AS OF October 2023, I am CLOSED for editing.
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A few of the comments I’ve gotten about my editing over the years, from most recent to furthest back:
Leona pays close attention to the nuance of sound and rhythm of words and has a sharp eye for details of grammar and structure. Her guidance and suggestions are always clearly explained and feel more like collaboration than instruction. Working with Leona leaves me feeling like I am a successful writer, no small feat for an editor!
Tanya Wisoker
Leona is one of those editors who’s good at making you sound more like your more erudite self, the one who speaks skillfully for your own interests in your good dreams. She pays attention to the tone and context of your writing, honors your voice, and still makes improvements to your writing. After review with her, you’ll find out you just sound more like your best self. She’s great!
Malcolm Gin
Leona Wisoker provided a thorough and enthusiastic reading and edit of my manuscript. Her evident love for the genre as well as her keen eye for detail shone through on every page. I’d be happy to let her review my next project and plan to do so!
Darin Kennedy, author of The Mussorgsky Riddle
For exceptional attention to grammar and formatting, with an eagle-eye for those often hard to find typos that permeate an eclectic anthology, I can highly recommend, without hesitation, the proofreading services of Leona Wisoker.
Michael H. Hanson, Managing Editor, Copper Dog Publishing
Leona is a top editor and proof-reader. Anyone that can go into a full, book-length project, and in less than a week find numerous errors, things missed by not only the author, the publisher, but also the publisher’s long-time proof-reader, is a person of considerable skills. In a world where one of the overwhelmingly consistent complaints from the public is the amount of mistakes they can find in the books and magazines being produced today, this woman is a considerable asset that any publisher overlooks at their peril.
C.J. Henderson, author of Brooklyn Knight and many other tales
Leona has edited multiple columns for me. She has an excellent sense of not only grammar and structure, but of audience-appropriate communication. She has a rare understanding of the truth that the smoother the flow of writing, the easier people get something out of it.
Steven Savage of Fan to Pro and Seventh Sanctum
Leona knows her job and executes every little editorial detail with the utmost care, and meticulous commitment. Her knowledge and expertise in international editing and formatting protocols is vast and professional. The happy result of her work on a book is not only added value for the finished product, but also greater confidence for the authors and the publishing houses. I recommend, wholeheartedly and without reservation, Leona Wisoker’s highly professional editorial skills to all interested authors and publishers anywhere in the world.
C.B. Peter, Publisher, Zapf Chancery (Research Consultants and Publishers), Kenya
Leona helped me see an old manuscript with new eyes. She’s insightful, cuts right to the chase, and sometimes gives a few examples to show how to do something differently. A great editor.
Theresa Crater, author of “Under the Stone Paw” and “Beneath the Hallowed Hill”
How much do I charge? Read on…
Editing Rates:
My love is all for conceptual & content editing. Pure technical editing is a lesser skill for me; I can and will do it, of course, but because I don’t like it as much, I charge more. I am happy to refer you to other technical editors with lower rates if that seems unfair.
The first 1,000 words of any full price editing job, of at least 10K word count, are FREE. That’s right … I will give the first thousand words you send me a free editing treatment, just as though you were paying me for the job. If you like my style, my suggestions, my ideas, then we’ll talk price. If you don’t … just tell me what didn’t suit you about my editing, so that I can learn from it in the future, and we’re quits.
Now, obviously, there’s a limit to how low I can go on an editing job price. I do have bills, like everyone here. Please take a look at the Editorial Freelancer’s Association web site; I normally won’t be too far off the suggested prices.
I am not currently holding any special deals. I do prefer flat rates, which favor the client, but I think is more fair.
For full price jobs, here are the steps to follow:
FIRST, send me a query. Tell me about your project! If it sounds like a good fit for me, I’ll ask for the first thousand words. If it’s not a good fit, I’m happy to refer you to another editor.
AFTER I’ve returned the free editing sample, and we’ve agreed on a contract, I ask for half down up front. I work with flat fees, not by the hour, and I madly overestimate the time the job should take, to account for Life Happenings. I’ll bill you for the remainder when I’m done with the job. Once that payment clears my bank, the edited MS heads for your inbox.
IF YOU’RE BROKE: I will work with writers on a tight budget. Here are the options:
* Read Through and Summarized Feedback/Comments: This is a one time payment that covers just what it sounds like. I read the whole project, make broad notes about items and patterns that need to be addressed, and send you a summary of what I see. No line editing, no detailed comments; this option involves stuff like “watch out for switching PoV mid-paragraph” and “More detail on setting throughout”.
* Split Into 4 Payments: One quarter due up front; depending on the timeline for the project, one quarter due at specific time points through completion. For instance, if the schedule estimate was thirty days to completion, the payments would be due on a weekly basis.
Cancellation options will be detailed in the contract. As a general rule, payment is non refundable unless you’ve paid the entire amount up front.
Barter options: In rare instances, I’m willing to swap work: plumbing and/or electrical work, for instance, is always deeply valuable to me. (Please note the rare instances part…)
I WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS, WRITE UP A CONTRACT. I don’t care if we’re best buddies in real life. Contracts are ESSENTIAL to protect yourself as a writer, myself as an editor, and the world at large from more angst and despair caused by critical misunderstandings between the two.
Don’t worry. My contracts are simple, straightforward, and biased towards the client getting more for less.
So what are you waiting for? Send in that query now! 😀