The Content Doctor's new services: Book editing, formatting, and ghostwriting

We don’t need stories we’ve already heard before, and we don’t need to make up stories to inspire and move people.

If you’ve had a life experience that could impact people profoundly but it’s so unbelievable, you can’t even fathom writing or publishing a book about it but YOU KNOW in your heart and soul that you must, I want to work with you.

Starting in 2020, I’m excited to use the same storytelling skills I used in public relations for over 13 years to assist first-time authors in publishing their memoirs.

I’m looking for (aspiring) authors who:

• Have a compelling story that can be told in more than 100 pages.
• Have had a spiritual experience that profoundly changed your life and could be called a miracle.
• Once had a health condition that you alleviated through a vegan diet or non-medical means, and could be called a miracle.
• Are vegan and have a new take on the benefits of the lifestyle.
• Believe their purpose is to inspire and impact the everyday person with their story.
• Would be shelved in the Mind-Body-Spirit section (or for vegan authors, the relevant category) of a bookstore.
• Can continue to tell their story even after the book’s published, in podcast and TV interviews.

In essence, if your story’s in the spiritual, health, self-help, metaphysical, or vegan realm or a cross-section of those topics, let’s work together!

Memoirs and other nonfiction books are incredible records of personal history, experience, and/or expertise. Books can increase your personal brand and credibility as a thought leader, positively influence people in a way you can’t do on your own, and open the door to offers with high-end publishers or opportunities to turn your book into a screenplay for film.

I have nothing against fiction—I just have less interest and experience in it since I spent most of my career writing for companies.

Here's more information on my services and process. Contact me if you’re ready to begin!

Copyediting and proofreading services

Upon signing of an agreement, you’ll email your unformatted manuscript in Word (.docx) format.

I typically do proofreading and copyediting simultaneously.

Proofreading is reading a text and scrutinizing all of its components to find errors and mark them for correction before publication.

Copyediting, also called line editing or manuscript editing, requires attention to every word and mark of punctuation in a manuscript, a thorough knowledge of the style to be followed, and the ability to make quick, logical, and defensible decisions. Copyeditors will query authors on inconsistencies, facts to check, quoted material, foreign words and phrases, table of contents, and chapter/part titles.

Copyediting is done by a publishing company or by a freelance editor like myself, when a manuscript is accepted for publication. Self-publishing authors can benefit from the services of a professional editor.

If you need to review and approve each change, I will load the document as a Google Doc and use the suggestions feature. Be aware that doing this will add time to your project.

I do not make manual marks on hard copies. This is how proofreading was done before the electronic age; I also consider this wasteful and unnecessary.

I may make structural/developmental suggestions, but will not make major revisions to sections, chapters, or parts of your book without your consent.

We will go through two to three rounds of revisions before the manuscript’s finalized.

You can then pitch your manuscript to publishers or agents, or self-publish.

Ghostwriting process

Upon signing of an agreement, we will arrange a consistent schedule of 30 or 60-minute weekly audio or video calls that will be recorded on Zoom.

Using the call recordings, I will begin writing your book and the call schedule will resume until you have finished telling your story.

Once I’ve written the book, I will load the document as a Google Doc and you will use the comments feature to make suggestions for changes.

Alternatively, I can deliver the draft to you in Word (.docx) format, and you will communicate your desired changes either via email or phone.

I do not make manual marks on hard copies, as it’s wasteful and unnecessary.

We will go through two to three rounds of revisions before the manuscript’s finalized.

You can then pitch your manuscript to publishers or agents, or self-publish.

Book formatting process for self-published authors

Upon signing of an agreement, you’ll email me your unformatted manuscript in Word (.docx) format including your copyright page, and we’ll have a discussion about what you might want the book to look like in terms of size and interior.

Print formatting: I will begin formatting your book and send you drafts in PDF format. Prior to or during interior formatting, you’ll want to have your cover designed so the interior’s consistent with the look of the cover. We’ll continue to make changes until you’re satisfied with the document and you’ve submitted it to your publishing service without issues.

E-book formatting: If I’m formatting for e-readers, I will send your draft via .ePUB format which you’ll be able to open in Kindle, iBooks or similar readers. Prior to or during interior formatting, you’ll want to have your front cover designed. We’ll continue to make changes until you’re satisfied with the document and you’ve submitted it to your publishing service without issues.

Visit more FAQs on my website, thecontentdoctor.co.