The process of publishing a book involves a number of steps, not all of which are needed for every book. Here we lay out the steps in the order in which they would be done.

Along with the above copy editing and proofreading, we provide the following:

An editorial assessment
Upon receiving your manuscript we read and report on either a portion of it or all of it. So, we might (by agreement with you) read just the first ten or twenty thousand words and then stop and write you a professional assessment. For fiction, the report will analyze strengths and weaknesses in the areas of plot, characterization and writing style. It will make suggestions for improvements where suitable. For non-fiction, the report will analyze organization, presentation of thesis, logical argumentation, coherence and use of necessary documentation or examples. We can also comment on any other aspect the author specifies that is not outside our expertise.
Having a portion of the manuscript assessed is a money-saving option, but of course only a full reading of the manuscript will cover the whole plot or scope of the book.
If the first reading reveals a first-class manuscript, we can jump directly to the final copy editing and proofreading steps (done either as separate steps or combined ones).
An editorial assessment is priced at $0.014 per word, so for example a full reading and report for a 60,000 word text would cost $840. Based on the first 10,000 words, it would cost $140.

Developmental editing
This is an in-depth review that examines all elements of the writing, from the vocabulary and phraseology used, to the overall style and readability of the book. For fiction, it addresses any issues with plot and characterization.
Developmental editing is priced at $0.024 per word and so would cost $1,440 for a 60,000 word text.

Copy editing and proofreading
See above under “General writing services.”

There are other helps that might be chosen:

Ghostwriting
Someone with a story to tell but no flair for writing might choose to tell the story to a ghostwriter and have that writer craft the manuscript for him. Our fee for this service is $0.70 per word of the final text.