Editorial Services

Hi! I’m Rachel. I’m a literary agent, but before founding The Swyer Agency, I spent years working on the editorial and scouting side of publishing. I worked on the editorial staff at Anderson Literary Agency, served as an international literary scout, and was part of the team at Netflix evaluating manuscripts for potential film and television adaptation.

I’ve read thousands of manuscripts and developed a clear understanding of what makes a project stand out, where manuscripts commonly lose momentum, and how editors assess a book’s potential.

When I edit your manuscript, I read it from multiple perspectives: as an engaged reader, as an editor, and as someone who understands what acquisitions teams are looking for. My notes address more than craft alone. I consider structure, pacing, character, voice, audience, and market positioning — helping you understand not only how to strengthen the book, but how to position it to reach the right readers and publishing professionals.

What I Offer:

Developmental editing— $0.06/word

A developmental edit is a full read of your manuscript focused on the big picture — whether the story is working at the structural level and how it's likely to be received in the current market.

    • A detailed editorial letter (typically 8–15 pages) addressing structure, pacing, character development, narrative arc, point of view, voice, stakes, and market positioning. The letter identifies what's working, what isn't, and what to prioritize in your next revision.

    • Your manuscript returned with comments throughout. These are diagnostic — I'll flag specific passages that illustrate the larger issues raised in the editorial letter. Where a scene undermines tension, where a character's motivation is unclear, where the pacing stalls, where something isn't earning its place. These are not line-level corrections.

    • A 30-minute follow-up call to discuss the letter, talk through your revision plan, and answer questions.

Line editing — $0.05/word

A line edit is a close pass through your manuscript at the sentence and paragraph level. This is hands-on work — I'm in your prose, page by page.

    • Your manuscript returned with tracked changes and marginal comments on every page. I edit for sentence construction, rhythm, clarity, word choice, dialogue, repetition, transitions, and tone. Where a sentence needs tightening, I tighten it. Where a line of dialogue sounds flat, I rework it. Where a paragraph buries its best idea, I restructure it.

    • The goal is sharper, more precise writing that still sounds like you — not a rewrite of your voice, but a refinement of it.

Editorial Roadmap — $0.02/word ($750 minimum)

An editorial roadmap is for writers who want a professional assessment before committing to a full edit. It tells you where your manuscript stands and what to focus on next.

    • A written revision plan (typically 4–8 pages) based on a full read of your manuscript. The roadmap identifies the project's core strengths, the primary areas that need work, and a prioritized list of what to address in your next draft. It may cover structure, pacing, character, voice, point of view, stakes, and market positioning, depending on what the manuscript needs.

    • An editorial roadmap does not include tracked changes, in-manuscript comments, or line-level editing. It's a strategic document — a clear, practical plan for revision before you invest in a deeper edit.A written revision plan (typically 4–8 pages) based on a full read of your manuscript. The roadmap identifies the project's core strengths, the primary areas that need work, and a prioritized list of what to address in your next draft. It may cover structure, pacing, character, voice, point of view, stakes, and market positioning, depending on what the manuscript needs.

Submit Your Manuscript for Editorial Review

A Note on Editorial Services and Representation

Editorial services are available only to writers who are not represented by The Swyer Agency. Authors represented by the agency are never charged for editorial work; editorial guidance provided as part of representation is always included.

The Swyer Agency does not offer literary representation to authors whose work we have evaluated or edited privately or in a consulting capacity, as doing so could create an actual or perceived conflict of interest. Purchasing an editorial service does not guarantee or create an opportunity for representation.

Authors who query the agency for representation will never be directed toward paid editorial services.