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experienced.
professional. results-oriented.

My mission is to help purpose-driven nonfiction and craft-oriented fiction authors develop and write high-value, reader-pleasing books.

My clients include New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors, a GRAMMY Award (R) winner, advocates, intellectuals, and entrepreneurs, all of whom are driven to do their part to make the world a better place. 

Clients have earned more than twenty book awards, bestseller rankings, high-profile listings, and publishing contracts on books we've worked on together.

I'm regularly invited to speak and teach workshops for writers and professional editors, and my own work has been published in print and online magazines and business journals.

Developmental & substantive editing | book collaboration & ghostwriting | book proposal Reviews & writing

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developmental editing

Developmental editing is all about structure and persuasiveness. I evaluate your manuscript according to my tried-and-true, genre-specific methodology, so you have confidence as you revise your manuscript and put your ideas in front of the people you want to inform, influence, and entertain.

 

I recommend this in-depth analysis for first-time authors.

In addition to a comprehensive editing report and in-manuscript notes, I record custom video tutorials to guide you through some of the trickier concepts and encourage you as you revise your manuscript.

I will evaluate your manuscript on four levels that include up to 11 inspection categories:

  • entire manuscript
  • chapters
  • sections and scenes
  • author platform and affinity groups

up to 60,000 words: $2,400

60,000-80,00 words: $3,500

book collaboration (Book DOctoring)

This service is for aspiring authors who are looking for a proven writing professional to help them restructure and rewrite a book they're having a hard time pulling together.

 

My collaboration process is an extension of my developmental and substantive editing process and is informed by my education and professional background and what I've learned as published writer and when teaching and talking to aspiring authors at workshops, conferences, and business events and by engaging with literary agents, publishers, booksellers, and readers.

nonfiction up to 60,000 words: $15,000

memoir up to 60,000 words: $21,000

 

Please contact me for a custom ghostwriting rate quote (general nonfiction and memoir only).

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book proposal Review

If you plan to write your general nonfiction or memoir book yourself but want a professional analysis and substantive editing feedback on your proposal before sending it to literary agents, I offer book proposal reviews (up to 60 Times New Roman, 12-point font, double spaced pages) for $1,200.

pay-as-you-go consulting

If you prefer a pay-as-you-go arrangement (currently the most popular option due to flexibility and access to any service I offer), please contact me for a free consultation and my hourly rate.

"Cristen is the most BRILLIANT editor I have ever worked with. Her editorial comments on my novel ... helped me recognize several patterns in my writing style, both good and bad. She has an eye for what good writing should read like, and every single comment she made was 100% accurate. That kind of editing is a gift that few people possess. She will always be my go-to editor."
Etaf Rum
Etaf RumNew York Times bestselling debut novelist
"Through a series of phone calls, well, more like countless times of me bugging Cristen, she always greeted me with grace, kindness, and at times mercy…. Anyone who, whether a professional or a novice like me, is looking for some help and assistance with writing, your one stop is Cristen Iris. It’s an over-stated cliche, but I literally could not have done this without her. I had a beat and a concept, but she helped make it solid."
Billy Kilson
Billy KilsonGRAMMY Award(R) winning drummer
"It was a privilege to work with Cristen. She is a highly knowledgeable editor and a wonderfully precise thinker. Her skill, commitment to excellence, and ability to understand my intent, inhabit it, and articulate it improved my manuscript tremendously. Our editing process was a fun partnership and I highly recommend her!"
Heather Sears
Heather SearsCEO Kinsho Kitchen, lifestyle entrepreneur, and former marketing executive
"After 15+ years in publishing, I can say that Cristen sets the gold standard for freelance editing. She recently worked with us on a client's memoir proposal, including an extensive amount of co-writing of sample chapters. From the start of the process, I was highly impressed with her writing, her ideas, and just how much organization and inspiration she brought to the project. Her writing was beautiful, clear, and very true to the author's unique voice. Collaborating with her has been a joy for both author and agent. She had tremendous impact on this project, and we will look forward to working with her on many more, given our experience."
Lilly Ghahremani, JD, MBA
Lilly Ghahremani, JD, MBAliterary agent and co-founder of Full Circle Literary
"I was extremely fortunate to be referred by my literary agent to Developmental Editor, Cristen Iris, last year. She took the first draft of my memoir and turned the stories I’d written into a manuscript with an actual story arc. She created intriguing chapter titles and improved my dialogue when needed. In addition to manuscript work, she sent videos via email explaining things to me as if we were sitting together. Probably most importantly, she understood the message of my book and made sure that it stayed uppermost as the story unfolded. Her upbeat, but realistic, attitude made her a real pleasure to work with. She is outstanding."
Linda K. Olson
Linda K. Olsonretired physician, triple-amputee, and motivational speaker
"Cristen is a true professional on every level. As a leader for the Nonfiction Authors Association, she provided support, training and encouragement for her team. Her enthusiasm is contagious and she never hesitates to go above and beyond to exceed expectations. She has been a valued asset to our organization and will no doubt continue to dazzle all those she works with in the future."
Stephanie Chandler
Stephanie Chandlerfounder and CEO Nonfiction Authors Association
"Cristen is incredibly efficient as a researcher, able to quickly wade through large documents and produce a summary relevant to the topic at hand. She is adept at knowing how much she can realistically take on. Great communication skills ..."
Dr. Robert Graff
Dr. Robert GraffChronic Disease and Environmental Health Epidemiologist
"…you….are so incredibly… AWESOME!!! I love you! Thank you for your brilliance, and your deep contributions to this work. I am so grateful for you."
Tanya Sood
Tanya Soodspeaker and inspirer
"I just wanted to thank you once again for your notes on my manuscript. I can’t begin to tell you what a significant difference your thoughts made on my ability to tweak the writing and take it to a new level. Your advice was, I felt, so spot-on and I really just can’t thank you enough. All this time I’ve been sending to agents and editors and hearing, 'I like it but I’m not connecting,' with no thoughts on what they’re not connecting with or how to fix it. Your’s was the first real advice I’ve been given and I’m just beside myself."
C.H. Armstrong
C.H. Armstrongnovelist
"Your efforts have made this book the best one yet, so thank you so much for working on the project. You have taught me many things regarding the editing process. It is a great relief to see this book almost completed."
Scott Marchant
Scott Marchantfounder of Hiking Idaho
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Want to learn more about how I set my rates? Read this article that I originally wrote for Unbound Northwest: The Cost of Doing Business: How Freelance Service Providers Make a Living and visit the Editorial Freelancers Association site for a table with editing services and prices.

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statement of values

I am an inclusive businessperson.

I do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, country of origin, age, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, gender identity, or sexual orientation in any of my activities or operations and will not contract with any author or vendor who demonstrates a disregard for the dignity, safety, and overall well-being of any other person or group.

When working together, we agree that without intellectual integrity and respect for human dignity, our work has little value. Therefore, we place the wellbeing and education of readers in the forefront of our minds and agree to focus our efforts on providing maximum value to them.

I am an inclusive business person. I do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, country of origin, age, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, gender identity, or sexual orientation in any of my activities or operations and will not contract with any author or vendor who demonstrates a disregard for the dignity, safety, and overall well-being of any other person or group.

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