Editorial Services
Our editorial services provide in-depth feedback and strategic guidance to help writers shape their manuscripts, sharpen their voice, and gain clarity on next steps.
Developmental Editing
For manuscripts that need shaping, strengthening, and depth.
Developmental editing is the earliest and most comprehensive stage of the editorial process. Rather than focusing on grammar, spelling, or sentence-level polish, this style of editing looks at the foundation of your book: structure, narrative arc, organization, pacing, clarity, and voice. It asks big-picture questions: what the book is really about, how effectively it delivers that message, and where readers may feel confused, disengaged, or disconnected.
This service is ideal for manuscripts that are complete (or close to complete) but not quite ready for the world yet. Specializing in memoir, creative nonfiction, self-development, poetry, middle-grade and children’s literature, and femme-centric fiction, we collaborate to refine the manuscript's shape, strengthen narrative flow, and bring intentionality to your storytelling choices. Alongside in-text editorial feedback, you’ll receive strategic guidance that helps you understand why changes are suggested and how to approach revision thoughtfully, so you’re not just fixing this book, but learning skills you can carry forward.
What you’ll get:
An in-depth developmental edit focused on structure, voice, pacing, and coherence (rates based on word count via EFA guidelines)
A written critique and editorial letter outlining strengths, challenges, and revision priorities
Two consultation calls (kick-off + debrief) to align on vision, feedback, and next steps
Editorial Review & Guidance
For smaller projects that need expert attention and strategic clarity.
Editorial Review & Guidance is designed for writers who need experienced eyes on a specific piece of their work. These services focus on evaluation rather than revision, helping you understand how your material is functioning, where it’s strong, and what would most meaningfully improve it before you move forward. The goal is direction, not just feedback, so you can make confident, informed decisions about next steps.
Query Letter Critiques: A focused editorial review of your query letter that examines positioning, clarity, voice, and market fit. You’ll receive specific feedback on how effectively your pitch communicates the heart of your project, highlights its strengths, and aligns with industry expectations—so you can approach agents or publishers with a sharper, more compelling submission.
Book Proposal Reviews: A comprehensive evaluation of your book proposal that looks at structure, argument or narrative arc, target audience, and market positioning. This review identifies gaps, redundancies, and opportunities for stronger framing, offering clear guidance on how to refine both the concept and its presentation to serve agents, publishers, or partners better.
Manuscript Evaluations: A big-picture assessment of your manuscript that focuses on voice, structure, cohesion, and overall readiness. Rather than line-level edits, this evaluation helps you understand how the manuscript is functioning as a whole, what stage it’s truly at, and which revision priorities will have the greatest impact moving forward. (Think: less invasive developmental edit.)
Each includes:
An initial conversation to understand your goals, timeline, and publishing intentions
A full written evaluation outlining strengths, opportunities, and recommended next steps (rates based on word count via EFA guidelines)
A follow-up call to review feedback, ask questions, and set a clear direction for revision or submission
Testimonial:
“As an older independent author, Our Galaxy has been very kind and patient with me as I navigate the technology of today’s world. And let’s be honest, without Christine’s editing, my stories would be repetitive and shallow, but she’s helped them come to life in ways I never imagined. I am eternally grateful.”
—Tina Bauer, author of A Gift from Edil, The Fine Line, and more