From Overwhelmed to Publishing-Ready: Naomi’s Fantasy

“When it was time for me to hire an editor, I was beyond nervous. My last experience with an editor was both traumatic and scarring, and left me wondering if I had anything worth sharing with the world. Enter Yoanna! Yoanna was exceptionally patient with me while I worked out the kinks and sorted through my anxiety and questions. She was gentle, and kind, and didn’t shy away from the massive project I had in store for her. She was quick with her responses, was happy to do a sample edit to ease my nerves. And that’s all before getting my edits back. Getting my novel back and seeing the magic she worked on it…I don’t even think I can explain it. She was thorough, and reasons behind every change, and would offer me sweet, encouraging compliments throughout. She made sure to make changes without sacrificing my voice. Yoanna went above and beyond. If you were still on the fence about hiring an editor, look no further. Yoanna is a magical human being and I’m so thankful for her! I honestly cannot wait to work on future projects with her!”

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🌍 Who They Are:‍

Naomi is a passionate fantasy/romance author who approached me with an ambitious project—her novel, The Hunt, a duo POV fantasy romance spanning a staggering 290,650 words. She wanted a full editorial overhaul to refine the book without losing its depth, all while keeping to a tight publication timeline (and I love a good challenge).

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💡 The Challenge:

✔ A massive manuscript that needed shortening while preserving its complexity
✔ Duo POV balance—ensuring both perspectives felt distinct and engaging
✔ Worldbuilding refinement without info dumps
✔ Tight timeline—needed to be publishing-ready by May (contacted me in November)
✔ Comprehensive editing—including developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading

✔ Advice on publishing—she needed some guidance on publishing routes, her novel’s length in terms of marketability, etc

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🔍 The Solution:

✔ A trial edit to ensure we were a perfect fit (especially important for an epic like that)
✔ A structured editorial plan that tackled developmental, line, and copyediting in phases
✔ A layered editing approach to refine the book without overwhelming rewrites for Naomi
✔ Careful trimming and pacing adjustments while preserving Naomi’s unique voice

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🛠 The Editing Process:

📌 Phase 1: Developmental Editing
✔ Structural adjustments to improve pacing and scene progression
✔ Strengthened duo POV voices for consistency and depth
✔ Worldbuilding refinements to enhance immersion without exposition overload

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📌 Phase 2: Line Editing
✔ Polished prose for clarity, rhythm, and engagement
✔ Smoothed dialogue and character interactions
✔ Balanced descriptions to enhance storytelling without slowing the pace

📌 Phase 3: Copyediting & Proofreading

✔ Grammar, punctuation, and technical refinements
✔ Final consistency checks to ensure cohesion
✔ Error-free manuscript ready for publication

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📑 Deliverables:

✔ Full developmental edit with structural feedback
✔ Line editing to refine prose & dialogue
✔ Copyediting & proofreading for polish
✔ Concise, professional manuscript & advice on self-publishing next steps

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✨ The Outcome:

By the end of the process, The Hunt was transformed—tightened, refined, and fully optimised for her readers. Naomi now had a beautifully polished manuscript that retained her storytelling essence while flowing seamlessly (and I got to fall in love with those characters)!

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🎯 Takeaway:

Even large-scale fantasy novels can be streamlined without losing depth—with the right editorial approach. Naomi’s book went from an intimidating word count to a polished, immersive experience ready for publication (I cannot wait for those characters to get all the love)!