Your creation.
Your content.
Our collaboration.
Detailed
Experienced
Not only am I experienced with legal and content writing and revising, my specialized knowledge of the law can help with legal terms in your writing.
Collaborative
My philosophy is that author and editor should work together to polish the work and help the content shine.
Clarify your writing without losing your voice.
Do you worry that grammatical errors or plot holes will overshadow your writing? When authors sit down to write their manuscripts, they’re juggling character development, plot, style, and voice. It’s easy for details to get lost in the shuffle. My job is to pick up all those pieces and refine your manuscript so your reader can focus on your content, not typos.
You deserve to have your work presented to the world in the best form possible. At Align Editing, I collaborate with authors to hone your writing with confidence and clarity while maintaining your voice.
Hi
Hi, I’m Jill
I’m an avid reader and former lawyer with a meticulous eye for detail. I started my career as a prosecutor in the Chicago area, where I learned the art of writing persuasive arguments. After an extended break to raise three children, I transitioned to my current role as a copyeditor and proofreader where I have had the pleasure of reading and collaborating with incredible writers.
I like to call myself a gentle editor because I see it as my responsibility to help writers tease out the best versions of their writing without losing the spirit of their work. Your writing reflects you, and you deserve to have your work presented in the best form possible. I want to help communicate your message to your desired audience through polished and professional work.
Whether you write thrillers, mysteries, romance, memoir, self-help, or business materials, I can help you strengthen your story and connect with your ideal audience.
Strengthen your story in three easy steps.
Email Me to Get Started.
Send me an email with details about your project, your publishing time frame, and how I can help.
Determine the Scope of Your Project.
After we decide on the project’s scope and you’d like to move forward, I will send over a contract and ask for a 50% deposit.
Secure Your Spot
Once you pay your deposit and send me your manuscript, I’ll get to work on your edit or proofread. Once complete, I’ll return your manuscript once the balance of your invoice is paid.
Jill successfully litigated her first trial in front of a jury at the age of 26. Writing the opening and closing persuasive arguments to help with the win was very rewarding. She is 100% Irish and proud of it (she took the DNA test to confirm). Jill is partial to using traditional last names as first names and her children, Brogan, Cooper, and Callahan tend to agree.
When Jill’s not reading, she enjoys spending time with her kids, her husband, and her two pups, Bandit and Truman. The “two brudders” as they affectionately call them love spending time with her in the home office, napping and enjoying the soft click of the keyboard. Jill is also a fan of traveling (Italy has been her favorite to date!), exercising, and always striving to get her 10,000 steps a day.
How can I help?
Proofreading Books
Proofreading is the ideal service for a writer who has gone through the copyediting process and needs a careful evaluation of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting. This is the final step before publication.
Rates start at $.02/word
Proofreading Business Materials
Are you communicating your message clearly and concisely? When proofreading business materials, I check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency of the message.
Rates start at $25 per paragraph, depending on length and scope.
Copyediting
Copyediting services include multiple readings of your manuscript, checking for consistency in character and story description, fact-checking, sentence, word, punctuation, and syntax editing. If none exists, a style guide will be created that lists author preferences, along with CMOS guidelines.
Rates starting at $.03/word
Beta Reading
Get a deep read of your manuscript before publication. I will look for plot holes and character development and provide a report with detailed and constructive feedback from a reader’s perspective, plus any specific issues you would like to address.
Rates start at $40
What clients are saying about Jill
“Jill Barnum has helped edit a number of my books. Her dedication to the craft and careful eye have saved me from countless embarrassing errors. That she was an attorney and has specialized knowledge of the legal world adds to her expertise.”
“Jill has helped me prepare my listings for the MLS. As a professional Realtor, I feel it’s important to present information clearly and concisely. Sellers and buyers in today’s market want as much information as possible in an easy-to-read, straight-to-the-point context. Jill’s help in editing my listings and descriptions is invaluable!”
“Jill provided beta reading services for my manuscript and I am so grateful that she did! This is my first manuscript and she provided very detailed, thorough, and constructive feedback that has given me confidence in my story and the direction it is headed. It was clear in her feedback that she really took the time to understand the story I am trying to tell and I can’t thank her enough for her support!”
Let’s talk about timeframes.
The timeframe you can expect will depend on the size and scope of your project.
Manuscripts with fewer than 50,000 words (approximately 200 pages) will take around ten business days to proofread and 15 days to copyedit.
A beta read takes approximately one week plus five business days for each additional 25,000 words or 100 pages. Rush jobs are accepted based on availability.