Copy Editor and Proofreader
Fiction and Nonfiction Manuscripts
Sara Hopkins has been working in the publishing industry since her first job out of college two decades ago—and actually started on that career path when she discovered library cards and Nancy Drew at age seven. Sara’s experience is as varied as her interests and she has worked with authors, journalists, sports writers, fiction, non-fiction, magazines, novels, advertising copy, really just about anything and anyone connected with written words on a page. Her career began at a weekly magazine and eventually led her to in-house employment at Eagle Publishing, in Washington, DC, and then Random House, in New York, before she struck out as a freelancer. Sara’s extensive industry experience perfectly dovetails to support her specialties of editing, copyediting , proofreading, and ghost writing.
Praised by authors as a detail-oriented editor who emphasizes a manuscript’s strengths as well as its weaknesses, she believes the devil is in the details and a fine-tooth comb and multiple readings are integral to bringing a manuscript to its full potential. Motivated by her love for a good book, Sara has edited over two hundred manuscripts, working with both internationally renowned publishing houses and independent authors. She knows what it takes to turn a good story into a good read without compromising the author’s unique perspective and voice.
Book Editing Services: Random House, Simon & Schuster, Eagle Publishing, My Day magazine, and BowTie Press
- Read manuscript (hard copy or digital) and check for deviations from specifications, problems in technical quality, and problems in language and thought
- Proofread typeset pages against copyedited manuscript; check for continuity, completeness, correct formatting, and verify compositor has followed copy editor’s instructions
- Check for widows and orphans throughout text, watch for text reflow
- Note any changes or compositor’s mistakes using proofreader’s marks or “review” function in Word
- Utilize Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition; The Chicago Manual of Style, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Editions; Webster’s Third International Unabridged Dictionary; as well as other reference materials
- Point out, mark, and correct mechanical errors and inconsistencies; errors or inappropriate grammar, usage, and syntax; and errors or inconsistencies in content or timeline
Production Manager, Bantam Dell, Random House
- Responsible for production of initial hardcover and paperback trade titles, approximately sixty books per year
- Check all changes and alterations made by editorial and design departments and communicate with compositors to ensure changes are made
- Archive all digital material in company server using standardized naming conventions
- Work with title administrators and design department to create schedules for book production including time allotments for design, copyediting, proofreading
Editing Services
Copyediting
Editing for grammar, usage, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics of style; checking for consistency of mechanics and for internal consistency of facts; inserting level heads and approximate placement of art; editing tables, figures, and lists; making sure house style is adhered to.
Substantive/Structural Editing
Clarifying or reorganizing a manuscript for content and structure. May include some rewriting and reorganization of text.
Rewriting
Creating a new manuscript or parts of a manuscript on the basis of content and research supplied by client.
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Books Published/Edited
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Arthur, Keri. Dangerous Games. |
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Beckett, Galen. The Master of Heathcrest Hall. |
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Cope, Steven. The Wisdom of Yoga. |
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Dunant, Sarah. Blood and Beauty. |
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Fowler, Christopher. The Invisible Code. |
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Harris, C.R. Smoke and Mirrors. |
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Kenner, J. Release Me. |
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King, Laurie R. The Art of Detection. |
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King, Laurie R. Touchstone. |
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McCracken, Elizabeth. Thunderstruck. |
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Northrup, M.D., Christiane. The Wisdom of Menopause. |
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Northrup, M.D., Christiane. Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom. |
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O’Shaughnassy, Perri. The Keeper of the Keys. |
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O’Shaughnassy, Perri. Sinister Shorts. |
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Slaughter, Karin. Beyond Reach. |
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Slaughter, Karin. Fractured. |
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Szegedy-Maszak, Marianne. I Kiss Your Hands Many Times. |
Book Editor Reviews
“Sara was so helpful with … everything! She gave great insight into some of the secondary characters, tying in flashbacks and smoothing out the whole flow of the story. She also picked up every single typo, punctuation error and in several spots came up with better phrasing where I’d been struggling. Her comments were very positively conveyed, wording things as suggestions or questions. She made me feel like I was on the right track but gave me perspective from a fresh reader. This was a very encouraging, positive interaction that I would definitely recommend to others as well as use again.” – Sarah McGregor
“I liked the polishing done to keep my manuscript flowing nicely and ridding it of unnecessary wording. Sara even added descriptions to make the scenes more vivid and pointed out things I wouldn’t have caught otherwise. I wish the pricing was cheaper for Indie authors such as myself, but I felt the quality of work was nice.” – S.J. Lynn
“When I was looking for someone to carry out a copyedit of my first novel I was really fortunate to have found Sara at short notice. I loved the fact that she read the manuscript before making any changes and spotted inconsistencies that I had not. She took the time to add a little more fun to my novel content, and after a few minor revisions the manuscript flowed much better. Working with Sara was a real pleasure, very professional and exceptionally timely.” – Carol White
“The editing was comprehensive, the fact-checking was right on the mark, and the suggestions to improve the manuscript, such as adding more location (Chicago), background, etc., were superb. But even the little things were invaluable to me—the removal of the extra space after the sentences, the uses of as or while or and between topics, and the insistence on uniformity of names, etc., helped me tremendously — a novice writer.” – Michael Ellman
“It was an honor and pleasure to work with Sara.” – Darshaun McAway, Girlfriend vs. Wife Duties
“Sara is a thoughtful and attentive reader. She caught plot holes and inconsistencies that none of my beta readers picked up on. She also helped me hone my narrative voice and render the style of the book consistent throughout. She’s a highly skilled editor and I will gladly hire her again for future projects.” Jay O’Shea, professor, UCLA
“She did a great job helping me to create a story of my choosing in a way that wowed even me.” Marcus McGee
“Sara did a fantastic job of editing my novel and returning it in a timely fashion. She was both professional and friendly and answered any question that I may have had. I would recommend her services or the network to anyone who needs to have editing services.” Sabrina Asper
“I’ve spent a fair amount of time researching editors and consultants and I found this network in particular very helpful. I don’t think I truly appreciated just how valuable Sara’s help was going to be up until I actually saw her work. Her input and suggestions has proved extremely valuable and there is no question in my mind that it has gone a long way in helping take the novel to the next level.” Matt Zietsman
“Having been responsible for a large university press, I can assuredly state that Sara is the most talented editor I have ever encountered. What makes her different is her keen ability to understand the author’s voice and not impose hers on top. She gets it. I would not even think about using someone else for my next book.” Richard Steiner
“All I needed to do was read her sample edit. Just one page. Immediately, I knew I had found my editor. I can go on and on about her attention to detail, her extensive knowledge of all manners of wordsmithing, her insightful suggestions, her endless willingness to massage the project to a polish that both she and I were happy with, but I will merely say the following. This book editor made me feel so incredibly confident in her ability to edit that I asked her to edit two additional manuscripts and I absolutely could not be happier with the end result. From day one all the way up until the end (and beyond), I truly felt like she understood me, my manuscript(s), and what I was going for. Holding my hand throughout this exciting process was this skilled and thoughtful partner and I count myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to benefit from her editing services.” – Courtland Smith
“My editor is one in million! She painstakingly edited, commented and proofread my manuscript. When it came time for submission, I can’t thank her enough how she found out a surprise cut off date that caught me off guard and she worked on her birthday night till 3 am helping with the last details of submission.” Jyoti Jain
“Sara is a thoughtful and attentive reader. She caught plot holes and inconsistencies that none of my beta readers picked up on. She also helped me hone my narrative voice and render the style of the book consistent throughout. She’s a highly skilled editor and I will gladly hire her again for future projects.” Jay O’Shea
“I’ve spent a fair amount of time researching editors and consultants and I found this network in particular very helpful. I will definitely recommend the service to anyone looking for an editor. I don’t think I truly appreciated just how valuable Sara’s help was going to be up until I actually saw her work. Her input and suggestions has proved extremely valuable and there is no question in my mind that it has gone a long way in helping take the novel to the next level. I will undoubtedly be knocking on her door first for any future help with my novels.” Matt Zietsman