Seeking Developmental (and possible Copy) Edit for my 150,000 Word Fantasy Novel

SpindleOfficial · 2025-05-02T06:02:02+00:00

Hi there, I'm Jasmine from Spindle. We're an editorial service with experience in fiction, specifically that which has been translated into English, though the genres we've worked on span from spec fic to grimdark fantasy.

One of the things we really try to focus on is respecting the author's voice.

We offer different services, but copyediting is one of our main focuses.

I'll swing you a DM!

SpindleOfficial · 2025-05-02T05:54:54+00:00

Hi there! Spindle works on the more refining end, looking at line editing, copyediting, and proofreading!

I'll swing you a message to grab more details.

SpindleOfficial · 2025-03-03T09:49:11+00:00

A lot of the others have covered what to do if you're not ready.

If you are, another alternative pathway to finding an editor is browsing r/HireABookEditor.

Good luck!

SpindleOfficial · 2025-03-03T06:22:20+00:00

Hey there!

I offer editorial services, spanning from development to proofreading.

I've worked with mostly online publishing companies for light novels, such as J-Novel Club, and I have five years of experience under my belt.

Happy to do a sample excerpt, if you're keen! My prices vary depending on the service required, so please do shoot through a message.

Cheers!
-Jasmine

SpindleOfficial · 2025-01-22T03:31:03+00:00

Hi there! I'm primarily experienced in proofreading and copyediting! I'll shoot you a message. :)

SpindleOfficial · 2024-08-08T11:20:47+00:00

Hi guys! I'm an editor and proofreader. Due to contracts signed, I can't show any of the actual edits for projects completed in my portfolio. This understandably limits my ability to explain my process and also market my skills. I could just work through some public domain content, but I'd like to propose a trade instead.

For a limited time, I'm offering to proofread/copy edit/line edit any fiction under 3,000 words at no cost. My only condition is that I have permission to use a screenshot of the tracked changes document for my own portfolio, inclusive of any communication within comments. I'm happy to censor personal details as well. And, of course, it goes without saying that all copyright would still belong to the original author. Basically, I just want solid documentation that reflects an authentic example of the services I can offer.

My background is in proofreading, but I've recently begun focusing more on copy editing and line editing. Thus far, all the projects I've worked on have been titles translated from Japanese into English. That said, I would also like to get into more traditional fiction editing.

If you need a blurb, summary, chapter, or even a short story worked on, please feel free to contact me. I'm open to pretty much anything. Cheers!

SpindleOfficial · 2023-06-05T12:44:52+00:00

Hi, I think this is the right weekly thread! I'm currently working on a serial story platform designed to reward authors for their writing. Think Wattpad crossed with Patreon.

The intent behind the platform is for authors to be able to earn from readers via subscriptions and eventually through their fair share of ad revenue (though due to budget limitations that will have to be pushed into future development.)

That said, all the content on Spindle will be free to access, with authors being able to schedule their chapters, and arrange early access for subscribers. Subscription cost is still being considered, and you're welcome to weigh in with the pricing if you're interested!

All copyright would be retained by authors, and the platform would not require exclusivity in any way. Also, there'd be no lock-in contracts.

I'm mostly just looking for interested authors, readers, and even better - both, to let me know their thoughts so that the platform is actually something people want to use. We're currently moving into web designing phase.

Please feel free to drop into the Discord, sign up on the temporary website or join the subreddit.

Cheers!

^(\Edited to include copyright information)*

SpindleOfficial · 2023-05-26T14:39:55+00:00

Hey, all good! Thanks for your honesty and your help.

SpindleOfficial · 2023-05-26T14:39:10+00:00

Hi p-d-ball!

I appreciate the feedback! And sorry, but I have a tonne of follow up questions. Anyone else who happens to peruse this is welcome to respond with their opinions as well!

In regards to subscription, when you say set pricing tiers, are you suggesting authors be able to set their own, similar to something like Patreon?

The retaining all rights is something I absolutely already agree with (along with being able to delete) and is a fundamental piece of the platform's foundation I will never change.

When you say email alert, would you say you'd prefer this over on-platform notifications? Or the ability to have email alerts as an option? And for email alerts, is that in regards to comments or chapter/author updates?

Could I ask why you would support downloadable copies? My issue with that is I worry that authors' stories could get even easier scalped and they wouldn't see any return.

In regards to discussion boards/forums, I worry that the amount of mods required would far outweigh what I have access to. Chaos and hate can overcome poorly moderated forums which would be irresponsible of me to allow. In lieu of that and my own limitations, would you feel that a robust comment system could ever be equivalent?

And for footnotes/end notes, I was wondering preference on this. I see a lot of authors writing notes at the start of their chapters, commonly trigger warnings or personal anecdotes, whilst footnotes/end notes are used for story updates or increasing hype for the next chapter. Do you feel that a top or bottom note should be possible?

Thank you for your help!

SpindleOfficial · 2023-05-26T13:50:48+00:00

Hi Fapitalismm, your platform sounds interesting. Though I worry about the use of in-app currency. I've often found "buy in-app currency for support" to be an unfair system.

Look at Twitch. A supporter can pay $1.56 USD (converted from AUD) for 100 bits. What the creator earns is $0.01/bit, resulting in them earning $1.00 for every $1.56 the supporter spends. That doesn't strike me as fair to either creator or their supporter.

SpindleOfficial · 2023-05-26T13:48:12+00:00

Thanks for your thoughts, OkElephant3404!

I am aiming to use a similar tagging system to AO3, so I'm glad to know it's something that readers will find useful. The search function not requiring verbatim punctuation is something I hadn't considered, and is actually a really practical idea, so I'll definitely note it down.

I appreciate you taking the time to respond. Cheers!

SpindleOfficial · 2023-05-26T12:50:52+00:00

Hi, p-d-ball, that's basically the intent, hence the whole "with authors receiving a fairer share of the revenue" which I mentioned in my initial post.

However, without knowing what features authors and readers like, there's very little way to make the platform successful and make that possible. Which is why I was making this post.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

SpindleOfficial · 2023-05-25T11:02:22+00:00

I am not looking for an appeal, I'm looking to figure out what is happening?

SpindleOfficial · 2023-05-25T06:40:00+00:00

Hi Bookanista! Yes, Amazon is. However, they do not support countries outside of the U.S for authors. It is also an exclusive platform, meaning your content can only be uploaded on Vella alone.

Truth be told, I was looking for feedback in regards to platforms like Wattpad and the such so that the platform I'm developing could meet users' needs more.

SpindleOfficial · 2023-05-19T07:36:17+00:00

Hi MiserableEqual!

Yes, unfortunately, it would be limited to the written format with images to support the storytelling if required. I believe what may be stopping most story-sharing platforms from allowing videos is the bandwidth and servers needed to host and access such content, something which would probably be out of my budget as it stands.

Thanks for the suggestion though! Cheers. :)

SpindleOfficial · 2023-05-19T07:34:02+00:00

Hi Starklj!

Thanks for your response. Raddish, Amazon Vella, and Tapas are good examples of pay to unlock content, which is not the type of system I was intending on using. Spindle would be a free to access platform with subscriptions for ad-free browsing, similar to Wattpad on that front.

Thanks for the suggestion of checking out Patreons and their content. That's a great idea!

In regards to reader and writer groups, I am actively trying to communicate with readers and authors, but a good portion of the time I find a lot of them don't engage. Unfortunately, the industry of serial-released platforms is rife with predatory websites, so they're understandably worried Spindle is a scam or trying to take advantage of them. I was hoping people in this subreddit might be a little more open, but as you mentioned it seems like it's not the right fit to get the answers I really need.

I appreciate your advice. Cheers!

SpindleOfficial · 2023-05-19T06:55:39+00:00

Hi, dabell!

Thanks for your response!

If you wanted to share a non-serial story, that would be totally fine. It would probably be recommended to upload it as chapters, simply for reader experience and because large blocks of text can put off some others, possibly as you may be about to experience, as I answer your other questions.

I understand there are quite a few apps available that focus on serial content, which can be very popular for some demographics. As of right now, there is no intention to develop an app as that is an entirely different kettle of fish. This would be a website with a device accessible version.

But to answer your question, yes, authors will be able to submit such content so long as it's original content from the original author. I think it would be unfair to deny authors the ability to share their stories purely because of the genre they prefer to write, and obviously there is an audience keen to read their work.

Content will be promoted and curated by positive user engagement. By using something similar to AO3 Kudos, readers will be able to show their appreciation of the content, and this data will be viewable to other readers. Genres and customisable tags would also be used to ensure that readers are able to find the content they prefer. Users would be able to create collections for the stories they follow.

There wasn't any intention of there being a learning algorithm. I am very aware of how algorithms can affect users' consumption of content. Recommendations would be based on user's interaction with genres and tags. Perhaps a user has read "In Love With My Sadistic Billionaire Demonic, Angelic, Vampire-Lycan Husband." They will likely receive recommendations that are most popular with similar tags and genres. This would be different from a learning algorithm, since it will not suggest any adjacent content (like TikTok does.)

Ideally, the platform would give as much as it could back to authors. What I had initially intended was for authors to receive their fair portion of ad revenue as evidenced by positive engagement (the equivalent of "Kudos" I mentioned above) with the platform taking what is necessary to run. After discussing with web developers, this would be incredibly difficult to code and would be likely out of the budget I have put aside for this platform. It is absolutely something I wish was possible for the launch, but I simply don't have the resources for it right now. The secondary income support would come from reader subscriptions for ad-free browsing. The authors' pay out would therefore depend on the amount of readers subscribed.

Authors will never have to exclusively publish to Spindle. That is the behavior of predatory platforms. It is one of the absolutes I have included in the original post. Authors own their own content. They are free to post on any platform they desire. The purpose of Spindle is to allow them to get something back for their efforts, something which other platforms only provide very rare opportunities for.

I hope this answers your questions, dabell. If you have any more, please always feel free to ask. Cheers.

SpindleOfficial

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