Specialized editorial services for nonfiction authors across genres.
Shape Your Ideas into Impactful Prose
Whether you’re exploring a timely issue, sharing deep expertise, or telling a true story that deserves to be heard, Flatpage can help bring clarity, structure, and polish to your work as a nonfiction author. We specialize in nonfiction editing support for authors writing across genres, from memoir and cultural criticism to creative nonfiction, essays, and academic crossover books.
Writing nonfiction demands more than just research or insight—it requires a compelling narrative voice, coherent structure, and careful attention to language. Many authors struggle to refine early drafts, find the right tone, or develop a manuscript that meets professional publishing standards. That’s where our editors come in.
At Flatpage, we work closely with authors to shape and strengthen their work at every stage of the writing process. We help clarify complex ideas, refine arguments, and craft prose that resonates with readers whether you’re pitching an agent, submitting a manuscript to a publisher, or preparing to self-publish.
Our editors have extensive backgrounds in journalism, academia, creative writing, and publishing. We’ve helped debut authors, established writers, and subject-matter experts sharpen their voice and realize their vision. With Flatpage, you get more than just proofreading—you gain a collaborative partner committed to helping you tell your story with precision and power.
Your Flatpage Advantage
Shape Your Manuscript
Work with editors who can help you organize your ideas, strengthen your argument, and craft a compelling narrative from start to finish.
Clarify Complex Ideas
Transform dense or specialized content into clear, accessible writing that resonates with broader audiences.
Strengthen Your Voice
Refine your unique tone and perspective without losing the authenticity that makes your story or subject matter stand out.
Edit for Impact
Ensure every chapter, essay, or article drives home its point with clarity and precision, maximizing reader engagement.
Navigate the Publishing Process
Receive expert guidance on preparing book proposals, query letters, and final manuscripts that meet industry standards.
Meet Tight Deadlines
Stay on track for agent submissions, publication dates, or project milestones with fast and reliable editorial turnaround.
Partner With Experienced Editors
Collaborate with professionals who bring real-world expertise to your project with backgrounds in journalism, publishing, and academia.
Book Manuscripts
Book Proposals
Essays & Articles
Op-Eds & Thought Pieces
Memoirs & Personal Narratives
Academic Crossover Writing
Ghostwriting & Co-Writing
Self-Publishing Support
Coaching
Coaching offers individualized support for nonfiction authors at any stage of the writing process. Whether you’re developing a new project, revising a manuscript, or navigating agent queries, we offer personalized feedback and strategic advice tailored to your goals. Coaching sessions may also include portfolio or project reviews that will help you strengthen your body of work and move your publishing career forward with confidence.
Developmental editing helps shape the foundation and structure of your manuscript. Whether you’re writing a memoir, a collection of essays, a narrative nonfiction book, or a work of cultural criticism, our editors work with you to clarify your big ideas, strengthen your storytelling arc, and organize your material for maximum impact. We collaborate with you early in the writing process to help bring coherence, depth, and focus to your project.
Line editing focuses on refining your language for maximum clarity, flow, and reader engagement. Our editors are experienced writers and editors who can help you improve word choice, adjust tone for your intended audience, streamline sentence structure, and enhance the rhythm of your prose.
Copyediting addresses the mechanics of your manuscript, including grammar, punctuation, spelling, and consistency. We ensure your work conforms to the appropriate style guide (such as the Chicago Manual of Style, AP Style, or publisher-specific guidelines) and that your text is free of distracting errors. Whether you’re finalizing a manuscript for agent submission or preparing essays for online or print publication, we help you present your work professionally.
Proofreading is the final stage of the editorial process and focuses on minor corrections after layout and typesetting. By the time you’re ready for proofreading, your manuscript should have already undergone developmental editing and copyediting. This service ensures that typos, formatting inconsistencies, and small errors are caught before you submit your work for publication, helping you deliver a polished final product.
Indexing creates a back-of-book index that helps readers navigate nonfiction manuscripts, including longform journalism collections, cultural histories, and academic crossover books. A well-crafted index enhances the usability, professionalism, and reader-friendliness of your final publication. We collaborate with you to create an organized, intuitive index that reflects the key themes and subjects of your work.
Each 60-minute session includes up to one additional hour of reading/research (e.g., reading a book chapter or manuscript). It does not include editing of the manuscript itself (see other services below).
One session
$225
Six sessions
$1,215
Twelve sessions
$2,430
Developmental Editing
Front/back matter or citations/bibliographies not included.
Manuscript Assessment—Report + Call
Up to 50k words
$0.05 per word
50k words and up
$0.04 per word
Full Developmental Edit—Draft markup + Report + Call
Front/back matter or citations/bibliographies not included.
Line Edit
Up to 50k words
$0.06 per word
50k words and up
$0.05 per word
Graduate Student Line Edit For dissertations and theses (only one editorial pass included). Proof of enrollment required.
$0.04 per word
Copyediting
Our editorial manager can help you determine the level of copyediting your text needs.
Light Copyedit Correct grammar and punctuation, apply style guide to text and citations
$0.04 per word
Medium Copyedit Correct grammar and punctuation, improve word choice or sentence flow, apply style guide to text and correct citations
$0.05 per word
Heavy Copyedit Correct language, grammar, and punctuation; reformat text; apply style guide to text; overhaul citations
$0.06 per word
Grad Student Copyedit For dissertations and theses (only one editorial pass included). Proof of enrollment required.
$0.03 per word
Proofreading
Basic Proofread
$0.03 per word
Indexing
Per indexable page (PDF page proofs only); count includes body text, foot- or endnotes, illustrations, and appendices but does not include front/back matter or bibliography.
$6 per indexable page
Other Services
Citations Apply a house or style manual to foot- or endnotes and/or bibliography (CMOS, APA, MLA, others)
Per citation (not per note)
$1.50
Convert biblio <—> notes (per note citation)
$2.50
Manuscript Formatting Correcting layout issues, including front matter, pagination, figures and tables, headings, and page margins according to a style guide (e.g., CMOS, APA, or university guidelines)
$2 per page
Wikipedia Writing & editing
Wikipedia pages are an art in themselves. Our writers will craft an academically legitimate, properly sourced, and unbiased post about your work and career. The writers at Flatpage have successfully created content for Wikipedia and are familiar with the site’s style guide and formatting requirements.
A previously published nonfiction author wanted to transform and update her book about dental hygiene for a new edition. She needed nonfiction developmental editing services in order to better integrate new research and reorganize her chapters before submitting the revised manuscript to her publisher.
An academic writer in the field of music needed to significantly cut down the word count of her textbook manuscript to fit her publisher’s requirements. Our line editor helped her seamlessly reduce the length while retaining the argumentative crux of the text.
An art historian wanted to publish a book manuscript based on her PhD dissertation with a university press. She needed assistance from a former acquisitions editor who could evaluate her book proposal and answer her questions about the pitching process.
