Books & literary writing
Books & literary writing: novels, short stories, novellas, and other fiction formats
PhD in Applied Linguistics · Fiction, Nonfiction, Online & Academic Content · US & UK English
Professional editing that stays true to your voice.
Client words
“María did an incredible job editing my novel. Her efficiency and attention to detail were truly commendable throughout the entire process! Her ability to navigate through the manuscript with both speed and precision was remarkable. She demonstrated an exceptional eye for detail, identifying and rectifying grammatical errors and structural issues with finesse.
I will definitely be back to use María’s editing services in the future. Her professionalism, efficiency, and meticulous attention to detail make her an invaluable asset.”
Shubha S.Indie dystopian author
Editorial philosophy
What I edit
Books & literary writing: novels, short stories, novellas, and other fiction formats
Children’s books: picture books, board books, and early readers
Academic writing: journal articles, theses, dissertations, and textbooks
Online & professional content: websites, blogs, newsletters, social media posts, transcripts, and subtitles
Literary fiction · Dystopian fiction · Adventure & travel · Psychology & personal development · Entrepreneurship · Linguistics · Mindfulness & wellbeing · Lifestyle
If you believe the world can be made a better place by telling the right stories—and telling them well—I am right here to support you.
Services & pricing
Every project is unique. Whether you are an indie or self-publishing author, a creative entrepreneur, or an academic researcher looking for a proofread, a copyedit, a children’s book edit or support with academic references and formatting, let me help you make your message shine through by making sure that the details are professionally taken care of.
Up to 2,500 words
A professional edit for shorter pieces of writing.
Provided that your written work is 2,500 words or less, you can benefit from a fixed price. This service is perfectly suited for writers who need professional editing on a smaller project without committing to long-form per-word pricing. It’s an excellent option for shorter pieces of writing, from website articles, blog posts, newsletters, and website pages to short stories, essays, and sample chapters.
The text that needs a careful review is 2,500 words or less, and you want a clear and competitive price.
You decide, depending on the nature of your text, the level of editing that will be performed—either a proofread or a complete proofread & copyedit.
This service is a great fit for online content such as website articles, email marketing, blog posts, social media posts, and so on. It could, however, suit other projects such as a book chapter, a short story, an essay, or a research presentation. If it’s up to 2,500 words, it can benefit from a straightforward price.
Final quality check
For writing that's already been edited and needs a final quality check.
Your writing is completely finished, but you need a second pair of eyes to make sure that your text is clean, reads smoothly and that no typos, misplaced punctuation, wrong formatting or typography make it to your readers.
This service is ideal for authors preparing a manuscript for publication (fiction or nonfiction), researchers submitting academic work such as theses or journal articles, or businesses publishing client-facing content.
Your text is ready to be published after it has been thoroughly reviewed. It needs, however, a final quality check that makes sure that its final version is clean. This way, your words will read clearly and you can focus your energy on what you’ll write next.
With this proofreading service you can expect a light consistency editing regarding formatting, spelling, and style choices.
This service is great for longer works such as books (both fiction & nonfiction) and book chapters, master’s and doctoral theses, academic dissertations, journal articles, short stories and novellas. If you believe you need a Full Proofread but your text is not included in any of these categories, be sure to let me know.
Comprehensive editorial review
For writing that would benefit from improvements to wording, flow, consistency and style, as well as a final proofread.
With this service, you get a comprehensive editorial review of your text. In addition to proofreading your text, I will copyedit it to make sure that your grammar, word choice, and voice are consistent and effective, contributing to a smooth, pleasant reading experience. I will also ensure that your voice stays consistent throughout the text and query you on relevant issues.
This service is best suited to self-publishing indie authors looking for a book editor (novels and novellas, short stories), creative entrepreneurs refining either short- or long-form content (newsletters, blog posts, website articles), and academics who want a final text that is polished and consistent.
You have finished your manuscript and are ready to take it to the next level—a fully reviewed, thoroughly checked text on the levels of spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax, formatting, and voice consistency. This comprehensive review is done in a seamless way, correcting the final text while respecting your personal voice.
This service is ideal for longer works such as books (both fiction & nonfiction) and book chapters, master’s and doctoral theses, academic dissertations, journal articles, short stories and novellas. However, it can also be applied to other types of text that require a detailed, thorough review, not only for surface errors but also for consistency of voice and style. If you are unsure whether your writing can benefit from this proofreading & copyediting service, contact me.
Submission-ready scholarship
A scholarly edit to help prepare your paper for submission.
You are preparing an article, thesis, or dissertation and want to ensure your citations and formatting meet academic or journal requirements. I will review your completed text, checking that your references, in-text citations, and formatting are accurate, consistent, and aligned with the required style. This service supports editing for research papers, theses, and journal submissions.
This service is particularly helpful for writers working under strict university or journal formatting requirements. Whether you are working with APA, MLA, or another citation style, I will ensure consistency throughout your document.
This service can be booked on its own or combined with the Proofreading & Copyediting service.
As a proofreader and copyeditor with a PhD in Applied Linguistics, I am familiar with the conventions, tone, and presentation standards expected in academic writing. I know how time-consuming it is to prepare an article, thesis, or dissertation for submission, particularly when dealing with formatting requirements, citations, and reference lists. I will take care of those details so you can focus on your research and subsequent publications.
This service works on its own or combined with the Proofreading & Copyediting service.
Ages 0–6
Specialised proofreading & copyediting for children’s books.
Children’s books constitute their own universe, and they require a very particular kind of care. Every word matters, and even small changes can affect the rhythm, meaning, and reading experience.
This service combines careful copyediting and proofreading with specialised attention to age-appropriate language, natural rhythm and flow (including read-aloud quality), repetition and phrasing.
This service is for authors preparing board books, picture books, or early readers for publication, read-aloud sessions, or submission to publishers.
Children’s books are a unique form of storytelling. Each word is carefully chosen and text and illustrations work together to create an experience that children may return to again and again. For these reasons, they leave their own imprint on our hearts for a lifetime.
This service is shaped by this understanding. I will meticulously proofread and copyedit your book line by line to ensure it is clear, smooth and engaging for its intended age group. Particular attention is given to rhythm, phrasing, and repetition so the reading experience feels natural and lively.
While I don’t alter the structure of your story or your narrative voice, I will refine the language where needed, flag anything that may interrupt the reading flow, and check for consistency between the text and visual references where relevant.
Are you publishing both print and digital editions? If doing so, your project needs another review. Add an e-book formatting and quality-control pass to your editing project.
I’ll review the digital version from beginning to end, checking for formatting and consistency issues that can arise during conversion, including spacing, paragraph and line breaks, fonts and font sizes, headings, links, images and any other elements that may affect the reading experience.
This service can also be booked separately if your manuscript has already been edited and formatted for print.
Every project is unique. If your writing doesn't fit one of the services above or you're unsure which type of editing would benefit your work most, I'd be happy to recommend the most appropriate option.
“María did an excellent job. She delivered on time, and I was very happy about the final result. I highly recommend her work.”
“I am very happy with the service received. I contacted María through her website, and she immediately replied saying that she could help me with the editing of my academic text. Very quick turnaround and excellent value for money. Highly recommended.”
Free sample edit
Choosing the right editor is an important decision. A Free Sample Edit gives both of us the opportunity to see whether we're a good fit. It allows you to experience my editing style on your own writing while helping me assess the level of editing your project requires.
Send me up to 500 words, and I'll return them professionally proofread and copyedited using Track Changes—free of charge and with no obligation to book a full edit afterwards.
Send me your sampleMost sample edits are returned within 2–4 business days. If your sample is unusually technical or requires specialist knowledge, I'll let you know before I begin.
If you decide you'd like me to edit the rest of your project, I'll prepare a personalized editing proposal outlining the recommended service, project fee, turnaround time, and next steps.
If not, that's perfectly fine. The sample edit is genuinely offered without obligation.
The sample edit is intended for writers considering a larger editing project. I’m unable to provide free feedback on complete manuscripts, chapters, or extensive revisions.
About
I'm a professional proofreader and copyeditor with a PhD in Applied Linguistics. I specialize in editing fiction manuscripts, children's books, blogs, and newsletters, as well as academic papers, journal articles, theses, and dissertations. But long before becoming an editor, I was already what you might call a bookworm.
I’m a lifelong book lover. Literature has been a source of companionship and wisdom ever since I was a child, and I believe in the unparalleled power of the written word to improve our lives in countless ways, whether through fiction or nonfiction. Perhaps that's why I never tire of reading the classics. They continue to surprise me with their ability to transport us across ages and into different ways of seeing the world, allowing us to experience countless lives without leaving our homes. When it comes to contemporary fiction, I particularly enjoy postmodern fiction and magical realism. I find alternative realities fascinating.
My love of words extends well beyond reading. I think of myself as a philologist—a language lover—and I hope to make my own small contribution to the written word by helping every piece of writing I edit become the strongest version of itself. Other than editing, I am interested in early and second language acquisition, comparative linguistics, etymology, phonetics and phonology, and, of course, other languages—I speak English, Spanish and French. My PhD research explored the benefits of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in teaching English as a Foreign Language.
Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.
If I agree to take on your project, it is because I am committed to doing my very best on it. I do my research, maintain open communication, and deliver work I can be proud of. I hold myself to a high standard and am continually learning and sharpening my skills. I have a naturally keen eye for typos, errors, and inconsistencies, and I love to spot them. When I am working, I am in a state of flow. I am grateful that my work allows me to spend my days surrounded by books, language, and ideas.
My research skills and academic background help me bring accuracy and attention to detail to every project. Plurilingual, purposeful, and creative, I approach every project with cultural sensitivity, curiosity, and respect for each writer's voice.
For years, I wondered why I loved leaving social gatherings early so I could go home, brew a coffee, get comfortable, and read or write. Eventually, I realized I am an introvert.
Outside of editing, I enjoy hiking, gardening, and yoga. I live in a small rural village in the Andes, and experiencing life here inspires me every day.
Now that you know me a little better, I'd love to show you how I approach real editing projects. My portfolio includes selected examples of work for literary authors, academic writers, and creative entrepreneurs.
When you're ready, I'd love to learn about your project.
Start here
Send me a sample of your work, along with your total word count, the service(s) needed, and your preferred deadline.
I’ll closely review your text and send you a professional editing proposal with pricing, timeline, and recommendations.
Let’s get started! Once scheduled, I’ll start working on your text using Track Changes. I will also create a personalized style sheet where applicable.
You’ll receive an edited document with tracked changes and comments included, a clean copy for your final review and publication, and a personalized style sheet (if applicable).
Would you rather discuss what you need over video?
Book a 15-minute consultation call with me, no commitment requiredEditing portfolio
Here are selected excerpts from real editing projects, anonymized to protect client confidentiality. Each sample comes from a project that included both copyediting and proofreading. The tracked revisions and editorial comments are representative of the work I typically do.
Genre: YA Dystopian Fiction · Length: 9,000-word manuscript excerpt · English: British English
Challenge: To improve formatting, consistency and narrative continuity across the edited manuscript.
The manuscript became more consistent and easier to read. The author received a professionally copyedited manuscript with tracked changes and editorial comments to support revision, as well as a personalized style sheet for future reference.
Genre: Literary Fiction · Length: 520 words · English: British English
Challenge: To refine the language and sentence flow of a literary short story while preserving its subtle tone and emotional resonance.
This short story became more cohesive. Its readability was improved and its narrative flow became stronger while maintaining the author’s understated literary style.
Subject: Political Economy · Length: 871 words · English: British English
Challenge: To edit a research-focused article containing specialized terminology, quotations, and references. The text required both close linguistic polishing and the review of academic formatting conventions (citations and reference list).
The article now presents improved readability, consistent academic style, and comprehensive editorial feedback to support the author's revisions.
Subject: Linguistics · Length: 113 words · English: American English
Challenge: To edit a concise, terminology-rich abstract while preserving the precision of the author’s linguistic analysis and ensuring complex ideas remained accessible to an academic audience.
The final abstract was improved with stronger academic language, smoother flow, and clearer communication of the research while preserving the author's scholarly intent.
Subject: Linguistics · Length: Multi-chapter book excerpt · English: American English
Challenge: To apply consistent academic and style-guide conventions to a terminology-rich, practical guide written for community language workers, and to maintain its accessible and encouraging tone.
This resource for community language workers is now more consistent and professionally presented. Technical content is now uniformly handled, and the text remains practical and accessible.
Subject: Linguistics · Length: Full chapter excerpt · English: American English
Challenge: To refine a dense, citation-heavy academic chapter containing specialized terminology, cross-references, and multilingual examples while preserving scholarly precision and the author’s analytical framing.
The chapter now follows consistent terminology and style conventions, with clearer presentation of the technical material.
Frequently asked questions
Proofreading is the final stage of the editing process. The text has already been critically analyzed for developmental and structural issues, voice and style, paragraph and sentence structure, and any sections requiring further work have been revised or rewritten. Now it needs its final quality check before it can be published. During the proofreading stage, I will correct any remaining errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, typography & formatting. I will also flag obvious factual errors and make sure that the text adheres to a style sheet if applicable. Graphs, images, tables, charts, and illustrations will also be reviewed for editorial consistency and obvious errors.
However, the copyediting stage goes further. It requires research and deeper knowledge on the part of the editor, who checks readily verifiable facts where appropriate and raises queries where information appears inaccurate or inconsistent. Unlike proofreading, grammatically suboptimal sentences may be reworded at this stage to improve syntax, and particular attention is paid to the writer’s voice and personal style to make sure it is steady throughout the manuscript. In addition, a personalized style sheet is created, both to be of aid in the editing process and to be used as a reference by the author in future writing.
If you feel that your text is already quite clean, a Full Proofread will make sure it’s ready to go. If you’d like your writing to read more smoothly, sound more consistent, and fully engage your reader, you’ll benefit most from the Proofreading & Copyediting service.
No, I don’t. I can proofread without copyediting, but don’t offer copyediting as a standalone service. This is because changes at the copyediting level can introduce new surface errors. I prefer to handle both in one workflow, first refining the text and adding queries wherever needed while building a style sheet, then carrying out a final proofread to catch any remaining errors.
I work with creative, professional and academic writing. On the creative side, I provide manuscript editing services for short stories, novellas, children’s picture books, novels, and memoirs, always paying close attention to respecting the writer’s voice and style. I also work extensively with business and academic writing, including blogs, newsletters, website copy, manuals, guides, and industry reports, as well as journal articles, theses, dissertations, textbooks, monographs, and conference papers.
I work with indie and self-publishing authors, creative entrepreneurs, students, researchers, and professionals. My background as a proofreader and copyeditor with a PhD in Applied Linguistics allows me to work comfortably across creative, professional and academic writing. Whether you are developing a research paper, a novel, a newsletter, or website content, I can help you publish with confidence.
Most long-form projects are priced using per-word editing rates, while shorter texts (up to 2,500 words) are available at fixed rates. My current pricing is:
Specialized services, such as Academic Reference & Formatting Review or Children's Book Editing, have their own pricing structure. Every personalized proposal includes a breakdown of costs, so you'll always know what to expect before any work begins.
My minimum project fee is $50. Every editing project, regardless of its length, involves time spent reviewing the text and assessing the level of work it requires, preparing files, carrying out the edit, communicating with the client, and performing final quality checks before delivery. For shorter texts, this minimum fee also allows me to offer professional editing at a fixed price while maintaining the same detailed approach that I bring to every project.
A booking deposit is an advance payment that reserves time for your project in my editing schedule. Once I accept your project, I set aside dedicated time to work on it, which means I may not be able to take on other work during that period. For this reason, booking deposits are nonrefundable. The amount will always be clearly stated in your proposal and deducted from your final invoice, so you only pay the remaining balance once the project is complete.
Turnaround times depend on the length and complexity of your project, but you'll always receive a clear timeline before work begins. Shorter texts are usually returned within 5–7 business days, while books and longer academic projects are quoted individually.
To ensure every project receives the level of care and attention it deserves, I limit the number of clients I work with at any one time. If your project has a deadline, please let me know as early as possible so I can do my best to accommodate it.
Every service includes one follow-up revision, giving you the opportunity to ask questions about the edits, discuss any comments or queries, and request clarification or corrections if I have misunderstood your intended meaning or overlooked an issue during the original editing process. To make the most of this revision, please send your feedback and questions together in one consolidated response within 14 calendar days of receiving your edited files.
The included revision covers clarification of my edits and corrections or adjustments directly related to the original scope of work. If you make substantial changes to your text after delivery, add new material, request extensive changes to reflect new stylistic preferences, or require an additional round of editing, I'll be happy to provide a separate proposal before any further work begins.
A personalized style sheet (also known as a style guide) is a document that I create during the copyediting process to ensure your text remains consistent from beginning to end. It records editorial decisions relating to spelling conventions, word usage, formatting, language variety (US or UK English), voice, brand preferences (where applicable), and any other style choices specific to your project. You will receive a copy of your personalized style sheet with your edited document so it can serve as a useful reference for future revisions or writing projects.
My online proofreading services are usually delivered through Microsoft Word and its Track Changes tool. When proofreading only, I can also work with PDF files when appropriate—though a clean copy will not be provided along with the document with suggested edits. If you prefer to work with a different format or if you’re unsure of how the Track Changes tool works, please let me know.
Yes. E-book formatting is available as an add-on to proofreading or copyediting projects, particularly for authors preparing both print and digital editions. It can also be booked separately if your manuscript has already been edited and formatted for print.
I review the digital version from beginning to end, checking its formatting, consistency, and overall reading experience, and flagging issues that may have arisen during conversion.
Pricing depends on the length and complexity of the project.
Yes. I regularly proofread and copyedit in both US and UK English. I'll edit your document according to your preferred variety and ensure consistency throughout the text.
Most of the clients I work with use US dollars, so it made sense to set my prices in that currency. However, if you would prefer to work in a different currency, that is no problem at all. Just let me know.
I understand that choosing the right editor is an important decision. A Free Sample Edit allows you to see how I work before committing to a larger project, giving you the confidence that your writing is in capable hands. There's no obligation—just an opportunity to decide whether we're a good fit for each other.
Absolutely. I treat every project with the utmost confidentiality and will never share your work, personal information, or project details without your permission. Likewise, I will never copy and paste your text onto an AI-detection website or software.
If your project requires additional protection, I'm also happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before any work begins. Your writing will be handled with professionalism and discretion throughout the editing process.
I will never use AI to proofread or copyedit client work. I take pride in my skills and continually work to keep them sharp. That's why I work on every edit manually, using my own editorial judgment and experience. I consult dictionaries, style guides, and other relevant sources personally rather than relying on automated editing tools.
However, I can work with AI-generated content and help make it sound more natural, more human, and more like you.
AI policy
AI-assisted writing is here and will be with us for the foreseeable future. The pros and cons of outsourcing our writing and our creativity to AI are, in my view, worth debating at great length and depth. As a philologist, the documented loss of linguistic diversity that has been linked to the widespread adoption of large language models (LLMs) as writing assistants stands out as a concern. This is not, however, the space for such a debate. (I’d be delighted to continue this conversation with you elsewhere, though!)
My editing process is entirely human-based for a variety of reasons, the main one being that I take pride in my editing skills. I work hard to keep them sharp; therefore, I make sure to manually consult dictionaries, style guides, reference books, and specialized references whenever research is required. I want to keep my craft human and my brain strong in the AI era.
I understand that many of my clients have incorporated AI into their workflow for a variety of reasons, from planning and scheduling to actually outsourcing some of their writing. It is worth bearing in mind, though, that texts written by AI sound … well, robotic! They are soulless, trite, unoriginal, disengaging, you name it. They lack a certain something that readers need in order to engage with the content they’re reading. If AI did any of the actual writing, in addition to regular proofreading and copyediting, some adjustments must be made to infuse the text with some kind of freshness and humanity. Where and how—it depends on what AI was used for.
As a proofreader and copyeditor, I can help with that. For the last couple of years, I have paid close attention to AI development and the kind of language output it provides, such as specific patterns that emerge time and again in AI-generated writing. As I’ve come to understand it, it is now part of my professional development as an editor to keep up with it and to be able to recognize and adapt AI-assisted writing, smoothing out issues and imbuing some creativity into the text to ensure it remains relatable and engaging to its human audience. This is a skill that differs from traditional proofreading and copyediting because it adds new layers of nuance and complexity.
AI-generated texts differ from one another depending on how AI was used. If you need a human editor for your AI-generated text, be sure to let me know when requesting a quotation so I can assess the text appropriately, learn more about your particular needs, and account for any additional editorial work it may require.
Yes. I edit AI-generated and AI-assisted writing. Content written by AI always needs to be reviewed by a human editor to make sure it sounds fresh and consistent, and to ensure accuracy. If you’ve ever paid close attention to AI-generated writing, you’ll have noticed that it sounds repetitive, dull, and unimaginative. I can review AI-assisted writing to improve its overall naturalness while identifying issues that require human attention.
AI cannot replace high-quality human editing services. The way these models are trained—on predictability—doesn’t account for the subtle nuances and context sensitivity that texts require. And, of course, the more literary the style, the less suitable it becomes for machine editing.
Proofreading or copyediting aren’t exact sciences, either. If you’ve ever witnessed editors passionately debating the use of a single comma or hyphen, you must have noticed that often there are unclear rules or conflicting ones regarding any aspect of the written language. There is a degree of human creativity in editing—which is one of the things I love most about my work, by the way. Every editorial suggestion should take context, audience, and individual style into account.
By working with me, you can be confident that your work is reviewed personally. Wherever your project falls on the human–AI creative spectrum, my goal remains the same: to help your text read more naturally while still sounding like you.
Looking for a professional human editor?
Tell me about your projectContact
My online editing services allow us to work together wherever you are based.
Getting started is simple. Tell me a little about your project, and I’ll get back to you with a personalized proposal outlining the recommended editing service, pricing, turnaround time, and next steps.
Choose the option that works best for you:
I look forward to hearing about your writing project.
Still deciding? You might want to browse my FAQs or get a Free Sample Edit first.