ACT 3-AN EDITING SERVICE

One chance is all you'll ever have to make that good first impression. Editing is much more than finding errors in punctuation, grammar and typing. The story is all-important, followed by characters, scenes, pace, dialogue and flow. Flaws or weaknesses in any of these important aspects can ruin your chances, so work with an editor before you submit your manuscript to any publisher. Invest whatever time your creation needs.

I offer just one level of editing, as well as a form of co-authoring, for acceptable manuscripts:**

Editing. Deep editing, where all but the story itself is tackled chapter by chapter. Every aspect of storytelling is treated: characters, scenes and dialogue, pace, flow, plot and subplots. If your manuscript is promising enough, you work with me to incorporate specific and global changes. Yours is the final choice, always. I strive to maintain your writing style, phraseology and personal touch. I'll also coach you when I can. Once again, color is used to highlight. All comments are on the page in question, and examples are supplied to illustrate how the changes will look without distractions. You may choose to incorporate examples in your final manuscript, all or in part. That is up to you, since you will have paid for them.
I generally charge between $5 and $6.50 per double-space page for this type of work. If you have to ask how many words are on a double-spaced page, you are not ready for serious editing.

Co-authoring. Rather than filling pages with repetitive explanations, edits and examples, this style of editing goes directly to the example form. I first study your style and then the story as a whole. Thereafter, my suggestions for improvements are all by example. In a sense, I rewrite your story using your words and approach to the maximum extent possible while applying every technique and craft element I know to augment the work. Your reader is my target. This type of editing, or ghost writing, is less demanding of my time in explanation, yet more demanding in other ways.
I must first review your manuscript before I can estimate the cost to you. Not less than $6.50 per finished, double-spaced page.


CRITIQUE
Reading and evaluating (not editing) a manuscript: $95.00 plus $.75 per page over 60 pages. (A page is double-spaced. Partials count as full pages.)

** All editing is done in MS-WORD. Some manuscripts may be turned away. Others may be returned without charge, once studied in depth. Poetry is excluded. My services will improve your work, no matter the genre. No other benefits are implied.
To inquire about your manuscript, or when sending one for a critique, you may email the ms. in MS-WORD, Rich Text Format, to gmills@comporium.net. Rich Text Format is achieved by saving your file in that file type, and will show in the email attachment as an .RTF extension.
Please include the subject of your email on the Subject Line, in addition to any message you may send.
The addressee, gmills@comporium.net, must be the only addressee in that email.


PAYMENTS
Payments may be made by personal check, allowing two weeks for clearing, or by PayPal.

For Critiques, billing occurs when the work is finished. Delivery of the critique by email or regular mail occurs after payment is credited. A two-week delay on personal checks should be assumed.

For Editing, billing occurs at each $100 increment. Work continues after payment is credited. Co-authoring is handled by mutual agreement prior to beginning the work.

In either case above, using PayPal or sending prepayments by check will speed the process.

SOME TESTIMONIALS

Half of what I know about writing fiction comes from Gerald W. Mills. He teaches as he edits, and his edited books win prizes—in my own case, Finalist status for the 2006 WILLA [Cather] Literary Award, and the 2007 New Mexico Book Award. Gerry works closely with you, the author, keeping you informed of the changes and why he wishes to make them. And you learn! I enthusiastically recommend Gerry in the highest terms as a thorough, professional editor who will respect your work while helping you shape it to its best advantage. You may be the next prize-winner!
Florence Weinberg
The Storks of La Caridad (ISBN 1-931201-76-5), Apache Lance, Franciscan Cross (ISBN 1-933353-44-9, Seven Cities of Mud (ISBN 1-933353-46-5)

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Gerry Mills is an excellent editor and I highly recommend his editing services to aspiring authors. Gerry edited my first novel, Fire Lilies, which went on to win the 2002 Independent E-Book Award for Best Romance and finaled for the 2002 EPIC Award for Best Historical Novel. The novel also placed as an honorable mention winner (top ten out of 350 entries) in the Writers' Digest 10th Annual International Self-Published Book Award Contest. Gerry provided detailed comments, not only on language usage, but on plot points, which helped me strengthen and tighten the novel. I truly believe that his editing suggestions helped propel my novel to the award-winning status it eventually achieved.
Cynthia Leal Massey
The Caballeros of Ruby, Texas (ISBN 0-9718361-1-6)
Fire Lilies (ISBN 1-59109-250-7)

www.cynthialealmassey.com

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Gerry Mills is more than a good editor; he's a great teacher. Gerry edited my first published novel, The Wrong Places, and not only made it a much better book but also taught me some basic principles of writing that have helped me write every novel I've had published since. He was a pleasure to work with as all his suggestion were just that--suggestions. As an accomplished writer himself, Gerry doesn't try to write a book for the author although, undoubtedly, he could.

I'd especially recommend Gerry to anyone who has written a book that is almost ready for publication but needs "something." He'll find what it needs.

J. Crispin-Ripley, author of "The Wrong Places" (thanks, Gerry), "The Image of Christian", "Christian On Top", "The Adornments of Glory", "Glory Unbound", "Tons of Sex" and many forthcoming titles.

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There is a good reason Gerry Mills appears in the dedication in my sci-fi novel "Valkyrie's Flight" -- he is a damn fine editor. During the editing process, he was always careful to pose his suggestions as just that, suggestions, and not imperatives. Even so, they made sense in the vast majority of cases and I learned a tremendous amount during the time he helped me bring "Valkyrie's Flight" to life. I highly recommend him to any author looking for that all-important "second set of eyes" a first-rate editor provides.

Mark Francis "A Kart for Lindy" -- my novel for young adults (11-16yrs) about go-karts and other neat stuff. Ebook AND print formats. Read an excerpt and an author interview at http://wings-press.com/
"Valkyrie's Flight" -- my hard sci-fi time-travel novel at http://atlanticbridge.net/publishing/vflight.htm
***Read the first chapter free***

             
      

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