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This Agreement ("Agreement") is made on the date accepted and agreed to by the person or entity whose name and address are set forth on the related order form ("Customer" or "you"), in favor of Kirkus Media, LLC and its affiliates, including but not limited to the Kirkus Editorial division (collectively, "Kirkus Editorial"). By agreeing to this agreement and submitting a manuscript (the "Manuscript") for editorial services ("Services") by Kirkus Editorial, Customer hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to the following terms and conditions:
Kirkus’ professional copy editors comb through your manuscript line by line to catch any grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors that may detract from the value of the work as a whole. Copy editors also flag style inconsistencies and continuity errors, and fact-check easily verifiable information, such as the spelling of a trademarked name.
Collaborative editing focuses on critiquing top-level issues: pacing, style, continuity, and tone in all works; plot, characterization, and dialogue in fiction works; and thesis, clarity of message, repetition, and reference use in nonfiction works. Editors will also make some technical corrections, such as smoothing out grammatical issues, and they will flag the writing “crutches” you should avoid to improve your craft long term. The edited manuscript will be returned to you with a memo from the editor outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the work and pointing out specific issues (such as repetitive word use) that may require your attention as you make revisions. In addition, you will receive a scheduling form for a one-hour consulting session to discuss the work with your editor and ask any questions you may have about the feedback or corrections.
Kirkus’ Professional Editing Package includes a consulting session and three full rounds of editing to polish your manuscript and make it ready for either self-publishing or submission to agents and publishers. To mirror the editorial process the major houses follow, each manuscript receives three different levels of editing designed to address everything from plot holes to punctuation errors. First, your manuscript will go through a full round of Collaborative Editing in which your editor flags any developmental issues that require revision. After your edits have been incorporated and you’ve completed your one-hour consulting session, you’ll upload the newest version of the manuscript for a round of Copyediting—a rigorous cleanup of all grammar, spelling, and style errors. You’ll review the copy editor’s queries and edits and make any additional revisions needed. Once you feel the text has been finalized and is ready for publication, you’ll upload the revised manuscript for a Final Polish. In this last stage, a proofreader will scour the manuscript for lingering typos and formatting inconsistencies. The finished product will be a clean, professional manuscript ready for publication or submission to agents and publishers.