We offer all clients a signed Guarantee of Confidentiality.
We offer structural or developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript assessments, and coaching in writing and self-editing.
- Structural or developmental editing, copy editing and proofreading: poetry, novels, stories, non-fiction publications, annual reports
- Manuscript assessment, structural review: manuscripts of poetry, novels, poetry, non-fiction (academic, articles, corporate), websites
- Coaching in writing and self-editing: life stories (memoir or autobiography), essays, articles; developing and improving the writer’s skills and manuscript. We specialise in coaching writers who are neurodivergent or have disabilities, including NDIS participants
If you need a professional to:
- produce your self-published book – go to On Time Typing Books and Life Stories
- type your manuscript or document – go to Our typing services
- design or formatt your book or report – go to Graphic design/typesetting or Formatting in Word
If you need an editor to edit or proofread your document, assess your manuscript, or coach you in writing and self-editing, see below.
Editing and proofreading
We edit and proofread:
- manuscripts of self-published books: life stories, memoir, oral history, family histories. Poetry. Novels (different genres)
- academic publications (education, health). Reports, conference programs, policies, manuals, newsletters. Website content and blog articles
- in Word, InDesign, PDF, and online (websites/blogs).
Our text editors are Sally-Anne, Claire, Kyla-Jayne and Kellie. For more information about us, go to: Our editors.
To see the list of publications and other documents we have edited, go to: Editing experience.
Coaching in writing and self-editing
We coach writers from diverse backgrounds, and of all ages and abilities:
- via telephone, Zoom and/or via track changes in Word documents, to support them in their writing and self-editing goals
- in various writing genres including memoir, poetry, articles, essays, “how-to” non-fiction, and novels: fantasy, crime, literary fiction
- collaboratively, to edit and improve their manuscript while teaching them the skills to self-edit by themselves.
When working out a coaching plan, we always put our clients’ needs first. This focus continues throughout the coaching relationship. Our coaches are nurturing and honest, sensitive to our clients’ issues and challenges, and committed to helping our clients grow and reach their goals. Our coaches are listed here.
Many of our clients are neurodivergent and/or disabled NDIS participants. We coach them to stay focused on their writing, learn to self-edit their writing, and motivate them to continue and complete their writing project, despite the challenges they face every day.
Writers who are NDIS participants may find this article helpful: Using your NDIS funds to pay for writing/editing coaching.
Poetry: editing and/or coaching in editing
Sally-Anne Watson Kane has been writing poetry since she was five years old, and has been editing other people’s poetry for 20 years. She edits poetry consultatively and collaboratively. She provides structural assessments and structural/developmental editing of whole poetry book manuscripts, and she copy edits individual poems or collections of poems.
Sally-Anne provides coaching in self-editing your poetry consultations via telephone, Zoom and track changes. She has presented her workshop, Editing your own poetry, and is co-founder of Poetry Editing Group Gippsland (PEGG) which meets online to workshop one another’s poetry.
For more information about our approach to editing poetry or coaching in self-editing your poems, see our articles: Editing poetry and coaching in self-editing poetry: our experience, and Editing poetry collaboratively.
Note: Sally-Anne has recently co-authored (with Delia Tobin and Seamus Foley) a self-published book of poetry: Among the Wildflowers.
Manuscript assessment or structural edit
We offer manuscript assessments and structural edits (also called developmental or substantive edits) of novels, poetry, and non-fiction that includes memoir, life stories, biography, and family and local history.
A manuscript assessment or a structural edit helps you afterwards self-edit your manuscript to a higher level, so it is ready for copy editing.
Manuscript assessment: we assess and provide you with feedback and advice in relation to the structure, style, voice, consistency etc. of your manuscript. We write a detailed manuscript assessment report (and may provide Track Changes comments as well) based on our Manuscript Assessment checklist.
Structural edit: we review and provide you with feedback and advice in regard to the structure, style and many other aspects of your manuscript. We write a dot point review of your manuscript, and may also provide Track Changes comments that highlight specific items.
Note: we do not offer advice in relation to marketing or marketability.
Our manuscript assessors and structural editors are Sally-Anne, Claire, Kyla-Jayne and Kellie, all of whom are full members of Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd).
For more information, go to: Contact us.
Note: if you are interested in beta reading services, we recommend you go to: Australian beta readers.
Our rates
We offer a free consultation and quote (including discussion about your project or manuscript, to one hour).
Our rates for editing and proofreading are charged ‘per-word’ for copy editing and proofreading, and ‘per hour’ for structural or developmental editing. They are based on the pay rates recommended by Institute of Professional Editors.
Our rates for writing/editing coaching are charged for each hour of one-on-one coaching and for any requested between-session review/editing time.
Contact us via phone or email here.