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What is a writing partner?

A writing partner is someone who will help you advance your written materials from where they are now to where you want them to be. Someone who will take much of the work of being a published author off your shoulders. Someone who will guide you, direct you, nurture you, encourage you and, yes, nag you if need be.

Why do I need a writing partner?

·     Because people with good ideas may not be able to organize them or present them in the best ways.

·   Because business writers sometimes need help with reports, memos, resumes, press releases, web sites, critiques, query letters, synopses, proposals or reports.

·   Because students sometimes need to have their work proofread, edited or critiqued, checked for style and formatting, or assistance with an admissions essay or application.

·   Because sometimes English is a new language and you need a seasoned eye to make sure you have translated your thoughts the way you meant to.

·   Because even the best writers have days when they aren’t their best.

·   Because every writer needs another set of eyes to make sure the flow and wording is the best it can be.

·    Because the spoken word often doesn’t turn easily into the written word.

·    Because writers all think their material is the best thing to ever go on paper. It rarely is—at least at the beginning.

Who is Your Writing Partner?

Kay duPont, Certified Professional Speaker, Certified Professional Development Trainer, is the expertise behind YWP. Kay is a published author; an experienced, accredited editor; an award-winning writer and copywriter. She has been writing since she was six years old. She taught Business Writing Skills to corporations, association audiences, and individuals for 25 years before settling down to do what she loves most—helping other people express themselves in writing. Kay has had three business books and many magazine articles published over her 40-year writing career, and has won awards in every category of writing—from news
articles to children’s stories.

Her book, Don’t Let Your Participles Dangle In Public!, has been used by some of America’s top companies as their in-house writing style guide for over 20 years.

The Writer’s Digest annual book award judge commented about her newest book, Writing
for the College-Bound Student (and Anyone Else Who Needs to Review, Revise or Relearn), “This book should be given to all incoming college freshmen. It’s a great overall summary of writing skills necessary to be successful in the college arena.”

Her award-winning novel, Loving Mr. Lincoln: The Personal Diaries of Mary Todd Lincoln, has been called historical fiction at its finest.

What does YWP do?

No matter where you are in your writing journey, YWP has the expertise to help you perfect your document, manuscript or book before you submit it or publish it. YWP partners with individuals, organizations, publishers and advertising agencies all over the country to help you turn what you currently have into what you need:

• Training programs into books or leaders guides

• Speeches on tape or manuscript into articles

• Marketing letters into finished proposals

• Stories into speeches, articles into books

• Websites into attention-grabbing marketing tools

• Advertising/marketing materials into brochures

• Brochures into websites

• Novels and business books into realities, with professional covers, layout and printing

As your professional writing partner, Kay provides quality, accurate, affordable, personalized and prompt editing, proofreading, formatting, and even cover design without losing your voice or your point. You’ll have a finished product you can be proud of.

What’s the difference between proofreading and editing?

Proofreading focuses strictly on the words themselves—grammar, word usage, spelling, spacing and consistency. See Proofing and Substantive Editing below.

Editing requires more time and evaluation skills. It looks beyond the obvious—under the cover of your words—to your ideas. Our editing services also include an honest evaluation of your ideas and completion of your goals.

Do you edit both fiction and nonfiction?

No, our specialty is nonfiction, although we can, of course, format any type of book or manuscript, of any length.

What are the steps in the process?

Below is a chart showing the process from start (left) to finish (right), followed by detailed descriptions of each step. We can partner with you on some or all of the steps, depending on your needs. Our mission is to help get your materials from where they are now to where they need to be.

Tell me more about how you can help me at each of these steps.
We offer the following services for all documents—articles, books, academic submissions, business materials, marketing materials or websites:

Partial Ghostwriting: YWP wants to be your partner, not write your project for you. Therefore, we need a draft or chapters, tapes or other materials in your voice, with your ideas, to go from. We can do the research needed, check your sources, and fill in words and thoughts where needed, but we don’t want to spend your money learning your field.

YWP will also:

• Play devil’s advocate regarding your content, statements and approaches

• Research and expand topics if necessary.

• Research all quotes, data and studies to verify sources and accuracy.

• Organize ideas and chapters into a logical structure.

Time Estimate: There just isn't any way to predict this without first seeing your materials.

   Light Editing: YWP checks for grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, basic formatting consistency, typographical errors, subject/verb agreement, run-on sentences and sentence fragments, usage mistakes, passive voice, ambiguous references, awkward transitions, and wordiness. The basic service includes handwritten edits with an explanation sheet of proofing symbols so you can make the recommended changes. Or, if you want us to type the changes for you, we do that at a reduced rate. See Typing Changes.

      Time Estimate: 10-15 minutes per double-spaced page for our doing handwritten edits—less, of course, if the edits are minimal; more if they’re substantial.

Substantive Editing: YWP does everything we can to improve your manuscript while preserving your individual writing style and voice. We will carefully read the manuscript for wording, organization, conformance to style guidelines, idea flow, consistency of thoughts, redundancy, understandability, ambiguous references, clichés, clarity, conciseness, coherency, word choice, concept presentation, and other constructive suggestions, plus all the items listed in the section above. Our suggested changes will be written on the manuscript or on additional pages. We can also type the changes for you at a reduced rate.

Time Estimate: 15-20 minutes per double-spaced page for our doing handwritten edits—less, of course, if the edits are minimal; more if they’re substantial.


Proofing/Line Editing: Proofing is usually the last stage of completing your document. YWP always does a final proof as part of the Substantive Editing phase. Or, if you’re absolutely sure that your document needs no more editing and want us to only proof, YWP will check for grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, basic formatting consistency, and typographical errors, with no changes in wording suggested. The basic service includes handwritten edits.

   Time Estimate: 5-15 minutes per double-spaced page for our doing handwritten edits—less, of course, if the edits are minimal; more if they’re substantial. We can also type the changes for you at a reduced rate.
 

Typing changes: You can type the edits in yourself from the hand-edits on your returned manuscript. That’s why we also provide you with a guide to editing symbols. If you type in the edits yourself, we recommend that you allow us to do a line-edit afterward of our suggestions and your corrections, because sometimes our edits may not be totally clear, and sometimes additional typos are introduced when the changes are made.
        Or YWP can type all changes for you in a Word document, which saves you the time it would take to go through the corrections and the time-consuming job of keying in the edits. If you wish, we can email the electronically marked-up version (using Word’s Track Changes) so you can easily see the suggestions. When you open the file, you’ll have the option to “Accept Changes,” which will then give you a clean revised copy, or you can accept some and not others.
        Please realize, however, that this process of your typing the changes and our line-editing your typing against the original may end up costing just as much in the long run as our typing the edits for you. If we do the typing for you, we can do the formatting and additional editing if needed at the same time, which saves you time and money.

Time Estimate: 15-30 minutes per double-spaced page for our doing handwritten edits—less, of course, if the edits are minimal; more if they’re substantial. Each draft will be labeled “Draft” (Draft #1, Draft #2, etc.) until the process is complete.
 

Page Layout/Formatting: YWP can set your book in your preferred page and type size, choose a professional style and size for the material’s focus and audience, or format it according to your publisher’s guidelines. YWP uses Microsoft Word for layout and sends drafts in .pdf format. Formatting includes, as necessary:

 ü Setting consistent margins, line spacing, font styles, section and page breaks, chapter starts, headers and footers,   and page numbers
 ü Creating and applying formats for block quotations, lists, insets, out quotes, charts or graphs, pictures or other art, works cited and references pages
 ü Inserting a copyright page, a table of contents and other front or back matter
 ü Creating a reference list or biography
 ü Inserting a table of contents and/or index

Time Estimate: 20-30 minutes per pages—less, of course, if the edits are minimal; more if they’re substantial.  

• Art/Graphics/Quotes: YWP will suggest royalty-free computer graphics and/or quotes in appropriate places if requested.

Time Estimate: Approximately 10 minutes per graphic/quote to find, research, verify, and format.
 

• Cover design: YWP can design a unique, eye-catching cover using royalty-free computer artwork for the front and back cover and spine. The cover design cost will likely be $500-1000 billed by the hour. (Most cover designers charge $1500-$2500!)

Time Estimate: 2-10 hours for approximately five cover ideas and finished product. 
 

• Printing and shipping: YWP can work directly with your POD, printer or publisher by submitting your manuscript in .pdf format (or as requested by a traditional publisher) and checking proofs if you wish. The only charge for working with printers is the time involved in the process. There is no markup on printing or shipping and the author will pay printer/publisher directly.

We can recommend some quality printers/PODs to you (please tell them you saw them on this website).  Among our favorites are:

• InstantPublisher.com, questions@instantpublisher.com, 1-800-259-2592

• DeHart's Media Services,  james@deharts.com, 408-416-0314

• Fidlar Doubleday, info@fidlar-doubleday.com, 800-248-0888

What are the author’s responsibilities?

The author will, as necessary:

• Provide all needed materials, examples, stories, etc., related to the planned project.

• Provide YWP with additional content as needed.

• Cite sources for quotations, studies, examples and cases.

• Collaborate with YWP on content, format, etc.

• Review drafts as YWP finishes them and give timely feedback.

• Accept all liability for content of the book/document.

• Allow YWP and its website to be listed on the inside title page as Editor.

• Send YWP a signed copy of the finished book, hopefully with a “love note” inside.

• Pay invoices immediately upon receipt.

How long does the process usually take?

Just as it takes three minutes to boil a three-minute egg, it takes as long as it takes. You can’t cook a 3-minute egg in 2 minutes just because you want it faster. Each writing project is different, and no one—not an author or an editor—can say exactly how long it will take. Even similar projects from the same author can take different amounts of time. Light editing and proofing will have a much shorter turnaround than substantive editing or ghostwriting. YWP will give you an estimate of beginning and ending dates during our initial conversation. See time estimates below.

For a book project, the workflow might look like this:

• The author and YWP discuss and decide the scope and writing style of project. If YWP is to format the book, the layout, size, font size, graphics, quotes, etc., are decided first so the book will confirm to these as it’s written.

• YWP receives signed agreement and deposit check.

• YWP edits, formats if appropriate, and mails edited manuscript, or emails first typed draft, to the author for approval.

• The author recommends changes or signs off.

• There may be a second or third draft. YWP edits second (or more) drafts if needed and the author signs off.

• The author approves final manuscript and sends final payment.

• YWP mails or emails final copy.

NOTE: Although one draft is usually sufficient for a small-medium project, it’s impossible to determine how many drafts may be needed to complete any project. The initial proposed fees cover one thorough edit of your document. If you wish to submit additional drafts for editing or for proofreading, or perhaps change your mind about the format, margins, line spacing, etc., please understand that there will be additional editing charges. If you decide to change the wording, layout, graphics, structure or focus, we’ll be happy to do whatever you want, but please understand that the billing will continue at the agreed hourly rate, which may cause us to exceed our estimate.

Here’s a chart for estimates only:

What do you charge?

We charge an hourly rate. The time (and fee) depends on your document’s length, prior preparation, research accuracy, and writing style. We charge by the hour, billable in 1/4 hour increments. Editing/proofing/rewriting is billed at a higher rate than formatting, researching, and typing. An estimate will be provided before work begins, but an estimate is only an estimate; the chapter we read for the estimate may be superbly written and thought out, but another chapter in the same project may not be completed as well.

NOTE: Partners treat each other fairly, and we want to be Your Writing Partner, not only on this project, but on many others to come! YWP is very conscious about cost, having done many books for authors from start to finish, and having produced several of our own books. Our fees are not the lowest you can find, but are extremely affordable in comparison with the professional industry rate. We only bill for the time involved, and we work as quickly as possible to give you a product we can both be proud of.

Are there other charges?

As set out above, the fees cover one thorough edit of your document. If you wish to submit further drafts for editing or for proofreading, or perhaps change your mind about the format, margins, line spacing, etc., billing will continue as set out in our agreement.

The only other planned charges are out-of-pocket expenses such as postage or courier charges, which are billed at actual cost. Travel time and fees, if necessary, will also be billed at an agreed amount.

 How is the fee paid?

The payment terms will be outlined in our agreement letter. In most cases, the author agrees to pay a deposit of approximately half the estimate before YWP begins; it can be paid by check; cashier’s check; money order; MasterCard, Visa or Discover; direct fund transfer/electronic debit from your bank account; or PayPal. If the project is canceled early, the author agrees to pay the specified rate and any expenses for any work already done.

In some cases, intermediate payments will be requested.

Final payment for the remaining balance must be received before the completed manuscript is mailed or emailed. YWP will send the final copy to the author or publisher immediately upon receipt of final invoice payment.

Can you supply references?

Absolutely. See client comments and examples. You are welcome to contact any of those nice folks.

How should my document be sent?

We ask that you format your document in PC Word. (Although we can open Mac Word documents, the formatting is often lost.) Please type your document in 12-point font, double-space your pages with a minimum of 1-inch margins all around, and print one side only. Documents of less than 50 pages can be sent by email. For longer documents, we would like to have a hard copy sent by USPS with a copy on CD. For shorter documents, email will be sufficient. DO NOT SEND YOUR ORIGINAL document; it will be marked up with red ink.

I’m in!  What’s the first step?

Because all projects vary to some degree, it’s important to learn a bit about your document, your readers, the service needed, your deadline, and related details from the beginning in order to ensure your work gets the editing service you want and need. For initial inquiries, please complete the Information Request Form to give us information about your project and how we can best contact you. We’ll contact you as quickly as possible to discuss your needs and our future steps. If we agree that a partnership might be a good idea, we’ll ask you to send 5-10 pages of your document for review and proposal.

Go ahead, contact us now!

Your masterpiece is waiting in the wings!

770-395-7483

Kay@YourWritingPartner.net

We help you take your written project from where it is to where you want it to be!

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