wordcraft editorial
Cat McCaughey
wordcraft editorial
Professional Editing Services
Fiction & Nonfiction
W
elcome to Wordcraft Editorial, the intersection of passion, vision, and expertise! I'm Cat McCaughey and my mission is to bring my versatile editorial services to your fiction or nonfiction manuscript, from the first idea to the final period on the page. Whether you're a new writer or a long-established author, a nonfiction expert or a fiction wizard, I have the know-how, the talent, and the effort to help you bring your story to life.​
My services include developmental editing, line or copy editing, and proofreading to meet all your editorial needs. I have almost a decade of experience in my craft, as well as certification in professional proofreading and a mastery of CMOS, Turabian, APA, and MLA, among other style guides. With every project, I offer my professional evaluation, detailed line-by-line feedback, and constructive suggestions, collaborating with you every step of the way to achieve your vision of a published manuscript.
Ready to publish? Looking for a consultation? See Editorial Services below, and feel free to contact me with questions or estimate inquiries!​ This is Wordcraft Editorial: where words are my craft.
EDITORIAL SERVICES
Fiction Categories
professional and insightful guidance for every format: novels, novellas, short stories, children's lit, poetry
Nonfiction Categories
expert evaluation and feedback for nonfiction informational books, biographies, journals, and articles
DETAILS
Developmental Editing
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comprehensive analysis of the entire project
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​practical steps for immediate issues
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detailed advice for further improvement
fiction: $0.007 per word
nonfiction: $0.005 per word
Line Editing
*fiction only
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thorough sentence-by-sentence analysis and edit
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careful correction of any story-related inconsistencies
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constructive suggestions for sentence and chapter flow
fiction only: $0.008 per word
Copy Editing
*nonfiction only
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close read to identify and correct minute errors
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careful edits to highlight and clarify key concepts
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constructive advice to polish voice and delivery
nonfiction only : $0.007 per word
Proofing
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thorough sentence-by-sentence assessment
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careful editing for any errors or inconsistencies
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constructive suggestions to clarify voice and message
fiction: $0.005 per word
nonfiction: $0.003 per word
*PLEASE NOTE: I do not accept fiction or nonfiction that contains explicit gore/sexual scenes, and I rarely accept manuscripts that utilize foul language. I invite you to look at the final question of my FAQs for further information about the reasons for these boundaries.
ABOUT ME
C
at McCaughey is a professional fiction and nonfiction editor with almost a decade of experience in developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofing, and a passion for bringing stories to life.
Her career began in high school as editor-in-chief of a women's quarterly journal. Now, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature from Christendom College and a Freelance Proofreader certification with Proofread Anywhere. She has worked on a wide variety of projects in fiction and nonfiction genres, including biographies, journals, self-help books, YA, historical fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, clean romance, and even children's books and poetry. Notable companies include Our Sunday Visitor and Sophia Institute Press, as well as numerous independent authors.
Beyond her editorial work, she is also an independent author, having published her debut YA fantasy adventure novel, branded (stylized lowercase), in September 2024, with more books to come. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee in a house with a red front door and two annoying cats, where she enjoys trail runs, long books, and journaling with colored pens.
FAQs
What are your rates?
I charge clients based on word count. My rates differ slightly based on which type of editing you choose, as well as how many rounds of editing you choose. Please see Editorial Services above for specific rates for each type of editing I offer! If you'd prefer a payment plan rather than an upfront fee, be sure to include that information in your initial Estimate Inquiry email, and we can schedule payments before signing the contract!
I'm an indie author on a budget. Do you offer discounts or bundle deals?
Absolutely! I am an indie author myself, so I understand. A client who chooses two or more types of editing (ex.: line editing and proofing) OR two or more rounds of a certain type of editing (ex.: two rounds of line editing) may be eligible for a discount. Clients who are indie authors or first-time authors will also be eligible for certain discounts. Other discounts may be applied on a case-by-case basis depending on the length of the work (ex.: more than 90k words) or the complexity of the writing itself (ex.: middle-school vs. adult literature). If you'd like to know whether you qualify for further discounts, please include that question in your estimate inquiry when you email me!
Why is line editing for fiction only? Why is copy editing for nonfiction only?
The distinction between line and copy editing is a bit blurred in the editorial world, so for the sake of clarity and more specified services for my clients, I make my own distinction between the two. Line editing for fiction is more involved due to more complex elements (such as plot/character consistency, dialogue, scene flow, and worldbuilding details) and therefore is priced slightly higher than copy editing. Copy editing for nonfiction is more straightforward due to the clarity and objectivity of the work and therefore is priced lower than line editing.
How do I contact you for an estimate?
Excellent question! Please email me with the details of your project before submitting any project files. Please see my Estimate Inquiry Instructions for the information you must provide in your email in order for me to give an accurate estimate.
I have a specific deadline. How soon should I submit my project to you?
My rule of thumb is, "The earlier, the better!" I can give a more specific estimate for the minimum deadline length in my reply to your estimate inquiry, but generally, my timeline estimate after the contract has been signed is as follows:
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At least seven business days for a developmental edit of a 60k-word manuscript
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At least fifteen business days for a line/copy edit of a 60k-word manuscript
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At least ten business days for a proof of a 60k-word manuscript​​
*Please note that these are rough estimates, and the time necessary to complete an edit to the best of my ability depends on a number of factors, such as the type of editing, the genre, the word count, and the depth of editing that may be necessary to polish your manuscript. For that reason, as well as my commitment to my current clientele, we will discuss the expected timeline during our consultation.
What file formats do you accept?
Excellent question! Please note that I only accept Microsoft Word files or Adobe PDF files. Please note that I cannot accept Adobe PDF files for line or copy editing projects, as those types of editing potentially require me to make numerous small changes directly to the file itself, which is not possible in Adobe PDF.
How do I pay you?
Great question! We will determine payment methods, plans, and deadlines during the contract write-up, after which we will both sign the formal contract and I will email you an invoice that includes the details of payment submission. Payment is expected on the agreed-upon date(s).
**Please note: I require a down payment of either (a) 50% of the total price OR (b) the first installment (if using a payment plan) before I can return any edited files.
**Please note: I qualify as an independent contractor, and therefore any client who pays me $600 or more in a given fiscal year must send me a 1099-MISC form by January 31 of the following fiscal year. For example: a client who pays me $800 in the fiscal year of 2025 must send me a 1099-MISC by January 31, 2026, at the latest.
Why do you not accept manuscripts that revolve around horror, explicit gore/sexual content, etc.?
Thank you for asking! My reason for refusing to accept manuscripts with aforesaid content is based on my own moral and artistic principles.
My intention is to promote literature that embodies the good, the true, and the beautiful.​​ I believe that truth can be conveyed both directly and indirectly in the written word. I understand the importance of writing the full scope of the universal human experience, particularly love and attraction, as well as the pain, confusion, and heartbreak that come from complicated relationships and struggles with identity and intimacy. For that reason, I believe that the truth about these deeply personal and sometimes painful issues ought to be conveyed with care, respect, and tact. As an author and an editor, I hold that rarely does the portrayal of hard truth necessitate foul language, and never does it necessitate explicit content.
If your project includes these elements, please include this information in your estimate inquiry so that we can have an open conversation about your project. I am always more than happy to provide clarification in case you are unsure whether your manuscript will be accepted.
TESTIMONIALS
"M
s. McCaughey is a talented professional. Her creativity and
attention to detail are consistent throughout her work. My projects were greatly enhanced by her assistance. 10/10 would recommend! "
Bridget F.
01
work with authors to level up their writing from average to outstanding. Her attention to detail, story continuity and thoroughness with the job at hand makes her a faboulous choice as an editor!"
"I
am impressed with Cat's professionalism, clarity and desire to
Carolyn B.
02
03
recently had the pleasure of working with Cat on my manuscript,
"I
and the experience was nothing short of exceptional. Cat's editorial expertise has elevated my text and brought remarkable clarity and depth to my narrative. ...Cat's exceptional skills and thoughtful approach have profoundly enriched my manuscript. I eagerly anticipate our continued collaboration and can confidently say that my work would only have achieved its current level of refinement with her. If you're looking for an editor who offers a potent mix of technical skill and creative insight, I can't recommend Cat highly enough."
Marcus D.
"C
at was a pleasure to work with and her deliverables were great! We
would absolutely work with her again."
Rebecca R.
04
at is the best editor I've had. She dug deep into my manuscript and
"C
polished it way more than I was anticipating. Not only did she go line by line making everything better, but she also left detailed comments about why she edited it the way she did. What I appreciated were the comments she left about the story itself. She had more insight about the story and how to strengthen it... A lot of editors tell you to fix something, and you end up stumped on how to fix it. Cat left comments on how I could fix those mistakes and how I could add more details in different areas. ...I found every aspect of my manuscript getting better the more I worked with her. I am thankful to have worked with such an amazing editor and I recommend her to anyone who needs an editor to take their work to the next level."
05
Zobi A.
ESTIMATE INQUIRY INSTRUCTIONS
I request that all clients email me for a free estimate. Please provide the following information in your message:​​
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Name; author status (first-time or previously published); publishing choice (indie or traditional)
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Category (fiction or nonfiction) and genre (biography, historical fiction, fantasy, etc.)
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Target demographic (middle-school children; adult single women; etc.)
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Exact word count of your manuscript
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Brief (3-5 sentence) manuscript summary
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If applicable: preference for two or more rounds of editing (ex.: two rounds of proofing) OR two or more types of editing (ex.: one round of line editing and one round of proofing)
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Any fixed deadlines, and any details or concerns about those deadlines
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Any budgetary concerns or payment plan preferences​
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If applicable: any concerns or questions regarding sensitive themes in your project (see the last question of my FAQs for more detailed information about this)
Please note that after an agreement to move forward with the project, these details are needed for the formal contract. I strongly recommend keeping a copy of this information for your own sake!
CONTACT ME
lease email me your estimate inquiry, and be sure to follow the Estimate Inquiry Instructions above for the information you must provide in your email. I will respond within two business days, after which we will finalize the details via
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email or phone and I will write up a formal contract for us both to sign. Then we can start bringing your story to life! If you're simply curious or only have a few questions to start, then feel free to send those to my email as well. I'm always happy to provide more information about my services.
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Click the email address below to compose an email. In the subject line, include your first and last name, and the phrase "Estimate Inquiry," or "Questions" if you're curious. I look forward to hearing from you!
PAYMENT DETAILS
s mentioned in my FAQs, all payment methods, plans, and deadlines will be determined during the contract write-up and then stated clearly in the formal contract. After we sign the contract, I will email you an invoice with details about
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payment submission, and you will email me your project files. Payment is expected on the date(s) laid out in the formal contract.
**Please note: I require a down payment of either (a) 50% of the total price OR (b) the first installment (if using a payment plan) before I can return any edited files.