Editing, proofreading, manuscript assessments, coaching

We offer structural or developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript assessments, and coaching in writing and self-editing. 

If you need a professional to:

Scroll down if you need information or advice about editing, proofreading, manuscript assessments, or coaching in writing and self-editing.

Editing and proofreading

Our editors are Sally-Anne, Claire, Kyla-Jayne, Deb and Kellie. For more information about or experience or qualifications, go to: Our editors.

We edit and proofread

  • manuscripts of life stories, memoir, oral history, family histories, recipe books, and novels (genres including fantasy, youth fiction, Australian)
  • academic publications (education, health), reports, conference programs, policies, manuals, newsletters, website content, suites of articles
  • in Word, InDesign, PDF, and online (websites).

Different types of editing

  • Structural editing (also called developmental editing, or substantive editing)
  • Rough copy editing (also called “line editing” or simply “copy editing”)
  • The final copy edit. Note: some writers refer to this as a “proofread” but editors always call this final stage, prior to design, the “final copy edit”.

For more information go to:

For a free consultation to work out the type of editing you need, and the most cost-effective way we could assist you, contact us here.

Manuscript assessments

A manuscript assessment by a professional editor will help you self-edit your manuscript to a higher level, so it will be ready for copy editing. It is less detailed and therefore costs less than a structural or developmental edit.

We offer manuscript assessments of poetry (all genres), novels (many genres), and non-fiction (memoir, life stories, family history, local history).

Our role in conducting a manuscript assessment is to assess and provide you with feedback and advice in relation to the structure, style, voice, consistency etc. of your manuscript. We write a manuscript assessment report that includes suggestions for addressing structural or style issues, and we may also provide some Track Changes comments.

Note that we do not offer advice in relation to marketing, agents or publishers .

Our manuscript assessors and 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: beta reading costs less than a manuscript assessment because a beta read is normally done by someone who is not a qualified editor. For more information about beta reading services, contact: Australian beta readers.

Coaching in writing and self-editing – prose/creative writing

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 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. 

Many of our clients are neurodivergent and/or disabled NDIS participants. We coach them to stay focused on their writing, teach them how to self-edit and improve their writing, and motivate them to continue and complete their writing project, despite the challenges they face every day. 

Our coaches are Kyla-Jayne, Pete, Kellie, Deb and Sally-Anne, all experienced in coaching and editing, and members of Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd). Find out more about our coaches and their areas of expertise here.

Coaching in writing and self-editing – poetry

We  provide coaching in self-editing poetry via consultations (telephone, Zoom) and via Track Changes tools in Word. We coach the poets in self-editing their poems, and (if requested) can collaborate with them so that together we can edit all their poems, with a view to self-publishing their book of poetry.

We provide manuscript assessments, structural (or developmental) editing of whole books of poetry, and collaborative copy editing. Depending on the needs of the poet, we can either edit all the poems or we can edit just a few poems then coach the poet, via two or three coaching sessions, to assist them to self-edit the rest of their poems themselves.

For more information about our approach to editing poetry or coaching in self-editing your poems, see: Editing and coaching – poetry: our experience, and Editing poetry collaboratively.

We have on our team two poetry coaches/editors. They are Sally-Anne Watson Kane and Deb Wain. Both are full members of Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd), and experienced in coaching poets and writers who are neurodiverse or who have disabilities.

Sally-Anne has been writing poetry all her life, and has been editing others’ poetry for 20 years. She has co-authored and self-published a book of poetry, Among the Wildflowers. She has presented her workshop How to edit your own poetry), and is co-founder of Poetry Editing Group Gippsland  (PEGG) which meets online to workshop one another’s poetry. Sally-Anne is also a formal Poet Mentor with Gippsland Writers Group’s mentoring program.

Deb has been coaching aspiring poets and editing students’ poetry for many years, and has developed and implemented tertiary units in writing poetry. She holds a Graduate Diploma of Professional Writing (2010) and a PhD in Creative Writing. She specialises in coaching poets and editing poetry, as well as coaching in and editing creative fiction.

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 per hour of one-on-one via face to face coaching and/or via Track Changes review/comments.

We do not charge for general administration or communications.

Contact us via phone or email here.