Speculative Fiction Editing

Speculative fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, supernatural, steampunk, alternate history; you name it, I love it! As a copy editor, this type of fiction is my absolute favorite to work with. Because I have a passion for it, you can bet I understand the ins and outs of these worlds of almost make-believe. I am familiar with the terminology (and recognize when new terms are invented), I have a lively imagination and have long been fervent about spec-fic.

I will keep an eye out for those grammar and usage pitfalls, but I will also act as your first reader, highlighting points that may be unclear, helping you with comments, questions and suggestions (if desired) that will make your writing even better, and frankly, even more yours! I'm not here to change your style, but to give it clarity and polish! And when you've spent so much time and effort creating a wonderful universe with philosophies, cultures and characters that are like no other, you need someone who will appreciate that and help you bring that universe to readers who never imagined such things could be!

I understand that editing this type of fiction can require a good deal of back-and-forth communication, and I do not feel the editing cycle is done until you are happy with the final product. This means I'm here to answer any questions you might have about the edit, plus any second or third rounds of editing you might want or need due to possible changes. I am also somewhat flexible with pricing and payment, so please don't hesitate to ask about anything in this regard! Additionally, I always offer a free sample edit, so please feel free to send me a portion of your book, novella, short story, etc., and I'll get back to you asap!

When you feel your manuscript is ready to be read by someone other than yourself, contact me. I work quickly, I offer a thorough, high quality copy editing service, and I'd be thrilled to hear from you.

Jessica Augustsson
Copy Editor

"I hired Jessica Augustsson in the spring of 2009 to copy edit a 166,000 word fantasy novel that I'd written the year before. After several run-throughs on my own, I decided it was foolish to try to copy edit my own work, so I sent a writing sample to about ten different copy editors advertising on the Internet. Each sent me back a sample of what they would do with my writing. Jessica's sample stood head-and-shoulders above all the others. She had an immediate grasp of my characters and what I was trying to accomplish. And, she also had a working knowledge of archaic English which my manuscript needed. Over the close-to-a-year that I've worked with Jessica, she's edited the above-referenced novel and three short stories. I've found her to be an excellent sounding board with a wealth of good ideas. The other thing I really appreciate about Jessica is that I feel like we're a team working together on my writing. I don't expect to send her something, get it back and never look at it again. Everything that I've sent her has gone back and forth between us multiple times. And I frequently email her in between times as well to run things past her, and to get her opinion which I've come to value. If you have questions about my working relationship with Jessica, feel free to email me with your questions. I'll answer them as honestly as I can. She has been a perfect copy editor for me because our working styles mesh well together."
- Ann Gimpel, PhD, Author, Mammoth Lakes, CA.
anngimpel.com

"Jessica is one of those talented folks who has a skilled eye and detailed grammatical knowledge, but she's got more than that in her toolbox--Jessica is special. She has the ability to look at my writing and assist me in making it more than it could have ever been on its own. She catches grammatical mistakes, knows what can be done to make the language clearer and more readable, and then can see the big picture of what I'm trying to accomplish. When my work falls short of my vision she knows what questions to ask to help me realize what can be done to make my stories the best they can be. She's invaluable."
- Marguerite Croft, Author, Idaho Falls, ID.
albionidaho.livejournal.com