Editorial services

Support for every stage
of the writing journey

Whether you’re staring at a blank page or polishing a final draft, we have a service — and an editor — to meet you where you are. Every engagement begins with a free consultation.

You worked hard to get words on the page. Now it’s time to make those words work hard for your readers. Cup & Quill’s editorial team offers a full range of editing services — from high‑level developmental feedback to line‑by‑line polishing — all designed to strengthen your manuscript while honoring your unique voice.

We edit fiction and non‑fiction at every stage of the writing process. Whether your draft is still in the idea phase, rough, or nearly ready, we’ll tell you honestly where it stands and what it needs.

Coaching

When you need a little help staying on track

Writing is hard, and it takes a village. Our coaches give you the guidance, accountability, and encouragement to keep moving from idea to finished manuscript — including revision coaching for writers reworking a draft after a first round of edits.

One‑on‑One Coaching

Personalized guidance to help you plan, draft, and complete your manuscript — at your pace, in your voice.

Group Programs

Write alongside a community. Structured sessions with accountability, craft instruction, and dedicated writing time.

Dissertation & Academic

Specialized coaching for scholars — structure, argument, and momentum for theses, dissertations, and academic books.

Editing & Proofreading

From finished to polished

We meet your manuscript at whatever depth it needs — from big‑picture structure down to the final comma.

Editorial Assessment

A diagnostic evaluation of your manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses, delivered as a written report — a good first step before investing in deeper editing. Can be upgraded to a full developmental edit afterward for an additional 2¢/word.

1.5¢/word
1

Developmental Editing

3.5¢/word

The big picture — structure, pacing, plot, character, and argument. We help you strengthen the bones of the book.

2

Line Editing

/word

Sentence by sentence — clarity, rhythm, tone, and voice, so every line reads the way you mean it.

3

Copyediting

/word

Grammar, usage, style, and consistency — a rigorous pass that respects your voice while sharpening the prose.

4

Proofreading

/word

The final safety net — catching typos, punctuation, and formatting slips before your manuscript goes out.

Prefer a single combined pass? Ask about Line Editing Plus, which merges line editing and copyediting into one round.

Ghostwriting

You bring the story. We bring the craft.

Ghostwriting is a fully collaborative writing partnership: you share your ideas, experiences, and voice — through interviews, conversations, notes, or existing fragments — and we transform that raw material into a polished, publication‑ready manuscript. The finished work carries your name, your perspective, and your voice, refined by professional writing craft from the first page to the last.

This is the highest‑touch offering we provide. It typically includes in‑depth interviews to capture your voice and vision, a structured writing process with regular check‑ins and drafts for your review, and multiple rounds of revision to ensure the final manuscript sounds authentically like you — just at your most articulate and compelling. Prefer a lighter touch? Ghostwriting Lite pairs you with a writer for a shorter, more collaborative project.

Ideal for: memoirs, leadership books, thought‑leadership titles, and any project where your ideas deserve a finished, professional voice but your time doesn’t allow for writing it yourself.

Publication Services

Interior layout, design, and guidance to bring your finished manuscript into the world looking every bit as professional as it reads.

Literary & Non‑fiction Consulting

Preparing your manuscript for agent submission

For many writers, the path to publication begins with securing agent representation. Our consulting packages provide strategic preparation of the materials used to approach agents, along with ongoing support throughout the querying process — typically over about nine months as we refine your submission materials and navigate the search for representation.

Editing packages

Priced by the word, not a guess

We price by the word so you know what to expect. During your free consultation we’ll recommend the best fit and confirm your exact rate based on genre, length, and timeline.

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Double Quill

Assessment or Dev Edit + Line Editing Plus
5¢–7¢/word

Begin with a diagnostic assessment or a full developmental edit to strengthen your manuscript structurally, then proceed to Line Editing Plus to refine the prose itself.

Editorial Assessment or Developmental Edit — your choice
Coaching call included
Line Editing Plus pass to refine the prose
Request a quote
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Triple Quill

Assessment or Dev Edit + Line Editing Plus + Proofreading
10¢–12.5¢/word

The complete path from first draft to publication‑ready manuscript — one continuous relationship, from concept to publication‑ready file.

Editorial Assessment or Developmental Edit — your choice
Coaching call included
Line Editing Plus pass
Final proofreading pass
Request a quote

Need a roadmap, not a full edit?

Ask about our flat‑rate intensives: a Draft Roadmap Intensive ($1,200, up to 20K words), a Structure Intensive ($3,250, up to 75K words — our most popular intensive), and a Clarity & Voice Intensive ($1,200, up to 20K words).

Every manuscript is unique, so your final quote factors in genre, word count, and timeline. Your consultation and quote are always free.

“When someone says ‘I’m not a writer…’ we add ‘yet’ to that sentence — and help them become one.

Dr. Linda Tucker, Founder

Ready to take the next step?

Your first conversation with Dr. Tucker is free. Tell us about your project, and we’ll help you decide which services fit your needs.

Schedule a free consultation