That’s what I’m here for.
After working with more than 500 business owners writing their books, I know the ins and outs of writing, publishing, and marketing a book that helps you and your business grow.
Editorial Services
I offer two types of editorial services for clients with a complete manuscript:
Manuscript Evaluation
Expert guidance and evaluation on the structure, content, flow, and voice of your manuscript
What's included
I will review your complete manuscript as a whole and chapter-by-chapter to provide both general/overall and specific feedback. This includes:
Notes on overall book structure and order of material.
Suggesting locations for subheads within chapters.
Clearly identifying book theme or themes, and ensuring text supports it/them.
Identifying potential missing pieces of text (e.g., resources, foreword).
Developing appropriate questions for beta readers.
Ensuring your tone remains approachable throughout.
Answering any specific questions you pose in advance of delivering the manuscript (e.g., specific areas of transition in places in the manuscript, questions about citations).
Other tasks as you request.
During the manuscript review, our work will be conducted via email and within the manuscript. A status update will be provided weekly via email.
Time Line
The manuscript evaluation takes approximately six weeks from delivery for a manuscript up to 50,000 words.
I will send a project questionnaire the week before manuscript delivery that details the project and your goals to enable me to better prepare feedback so your book best serves you.
Investment
$2,000 for up to 50,000 words [$3,000 for manuscripts between 50,000 and 60,000 words]
This fee includes manuscript evaluation, in-manuscript feedback using MS Word’s “Comments” feature, email support, and one 30-minute call to review feedback and/or discuss self-publishing related questions.
“I loved working with Jodi. She far exceeded my expectations during my copyediting experience! She had my 100 page book edited within days and gave great suggestions to help clarify my ideas to my readers. This not only allowed me the proper edits I needed for the book but also moved my launch date up further. Thank you for your hard work, Jodi!”
Sarah Sunstrom, Sarah Sunstrom Photography
Copy Editing
Line editing for grammatical, formatting, continuity errors, and more
Have you ever had to read a sentence three times to understand the point the author was trying to make? Or found yourself cringing about too many typos in a book? Readers can’t connect with even the most inspirational and insightful books if they’re riddled with errors and unclear text.
What's included
Here’s what I’m looking for during a copy edit:
Grammar, spelling, and mechanical issues
Consistency
Tone
Clarity of message
Redundancy of words/phrases as well as ideas
When you book my copyediting services, you get the whole enchilada. I’ll break out my magnifying glass and go through your manuscript line by line, looking for grammar, spelling, consistency, word choice, and jargon.
If you use abbreviations in your work, I’ll make sure they’re defined at the beginning of each chapter. You don’t want your readers to have to rush to Google or search for an asterisk because you used a TLA* they weren’t familiar with.
I’ll also make sure that your verb tenses are consistent and that you switch between the past tense and the perfect tense at the right moment. And all those times you stressed about capitalization, punctuation, and mechanics? Gone. I take care of those as well. (You’re welcome.)
*Three-letter acronym. (See what I mean? Don’t make your readers look for the asterisk. Your book isn’t a game of hide-and-seek.)
Time Line and Investment
Time line and investment vary by project and are based on multiple factors. Generally, for a 40,000-word book you can expect the entire copy editing process to take approximately six to eight weeks and cost between $2,000 and $4,000.
Book Coaching
If your book isn’t written yet, book coaching might be right for you. I offer the guidance, accountability, and structure you need to make your authorship journey far more enjoyable and less stressful.
My book coaching package is intended to support you throughout your writing process, whether you simply have an idea for a book, you have an outline for a manuscript, you’ve just started writing and are stuck, or you’re mostly finished with your manuscript and need help crossing the finish line.
Need help getting started?
We’ll take your idea and transform it into an outline. To help with writing consistency, we’ll establish a writing schedule that works with your day-to-day schedule.
Not sure where to go after outlining your idea?
We’ll discuss how to move from an outline to a manuscript, and we’ll create a customized writing schedule that will help motivate you to keep going.
Struggling to finish what you so eagerly started?
I’ll help you move past the blocks you’ve encountered, whether they’re creative or motivational, and see you to the end of the process.
Time Line
First we schedule a complimentary 30-minute kickoff video call to establish your time line and goals. This is where we add structure to our time together. We create your writing schedule based on your personal schedule and goals for the project. After this call, we have weekly 30-minute video calls to review your progress, address manuscript or task feedback, answer questions, and set goals for the next call. During these calls, we’ll keep you on track and tackle any major roadblocks or bumps that you experience during the writing process.
Accountability and Developmental editing
Each call will conclude with tasks for you to complete before the next call, whether they be word or page goals, and non-writing tasks. If you usually struggle with following through on your ideas and plans, our work together will help you break that habit.
Each call will include feedback on your writing progress (up to 10,000 words per session) and ideas, tone, and structure. This will strengthen your writing and help you address common issues as they arise.
You have access to email and Voxer support and communication between coaching calls. If you have a question or feel stuck, I’m here to help you through it. I’m also here to celebrate your wins with you!
Investment
The book coaching package requires a 12-week minimum contract. Your investment for this service is $2,000 per month. Many clients finish the three months with a complete first draft, a marketing plan, and a revision/feedback plan. Some require longer to finish their drafts.
Just need help getting started?
Contact me for information about my Book Planning Intensive, a half-day session that will get you started with writing (and a plan for what to do after that).
“I interviewed one and only one editor, because I knew exactly who I wanted. Jodi Brandon agreed to be my editor, chief enforcer, and weekly therapist. I signed up for her book coaching package and it was truly one of the best investments. I wish I’d done it three books ago!”
Dannie Fountain
The Author-Entrepreneurs Lab
Are you an business owner who wants to become a published author?
Do you know that you could make more of an impact and have more reach if you shared your expertise in a book?
Do you want resources and accountability that help you write your book — finally?
Author-Entrepreneurs Lab (Annual)
$600.00
One time
The Author-Entrepreneurs Lab offers threefold support for aspiring author-entrepreneurs: education, support, and accountability. You’ll get to work alongside a book partner who has helped author-entrepreneurs write more than 500 books, as well as other AE Lab members who are also working toward a published book.
The Author-Entrepreneurs Lab is a monthly membership and mentorship for entrepreneurs and business owners who want to become published authors.
You’ll get support during each of the three phases of book publication: writing, publishing, and marketing.
If you’ve been trying to write your book draft but just can’t seem to find the time, motivation, or clarity, you’re a perfect fit for the AE Lab! I host biweekly cowriting sessions for members, where you’ll dedicate time to your book. You’ll also get to work alongside fellow author-entrepreneurs who are going through the process just like you.
What You'll Get
The Author-Entrepreneurs Lab offers threefold support for aspiring author-entrepreneurs: education, support, and accountability.
You’ll get to work alongside a book partner who has helped author-entrepreneurs write more than 450 books, as well as other AE Lab members who are also working toward a published book.
The AE Lab offers a private Facebook group, as well as:
Coaching from a book editor with 20+ years in the publishing industry (without paying one-on-one book coaching prices!),
Monthly education with resources, exercises, and activities,
Twice monthly 60-minute cowriting blocks inside the Writing Studio,
Monthly office hours with 1:1 access to me, Jodi! (Bring your coffee and your questions!),
And more!
Meet Jodi, Your New Book Partner!
As a professional editor and book coach, I help author-entrepreneurs craft stellar books that showcase their expertise and boost their authority.
I have more than 20 years of professional editing experience, and have helped author-entrepreneurs write and publish more than 450 books. From the first stages of ideation and brainstorming, to editing your working draft, to promoting your published book, I help with it all.
This membership is designed to offer ongoing support and community so you no longer feel overwhelmed or ill-equipped to write your book.
What you’ll learn
The cornerstone of this program is the monthly education for aspiring author-entrepreneurs. Each month, you’ll get access to a new topic, as well as assets to support the execution or implementation of that information. Here are some monthly themes we’ve covered so far:
Your Author Platform
Creating Writing and Production Schedules
The Role of Amazon
Legal Issues for Authors
Conducting a Book Positioning Study
Book Launch Phases
Join the Lab
For three months, you’ll get:
Coaching from a book editor with 20+ years in the publishing industry
Monthly education with resources, exercises, and activities
Twice monthly 60-minute coworking blocks inside the Book Studio
Monthly Office Hours with 1:1 access to me, Jodi!
… and more
3-Month Access: $171 ($57) per month
12-Month Access: $600 ($50 per month -- like getting a free month!)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a three-month commitment for book coaching?
Writing a book is an activity that takes time. Book coaching is no different. The three-month commitment gives us enough time to work together and see real results and progress. We can tackle more creative blocks and frustrations in three months than we can in a single one.
The three-month time frame also enables us to establish a good working relationship, something that’s crucial for successful book coaching.
Does the financial commitment for coaching include any editing?
Book coaching includes some developmental editing, which entails feedback on your latest writing. When I do developmental editing, I look for tone, ideas, and structure in your manuscript.
Copyediting, which is performed after a work has been completed, is not included in book coaching. (However, the “cleaner” a manuscript is when it goes to a copyeditor, the less time it will take, and thus the less it will cost.)
Can't my manuscript be fixed during the copyediting stage after it's written if there are problems?
Some issues certainly can, like redundancy in words or ideas, consistency in word treatment,
and mechanics, but the “big picture” issues, like the structure of the manuscript and the overall tone, won’t be addressed at the copy editing stage.
Can you guarantee my book will be perfect and have no typos?
I wish I could. Editing is done with the human eye, which of course means that absolute perfection is impossible. The acceptable error rate in the book publishing industry is about 5%. I take editing tests quarterly to make sure I’m keeping my skills sharp.
What if I want to write a novel or some other genre you don’t work on?
Unfortunately I’m not the right book partner for you. There are plenty of great people out there, though!
If I join The Author-Entrepreneurs Lab now, do I get access to prior content?
Yep! All monthly trainings and Office Hours are recorded and available to all current members.