What this covers
You send a document that reads clean on the first pass, stays consistent from page one to the last table, and does not distract a reader with preventable errors.
You’re getting ready to share a manuscript or a business document with people who do not know the backstory. I’ll tighten the language, lock consistency, and flag anything that can be read two ways. Next, I’ll confirm scope, format, and timing, then I’ll start the first pass.
I edit in a way you can see and approve. I work in Word with Track Changes or in Google Docs with Suggestions, I keep a running style sheet for names and choices, and I leave a short query list where I need your call so the final version still sounds like you.
About me
I’m Morgan Kittrell, an editor and proofreader. I started doing this work the way a lot of editors do, fixing drafts for people who knew their ideas were solid but could feel the seams in the writing. I liked the part where a page stops wobbling and starts reading like it always meant to be that clear.
People hire me when they want the edit to be firm but not heavy-handed. I won’t flatten voice to make it “correct.” I’ll mark the changes that make the meaning sharper, build a style sheet so decisions do not drift, and point out the few spots where a reader could trip so you can choose what you mean.
Selected work
Here are a few recent manuscript and document editing projects, with the kind of problems I fixed and what the client shipped afterward.
Portfolio
Novel line edit. Line edited a 92,000-word novel for flow, repetition, and clarity while keeping the narrator’s tone intact. Cleaned timeline references and character naming so nothing shifted between chapters.
Client proposal copyedit. Copyedited a 38-page client proposal with tables and headings. Standardized capitalization and terminology, checked numbers that repeated across sections, and fixed cross-references so the document matched itself everywhere.
Academic citation edit. Edited an article draft for structure and citations. Cleaned in-text citations, aligned the reference list to the required style, and flagged three missing sources so the bibliography could be completed before submission.
“My draft came back cleaner, tighter, and still sounded like me.”
Author, preparing a first full manuscript
How I work
I keep the process simple and visible. You will see every change, you will know what I am unsure about, and you will have a clean path from your current draft to a version you can send with confidence.
1. Intake and setup Day 1 You send the current draft and tell me where it is going next (agents, publication, a client, internal review). I confirm the editing level, the file format, and any style you need me to follow. Then I set up Track Changes or Suggestions and start the style sheet. 2. Editing pass Days 2-7 I work through the document with Track Changes on. I tighten sentences, fix grammar and usage, and watch for consistency in names, terms, numbers, and formatting. When a sentence can be read two ways, I either fix it or leave a query so you can choose the meaning. 3. Consistency check Days 8-10 I run a second sweep for the details that drift: repeated words in headings, capitalization patterns, hyphenation, spellings, and references to figures, sections, or appendix items. If you have citations, I clean them up and flag anything I cannot verify from what you provided. 4. Final proof Days 11-14 If you have a laid-out PDF, I proof against that version and check page-level issues like headers, running text, spacing, and broken lines. If the work stays in Word or Docs, I do a final proof pass after the edit so small errors do not survive the larger changes.
Edited file with markup
Your manuscript or document with all edits shown using Track Changes in Word or Suggestions in Google Docs, so you can review and accept or reject any change.
CLEAN COPY
A version with all approved edits applied, ready to send to an agent, upload for publication, or circulate to your client or stakeholders.
STYLE SHEET
A short style sheet that records spellings, capitalization, hyphenation, character or product names, and any choices that need to stay consistent across the whole document.
Query list
A list of the spots where I need your decision, such as ambiguous phrasing, missing information, or a sentence that could be read in two different ways.
CITATION AND REFERENCE CLEANUP
Cleaned citations and a corrected reference list where your draft includes sources, plus notes on anything missing that I could not complete from the material provided.
PDF PROOF NOTES
If you provide a laid-out PDF, you will get markups or notes tied to page and line locations, so the final round of corrections is easy to apply without guesswork.
Pricing
Choose based on how much text I’m checking and how much structure you want me to touch, not just how many pages are in the file.
Priced items
Getting started
If you want me to hold time on my calendar, the next step is to lock the scope and sign.
1. Sign this proposal to confirm manuscript and document editing. 2. Pay the 30% booking invoice to reserve the start date. 3. Send the latest file and any style requirements so I can begin.
Signature
Fee summary
Booking and deposit
To book time on my calendar, you’ll sign this proposal and pay 30% up front. I start work after I have the deposit and the files I need for the intake and setup step.
Final payment. The remaining 70% is due when I hand over the finished edit package. Invoices are payable within 14 days of the invoice date, using the payment method shown on the invoice.
What I need from you. Before I start, I need the current draft in Word (or a format we agree on), plus any house style, brand guidelines, or citation rules you want followed. One clean, final draft keeps the schedule intact.
What you’ll receive. At handoff you’ll receive an edited file with markup, a clean copy, a style sheet, a query list, citation and reference cleanup, and PDF proof notes when you provide a laid-out PDF to check against.
Change in scope
If the document changes after I start, or if the file needs a different level of work than we planned, I’ll pause and send a revised price and timeline for your approval before I continue.
Voice and rewrites. I edit to keep your voice and meaning intact, and I’ll use Track Changes so every change is visible. If a passage needs a larger rewrite, I’ll flag it with a query unless you ask me to rewrite.
Confidentiality. I treat your manuscript and documents as confidential. I don’t share files or excerpts with anyone else, and I don’t use your text in samples unless you give me written permission.
Cancellation and rescheduling. If you need to move the project, tell me as soon as you can so I can shift the calendar. Deposits are non-refundable once I’ve started intake and setup, because that time is billable work.
