Editing for authors and publishers
Have you written your book?
Are you nervous about releasing it?
Your Work. Your Story. Your Craft.
Authors who come to the stage with their manuscripts in hand, ready for the next step, have already achieved a great feat. The thought of judgment can be scary. But I've been in your shoes, and I'm here to tell you... The right editor is a balm for those anxious feelings.
How does it work?
01
Make contact with your editor
You can either:
- Send an inquiry with any questions you may have, or
- Fill out the intake form with your project’s details. The editor will be in touch shortly to discuss estimated dates, compensation, and your unique needs.
- The contact forms are neither contracts nor binding for either party.
02
The sample edit
Mariah will recommend a paid sample edit from which both editor and author will assess the process and partnership ahead.
- For copyediting and proofreading, send a 5,000-word excerpt from your manuscript’s middle.
- For developmental and line editing, send 5,000 words from your manuscript’s beginning.
03
Decide on your services
If you are pleased, you will fill out an invoice form like this one to select your add-ons and payment plan. The final agreement will include a contract for you to sign.
Within a few months, you will receive the service(s) of your choice.
If, during the process, you decide to make changes to your selections and compensation, merely speak the word.
04
Introductory video call
Among your optional add-ons are two additional modes of communication:
- Video call
- Discord chat
Mariah’s favorite part of the job is learning what makes an author tick—your motivation, your purpose, your themes, even your history.
Your goals inform her procedure.
Delectable Offerings
The ingredients to spice up your masterpiece
Shorter edits are available!
A developmental/line "sample" edit of your first 5,000 words is perfect to secure your hook into readers. This length of material is usually included in your queries to agents.
Just a few of Mariah's genres
• Speculative Romance
• Romantasy
• LGBTQ+
• Historical
• Speculative Fiction
• Science Fiction
• Fantasy
• Paranormal
Ready?
Let's begin the enchantment
About the editor
Mariah Bryant (she/her) comes from a rural farming area in Central Virginia, USA. Her dad and grandfather run a small cattle farm and country store. While she didn’t have access to high-speed internet until high school, Mariah spent her time reading, writing, drawing, and hopping over burbling creeks.
Mariah earned her BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, graduating cum laude. She studied visual storytelling (literally showing instead of telling!) as well as traditional art, art history and theory, dramatic writing, character arcs, and story structure.
For more backstory, click here.
Mariah Bryant
Editor / Writer / Creek Jumper
Values and Integrity
You and your editor don't need to agree on everything, but these may matter:
AI
AI learning models are trained on wordsmiths and artists. Mariah will not edit words arranged by AI. (If you use AI in other ways, that's OK.) Mariah also employs no AI in her editing process and will not feed your work into a learning model.
Sensitivity
Mariah can offer suggestions—not as an expert, but as someone with lived experience—on: OCD, ADHD, C-PTSD, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, psyche wards, migraines, and feminism. More information can be found on the About page [Click Here].
Collaboration
The most important (and best) part about an author-editor relationship with Mariah is the communication. The author's brain is as vital as the manuscript. If you prefer fewer coffee chats and less squealing from your editor, Mariah may not be for you.
Accommodation
Mariah is neurodivergent and has experienced disability. She extends reasonable accommodations, clear communication, empathy, and reassurances to her authors because she understands the anxiety of putting your work on display.
