiving feedback from friends, family, beta readers, alpha readers, and critique partners.
The big-picture elements include:
Plot
Characters/Character Development
Pacing
Structure
Concept/Premise/Themes
Prose
Word Building
Plot Structure/External Arcs
Developmental editors won’t change spelling and grammar errors or worry about sentence-level issues. That all comes in later during line edits.
If you need help crafting a compelling narrative, sharpening your characters, and ensuring your pacing keeps readers turning pages, you likely need a developmental editor.
Check out our developmental editing services here!
What is Line Editing?
Line editing is the second step in the book editing process. Once a writer reviews the developmental editing feedback and suggestions, their manuscript is likely ready for line edits.
A line editor will pay attention to the narrative elements of the story, such as characters, dialogue, and setting.
They will ensure that characters are believable and consistent (physical descriptions, personality, wants/needs), that dialogue sounds natural and progresses the plot, and that the setting is described in a way that immerses the reader in the story.
A line editor stays true to the writer’s individual style and approaches the manuscript as a meticulous reader.
They work line-by-line to ensure the following:
Language is sharp and clear
The writer’s word choice and syntax add to the tone of the manuscript
Overall readability
Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are correct
Sometimes line editing gets lumped in with copyediting. Understandable—they’re nearly the same thing.
Line editing is a more in-depth version of copy editing that focuses on style.
It’s more subjective and interpretive because line editors work to ensure the writer’s voice is effectively enhanced without losing their original intent.
Check out our line editing services here!
What is a First Chapter Critique?
A first chapter critique is when a book editor reads your first chapter, adding comments for suggestions and improvement to ensure that your first several pages suck your readers in and keeps their noses stuck in your book.
Some readers only read the first five pages to decide whether they will continue reading!
Alarming, but I’m sure you can remember when you read the first chapter and set the book back on the shelf.
So, it’s critical that your first chapter is flawless for readers and literary agents, and publishers if you’re going the traditional publishing route.
A first chapter critique will include developmental and line editing, pointing out weaknesses and what you can do to improve them.
This service also includes:
Genre expectations
Character sympathy/likeability
Scene depth
Inciting incident
Writing style
Pacing and intrigue
Conflict and suspense
Feedback on weak writing
Click here if you need a first chapter critique!
My Dreams for KS Book Editing Services
There may be too many to name for the first blog post, but I hope to nurture this editing service into my full-time career. As some of you may know, I’m also a content writer, copywriter, and fiction ghostwriter.
And as much as I love writing, I love editing more.
I would say my career is split 50% editing and 50% writing right now. By the end of 2023, I would love if it looked more like 75/25 or 80/20.
Anyway, back to hopes and dreams!
For the blog and newsletter, I hope it becomes a place where I can lament with you on how difficult it is to write sometimes and also provide as much free writing and editing education as possible.
For the business, I plan on taking more editing courses to continue sharpening my red pencil and helping authors improve their books to the best of my ability. I intend to add proofreading to my services by late 2023.
And finally, continue making content for my social media platforms and growing an organic community of writers and editors who love to learn, read, write, and edit as much as me.
How Can You Help KS Book Editing Grow?
It’s simple, really. Follow the socials and interact as often as feels good. I love meeting new writer and editor friends, sharing resources, and building a community!
You can find me on:
The Newsletter - subscribe to the email list to learn about all sales, blogs, and more.
Editables Blog - This will contain all long-form writing tips, editing tips, and personal and business updates.
Tiktok - The blogs are turned into videos, and this is also the best place to ask me questions in the comments. I’m literally never not on TikTok.
Instagram - Similar to Tiktok, except all information is given in the form of fun, informative carousels, posts, stories, and reels.