Developmental editing
Structure, pacing, chapter flow, narrative or idea progression, and high-level editorial decision-making designed to strengthen the manuscript at its foundation.
Book editing
We refine structure, clarity, style, and accuracy while protecting the author’s voice, giving each manuscript a more polished and professional reading experience.
01 EDITING THAT MOVES A BOOK FORWARD
The BEST editing strengthens every page without erasing the author behind it.
A professional edit should accomplish two things at once: strengthen the manuscript with discipline and preserve what makes the work distinctly the author’s own. That is why our editing service begins with diagnosis, then applies the appropriate level of intervention with care and precision.
American Best Publishers works with nonfiction authors, memoirists, business leaders, storytellers, and independent authors who need their manuscript assessed candidly, refined meticulously, and prepared for publication with confidence.
02 TAILORED EDITORIAL SUPPORT
Editorial support should be calibrated to the manuscript, the genre, and the publishing objective.
Not every manuscript requires the same degree of intervention. We shape the editorial workflow around the manuscript’s present condition and the standard it needs to reach next.
Line editing
Refinement of style, readability, cadence, emphasis, and sentence-level effectiveness so the prose reads with greater fluency and control.
Copyediting
Correction of grammar, punctuation, mechanics, consistency, spelling, and usage issues with close attention to accuracy and continuity.
Proofreading
A final polish pass intended to catch lingering surface-level issues before publication or production begins.
Formatting cleanup
Cleanup of headings, spacing, pagination, document consistency, and interior-readiness essentials for a more professional handoff.
Consultation & review
Editorial guidance that helps authors understand what the manuscript needs, why it matters, and how the work should progress.
03 OUR EDITORIAL PROCESS
A disciplined editing process produces a stronger manuscript and a clearer author experience.
Below is the typical flow we use. The exact order and depth can still be tailored to the manuscript’s condition, the selected package, and the author’s publishing objectives.
DISCOVERY
Discovery call or editorial review
We discuss the manuscript, your objectives, the level of editorial depth you believe you need, and what you ultimately want the book to achieve.
INITIAL REVIEW
High-level manuscript assessment
Our team reviews the material, identifies the principal editorial patterns, and recommends the level of service most appropriate for the project.
QUOTE & SCOPE
Service recommendation and pricing
We outline the appropriate service path and explain what the editorial work will cover, how feedback is handled, and what deliverables you should expect.
EDITING
Primary editorial pass
The manuscript is edited at the agreed level, whether that means sentence-level refinement, deeper developmental intervention, or a combined workflow.
EDITORIAL NOTES
Guidance, comments, and recommendations
Where included, we provide comments, developmental notes, and feedback that help you understand the editorial reasoning behind the changes.
AUTHOR REVIEW
Feedback and revision alignment
You review the edited manuscript, respond to questions or recommendations, and help guide any included follow-up refinements.
FINAL HANDOFF
Clean delivery for the next stage
You receive organized manuscript files and a cleaner editorial handoff that is easier to review, approve, and move into design or publishing.
Excellent editing is collaborative.Our role is to challenge, refine, and strengthen the manuscript, while the final creative direction and approvals remain with the author.
04 · Book editing
Make every page sharper, clearer, and harder to put down.
Professional editorial support for manuscripts that need anything from a precise final polish to deeper senior-level developmental guidance.
01
Package price$265
Basic editing package
For completed manuscripts that need professional correction, consistency, formatting, and a clean final presentation.
Manuscript polish
- Proofreading and copyediting
- Grammar, spelling, and punctuation
- Clarity and sentence-flow improvements
- Consistency and continuity checks
Formatting
- Chapter and heading consistency
- Paragraph and spacing cleanup
- Pagination and basic manuscript formatting
Final review
Get a custom quote for this package↗
- Detailed expert manuscript review
- Tracked changes or editorial markups
- Final quality-control pass
02
Package price$1,350
Premium editing package
A senior-editor-led service that improves both the writing and the manuscript’s overall structure, pacing, voice, and reader experience.
Everything in Basic
- Proofreading, copyediting, formatting, pagination, consistency checks, and final quality review
Senior developmental editing
- Structure and chapter progression
- Pacing and narrative flow
- Voice, tone, and readability
- Character or idea development
- Weak-section and continuity analysis
- Detailed developmental recommendations
Editorial guidance
Get a custom quote for this package↗
- Senior editor oversight
- Editorial report with priority recommendations
- In-manuscript comments and notes
- Consultation with the editorial team
- Feedback on revised sections
OWNERSHIP PROMISE
Your Book. Your Rights.
The work created and delivered specifically for your project is intended to remain yours in accordance with your signed service agreement. American Best Publishers does not claim ongoing ownership of your completed manuscript or book after the applicable project obligations and payments have been fulfilled.
05 BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Questions authors usually ask before professional editing begins.
What is the difference between proofreading and developmental editing?
They solve very different problems. Developmental editing examines the architecture of the book: structure, pacing, argument or narrative progression, chapter purpose, character or idea development, and the overall reader journey. Proofreading comes much later and concentrates on final surface-level issues such as spelling, punctuation, consistency, and small errors that remain after the larger editorial decisions have already been made.
Will you change my writing style?
The objective is not to replace your voice with an editor’s voice. We refine clarity, rhythm, precision, repetition, and consistency while protecting the language and personality that make the manuscript recognizably yours. When a stronger stylistic or structural intervention is recommended, it should be visible to you and handled through the agreed review process rather than silently rewriting the book around you.
Can you edit a manuscript that has already been edited once?
Yes. A manuscript can still benefit from another professional pass when the previous edit focused on a different level, when substantial revisions were made afterward, or when the book is approaching publication and needs a more exacting review. We first assess what is already working so the next stage focuses on the issues that still matter instead of charging the project with unnecessary repetition.
Will I be able to see and understand the changes?
Where the document format and selected package allow it, the workflow can include tracked changes, comments, clean files, and editorial notes. The purpose is not only to deliver a cleaner manuscript but to give you visibility into significant decisions, questions, and recurring patterns so you can review the work intelligently and approve the final direction with confidence.
Can I speak with the editorial team?
Premium editorial scopes can include direct review or consultation with the editorial team as described in the selected package. That conversation is especially valuable when the manuscript needs developmental judgment, when several possible directions exist, or when the author wants to understand why particular recommendations will materially improve the book.
Do you also prepare the manuscript for publishing?
Editing and publishing preparation are related but distinct stages. Editing packages can include document cleanup, pagination, formatting consistency, and a more organized manuscript handoff; full interior design, print formatting, eBook production, and publishing setup may sit within a separate publishing scope. We make that distinction clear so you know exactly where the editorial work ends and production begins.
Limited-time promotion
Save 35% on every package
From writing and editing to publishing, marketing, and design,
your 35% discount applies across every package while the offer is active.
REAL HUMAN SUPPORT
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