That being said, it's not an editor's job to rewrite your story. It's not an editor's job to tell you that your manuscript is perfect, when it does need work. When you come to me for editing, you can be assured that you will receive my honest, unvarnished opinion, and many helpful pointers to resources (and methods) that will help make you a better writer. It's not always easy to hear that your darling isn't perfect, but if you're diligent in applying what you learn, your writing will become better. I'm here to guide you, because I'm sure you'll agree with me that it's better to catch those gremlins before your novel wanders off into the wilds.
Preferred genres:
While I will take on select non-fiction works, my primary focus remains on commercial fiction, with a preference for science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, erotica, and historical fiction. I am proudly LBGTI friendly, and will also take on short story collections, provided they are supplied in one document.
However, I do not edit poetry, screenplays, inspirational, current affairs/politics or religious themes, nor will I accept work that glorifies distasteful ideological propaganda, or gratuitous violence. While I am happy to give your thesis a light proofread, I'm not an academic editor. Also, I'm probably not the editor for your homage to James Joyce. I'll sometimes read litfic, but it's not my area of expertise.
Rates:
I offer a range of editing services. I only release manuscripts on receipt of payment. Prices are structured per round of edits. I accept payment either in South African Rand via local banks, or in US$ via PayPal. Query me regarding availability at nerinedorman@gmail.com.
BETA READING: $85 for manuscripts up to 100k words; $165 for manuscripts between 100k-200k, with $150 per 100k words over thereafter. I will supply a thorough editor letter highlighting areas for improvement.
ASSESSMENT: $3.50/1,000 words – this will be a thorough editor letter, as well as markups in the file related to the notes. I'll look at pacing, characterisation, structure, and more, while highlighting areas for improvement in your writing. I will include an optional one-hour video call to go over any questions you may have afterwards.
COPY EDITING: $3.50/1,000 words – this will be one round of thorough copy editing, looking at not only structural issues, but also digging deep beneath the skin of your story, to help you make your work the best that it can be.
LINE EDITS/PROOFING: $3.50/1,000 words – if you're just looking for that once-over to make sure all the gremlins have been tagged and crated.
COPY EDITING: $3.50/1,000 words – this will be one round of thorough copy editing, looking at not only structural issues, but also digging deep beneath the skin of your story, to help you make your work the best that it can be.
LINE EDITS/PROOFING: $3.50/1,000 words – if you're just looking for that once-over to make sure all the gremlins have been tagged and crated.
COACHING: I am available for one-on-one coaching video calls charged at $30 per hour. Need a pep talk? Want to ask about the next steps for your novel? Need help untangling a difficult scene? I can help, and I'll get just as excited about your story and characters as you do.
Experience:
While fiction editing is my passion, I spent a decade working as a sub-editor and writer in newspaper publishing – so expect me to pay attention to detail and be able to perform under pressure, if necessary. Congruent to that, I've edited for a range of small presses over the years. I am the curator of the SA Horrorfest Bloody Parchment event, short story competition and anthology, while also maintaining a client base of independent authors. From time to time I've worked for South African publishers, including Short Story Day Africa and Modjaji. I tutor for the Writers College and am a Now Novel coach. A voracious reader, my book reviews appear in a range of high-traffic Facebook groups, and are shared across a variety of my social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Blue Sky. I've an excellent feel for commercial fiction in general, which is a huge benefit when I assess your work. Not only that, but I'm a published author, so not only do I know what needs to be said, but I understand how it should be said to best help you without discouraging you. I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of a "dear author" letter from an editor! I promise to be both firm and fair – which is exactly the kind of advice you need.
Testimonials:
'Nerine is smart, thorough and efficient – one of the best. I particularly like that she recognised and emphasised the local details in my story [My Name is Legion].' – Diane Awerbuck
'Nerine is a master at spotting the weaknesses in a story and nudging you in the right direction to find solutions. I loved working with her because her keen eye for detail has helped me tell a better, more beautiful story. I highly recommend her to anyone wanting an honest, expert editor.' – Cristy Zinn
'Nerine Dorman is a master at catching all the little flaws (and large!) that I miss, and I've been working with her as a writing and editing colleague for many years. She's my first choice when I need a reader to knock my work into shape because I know from experience she is dedicated to giving in-depth and detailed editorial feedback.' – Cat Hellisen
'When I was new to writing professionally, Nerine guided me through developmental edits and taught me the rules, making sure I turned out polished work I could be proud of. Prior to the submission process, she also edited the book which landed me an agent and several publishing contracts. As a more experienced author, I choose Nerine to edit my self-published work because she’s efficient, flexible, and hard to shock - she’s also funny as hell, which makes the revision process less tedious for me. To date, Nerine has edited more than ten of my books and I always look forward to working with her.' – Sorcha Black/Sparrow Beckett
'Nerine has been my editor for many years and I greatly value her skills. Her editing is an essential final step for every single book I publish.' – Cari Silverwood, New York Times Bestselling author.
'When I met Nerine, I was brand new in the writing industry and had just been ripped off by another editor. To say I was afraid is an understatement. The horror stories floating around the internet about editors will scare the hell out of any newcomer. Nerine breaks the devil-editor mould, though. She cares about her clients and always delivers her editorial suggestions in an honest, often humorous, way, focused on helping the client grow rather than breaking them down. In the years I've known and worked with Nerine, I've certainly grown under her guidance. I can't recommend her enough. If you want to write better than you've written in your life, have Nerine Dorman edit your work.' – Yolandie Horak
'Nerine Dorman is my go-to editor for every novel I publish. She’s Gold. Direct, thoughtful, and affordable. With Nerine I always feel my baby—I mean my novel—is in good hands.' – JT Lawrence
Authors' resources
I often get asked to discuss various aspects of writing, and will be collating a bunch of articles I've written that you may find of use.
Articulating desire – a force to drive both character development and plot.
Experience:
While fiction editing is my passion, I spent a decade working as a sub-editor and writer in newspaper publishing – so expect me to pay attention to detail and be able to perform under pressure, if necessary. Congruent to that, I've edited for a range of small presses over the years. I am the curator of the SA Horrorfest Bloody Parchment event, short story competition and anthology, while also maintaining a client base of independent authors. From time to time I've worked for South African publishers, including Short Story Day Africa and Modjaji. I tutor for the Writers College and am a Now Novel coach. A voracious reader, my book reviews appear in a range of high-traffic Facebook groups, and are shared across a variety of my social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Blue Sky. I've an excellent feel for commercial fiction in general, which is a huge benefit when I assess your work. Not only that, but I'm a published author, so not only do I know what needs to be said, but I understand how it should be said to best help you without discouraging you. I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of a "dear author" letter from an editor! I promise to be both firm and fair – which is exactly the kind of advice you need.
Testimonials:
'Nerine is smart, thorough and efficient – one of the best. I particularly like that she recognised and emphasised the local details in my story [My Name is Legion].' – Diane Awerbuck
'Nerine is a master at spotting the weaknesses in a story and nudging you in the right direction to find solutions. I loved working with her because her keen eye for detail has helped me tell a better, more beautiful story. I highly recommend her to anyone wanting an honest, expert editor.' – Cristy Zinn
'Nerine Dorman is a master at catching all the little flaws (and large!) that I miss, and I've been working with her as a writing and editing colleague for many years. She's my first choice when I need a reader to knock my work into shape because I know from experience she is dedicated to giving in-depth and detailed editorial feedback.' – Cat Hellisen
'When I was new to writing professionally, Nerine guided me through developmental edits and taught me the rules, making sure I turned out polished work I could be proud of. Prior to the submission process, she also edited the book which landed me an agent and several publishing contracts. As a more experienced author, I choose Nerine to edit my self-published work because she’s efficient, flexible, and hard to shock - she’s also funny as hell, which makes the revision process less tedious for me. To date, Nerine has edited more than ten of my books and I always look forward to working with her.' – Sorcha Black/Sparrow Beckett
'Nerine has been my editor for many years and I greatly value her skills. Her editing is an essential final step for every single book I publish.' – Cari Silverwood, New York Times Bestselling author.
'When I met Nerine, I was brand new in the writing industry and had just been ripped off by another editor. To say I was afraid is an understatement. The horror stories floating around the internet about editors will scare the hell out of any newcomer. Nerine breaks the devil-editor mould, though. She cares about her clients and always delivers her editorial suggestions in an honest, often humorous, way, focused on helping the client grow rather than breaking them down. In the years I've known and worked with Nerine, I've certainly grown under her guidance. I can't recommend her enough. If you want to write better than you've written in your life, have Nerine Dorman edit your work.' – Yolandie Horak
'Nerine Dorman is my go-to editor for every novel I publish. She’s Gold. Direct, thoughtful, and affordable. With Nerine I always feel my baby—I mean my novel—is in good hands.' – JT Lawrence
Authors' resources
I often get asked to discuss various aspects of writing, and will be collating a bunch of articles I've written that you may find of use.
Articulating desire – a force to drive both character development and plot.
How to disguise exposition – useful tips to make exposition your friend.
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