Congratulations! You’ve written a book. The idea is on the page. Now what? Your manuscript needs a best friend. That’s RUFF! Let’s take your manuscript from ruff draft to Best in Show!
Congratulations! You’ve written a book. The idea is on the page. Now what? Your manuscript needs a best friend. That’s RUFF! Let’s take your manuscript from ruff draft to Best in Show!
Proofreading is a magnifying glass focused on grammar, spelling, capitalization, and style—but not the narrative itself. Has your manuscript been edited and rewritten to death? After a certain point, your eyes begin to read what you expect to be there, what you think you wrote. You can’t catch everything. RUFF! pinpoints all lingering typos and any problems introduced during rewriting. Proofreading is the final sweep of editing to make your manuscript sparkle before it’s ready to launch into the stratosphere.
When people hear “editing,” this is what they have in mind. It’s our most popular service. Copyediting covers grammar, punctuation, style, and syntax—and much more. We use our microscope to ensure consistency—not just within one project, but also across an entire series. We comment on character development, pacing, appropriate language, structure, timeline, and your overall storytelling. We make line-by-line revisions to polish every page without demolishing your unique voice.
Okay, here’s the Big One. We take an objective look at your plot, character development, storytelling, tone, world-building, and more. We might suggest rearranging or (gasp!) deleting large chunks of writing. You’ll end up rewriting at least part of your book. Constant communication keeps you in the loop so there are no surprises and no irreversible changes. After all, you’re the boss!
Are you finally ready to send your work to literary agents or publishers? It’s time to perfect your submission materials. After all, you only get one chance to be chosen from the dreaded slush pile. You need to stand out by showcasing your solid hook, strong voice, well-defined conflict, high stakes, and engaging writing. RUFF!’s submission package critique helps you do just that, giving you invaluable collaborative feedback on everything you’re about to put in front of your dream agent or publisher.
“Hell” by Mark Steinwachs
at Pen of the Damned
“Blood” by Mark Steinwachs
at The Sirens Call
Let’s talk! What do you hope to get out of manuscript? What can we do for you? What are your goals with this book—and with your writing career? Do you have a budget in mind? Are you self-publishing or pursuing a traditional publishing deal? Getting to know you and understanding your vision will allow us to tailor a plan that suits the needs of your current project and set you up for the next one… and the next one… and the next one.
Seriously. No surprises. Find out if we’re the right fit. Test us out before dropping a dime. After we turn in the sample, we’ll meet again. Do you like our style? Are we the right editor for you? We want you to feel great about this partnership before you commit. Ask questions! Challenge us. Tell us what you like and don’t like about your sample edit. We want to honor your vision, goals, and voice.
This is such great work! Here’s how to make it even stronger. We provide detailed feedback and an editing plan to suit your needs based on our meeting and your writing sample. Sometimes we suggest a single round of copyediting. Others call for a developmental edit followed by proofreading. We mutually agree on your editing path, deadline, and the amount to be invoiced. (No surprise fees later… guaranteed.) Ask questions! When you’re satisfied, we both sign a simple contract and you pay 50% of your invoice. And then? Then the real fun begins!
Clear communication is the name of our game. We are transparent and always ready to talk. As we edit, we keep you in the loop. Do we see multiple directions the book could go? We’ll call you and ask what you want. Are we considering a significant deletion, rewrite, or plot change? We’ll call you and ask what you want. You’re the boss and we respect your brain child. Always.
The deadline we agreed upon is carved in stone. You can count on it. You pay the remainder of the invoice only when you receive the final product. Questions on the marked-up manuscript after delivery? We’re happy to answer them at no extra charge. Call us. Write us. We’re your partner and we’re here for you. Editing a book is not just a transaction with RUFF! Your success is our success.
“Jessie at RUFF! is creative and reliable, two adjectives you rarely see side-by-side when it comes to a creative person. Jessie is directed not only by her ambition, but her strong and genuine desire to see others achieve, as well. I've never heard her declare a goal and not go after it. She is also very transparent in her struggles and ability to learn from them and turn them into positive action. She is insightful and gives constructive feedback that pushes a project forward. She is supportive and generous. I recommend her highly.”
“Jessie at RUFF!: I fell in love with the love you have for your work. It shows in every manuscript you work on. I’ve learned so much as a writer from your guidance. Thank you for giving my books the wings they need to soar.”
“RUFF! is great to work with. Both editors are not afraid to tell it like it is, but they also always take my style and voice into account. I write lean and mean, and RUFF! streamlines my starkness so the final edited short story is a crazy punch.”
“For Jessie at RUFF!: I waited three years for you, and now I can’t imagine writing novels without you. Your gift for words, your placement of them, and your passion shows every single time when I get your edits back.I sometimes can’t believe it’s the same story; you perfect everything.”
We offer proofreading, copyediting, and developmental editing. We aim to polish, not demolish, your work.
