Overview
Every book has unique needs, and in our initial discussions, before you hire me, we’ll lay out together what your goals are. Here’s an overview, though, of some of the services provided.
- The evaluation: I’ll read your manuscript and write you a lengthy (usually topping 5000 words) report. This report will include a synopsis, because I’ve found it can really help an author to read back what someone else sees as the plot of his or her book. It will include analysis of what is working in this draft, so that you go forward with as much an eye on what to retain as what to revise. It will include analysis of what isn’t working yet, so that you have a clear plan for what revision will take your book to the next level. And, it will include a separate look at where you can go from here, different aspects of your book that you can continue to explore. If there is a particular element of your book you want me to focus on, I can also do a section on that as well.
- The line-edit: This is the granular line-by-line editing of a book, really digging in to the prose to help you cut and shape and hone. I recommend this for people who have already gone through an editorial process and still aren’t seeing the results they seek. I offer this sort of work on either a set number of pages or the entire book. Because line-editing is charged on an hourly rate rather than a project basis, you can work with me on just the first fifty pages, for instance, and keep going from there yourself.
- Submission work: I can help you write and edit your submission letters to help polish your approach to agents.
- Agency work: I have been a reader for multiple top agents and have recommended projects that have gone on to sell to major houses. If you are an agent and want a reference, please contact me.
Hiring me means starting a conversation. Every job I do includes however many emails or phone calls you wish to have to discuss not only the work I’ve done, but your ideas going forward. I’m here for you to bounce ideas off of, and to talk through your plan going forward. After you finish any revision, I will also read your manuscript again and write a one-page progress report, to address how the manuscript has developed and where it can continue to develop. These conversations and this second read are not counted in the hourly rate, nor is it a separate cost — they are an integral part of our process and included in every service.
Pricing
Costs vary primarily on the length of the manuscript and the service provided. Everything gets negotiated beforehand, so if it is an hourly rate, you will get an estimate of how many hours I think the work will take before I get started.
My rates are competitive, and I offer my lowest rates to people connected to the organization We Need Diverse Books.
For any service charged on an hourly rate, worked into the cost is however many phone conversations or emails you wish to discuss your work and my editing, as well as my second read and progress report (please see services offered). In other words, you’re not on the clock when we’re talking about your book or when I’m reading your revised draft.
Endorsements
“A good editor, to my mind, has to be part sympathetic reader, part flexible thinker, part grammarian, part literature instructor and part psychologist, and in each of these roles thoroughly frank. Randall Klein, to my mind, is a very good editor.” –Cynthia Voigt, author of By Any Name
“After spending months, sometimes years with a book, it can be difficult to see the flaws and weak spots in the manuscript, and that’s why having a strong editor is crucial. Randall’s edits were clear, insightful, and improved my book tremendously. I was lucky to have him on my team.” —Dana Kaye, author of Your Book, Your Brand: The Step-By-Step Guide to Launching Your Book and Boosting Your Sales
“Randall is kind, communicative, and clever. My writing improved exponentially with his guidance, and I’d recommend his services to anyone who needs an editor with a strong sense of story.” –Amanda Heger, author of Without Borders and Semi-Scripted
“Randall Klein’s insights about my manuscripts were always sharp, his criticisms invariably good, and his support unwavering. He’s the roll-up-your-sleeves, full-partner editor of my dreams, and he greatly helped both ‘The Disappeared Girl’ and ‘Combustion’ reach their full potential. Any writer lucky enough to work with him will draw the same conclusion.” –Martin J. Smith, author of The Disappeared Girl and Combustion
“Randall is a superb editor. His keen insights and guidance significantly improved my novels. He was a pleasure to work with, firm in his judgments but not overbearing, with great instincts about plot, pacing and character development.” –Seth Margolis, author of The Semper Sonnet and Presidents’ Day
“Randall Klein is one of the best editors I’ve ever met. As an editor at Diversion Books, he worked with me on two books that have been published, helping polish them so they were ready for the public, and making me a better writer in the process. Over several years of working together, I’ve been consistently impressed with his sense of story and eye for detail. He makes the often harrying process of revision a pleasure, and I’d recommend him to anyone who wants to advance a writing career to the next level.” –Alex Dolan, author of The Euthanist and The Empress of Tempera
“Randall is truly that rare beast—the Author’s Editor. He has the ability to take that crucial step back, see the full scope of a work and point out missing pieces or excesses. Perhaps most importantly, he’s a flexible collaborator: skilled at offering suggestions that are for the greater good of the story, but never overstepping the fact that ultimately it’s the author’s work.While it’ll never be fun to “kill your darlings” Randall makes it a far more palatable task.” –Barbara Caridad Ferrer, author of Both Sides Now and Between Here and Gone (named one of Publisher Weekly’s Best Books of 2016)
“Randall Klein’s eye for structure and flow is impeccable. Working with him on my debut series, Randall was instrumental in increasing my writer’s toolbox. I particularly loved how each editorial letter empowered me and made me excited to get started rewriting. I hear whispers of his advice as I write, and will be forever grateful.” -Kristin Cast, New York Times bestselling author of The Escaped series
Contact Information for Editorial Services
Please email me with questions or comments: Randallkleinbooks@gmail.com