Novel & Manuscript Editing Services
Helping writers prepare
for the road ahead
You’d never embark on a journey without making sure your ride is road-ready. The same goes for any writer embarking on the journey of turning their manuscript into a published book or memoir. Partnership, Communication, Commitment and Inspiration: These are the gears we run on at Easy Writer Editing Services.
After more than 20 years as a writer, journalist, author, editor and syndicated columnist, the next chapter in my own writer’s journey is helping other writers prepare their manuscript for the road ahead — and to have some fun together while doing it.
Writing is hard. Getting some help and levity from someone who has traveled the road you’re on can make it easier and allow you to reach your destination with fewer stalls. What follows is a list of services I could have used — and learned from — in order to avoid some writer’s road rash along the way…
Get your manuscript in gear
First Gear
• Proofreading
• Copy editing
• Spelling/Grammar
• Summary notes (General
overview of your manuscript)
.03 cents/wd
Second Gear
• Proofreading
• Line editing
• Spelling/Grammar
• Plot and pacing review/suggestions
• Basic manuscript critique (General overview of how to tighten your story, characters and plot)
.04 cents/wd
Third Gear
• Proofreading
• Line editing
• Spelling/Grammar
• Plot and Pacing review/suggestions
• Detailed manuscript critique (Deep dive into strengthening your story, characters, plot and subplots
• Let’s talk Dialogue (Does what your characters say ring true and advance the story?)
• Plot and continuity review (Do your plot points line up with the action and characters’ actions?
.06 cents/wd
Full Throttle
• EVERYTHING through the first three gears, plus:
• Narrative style analysis (Is first-person, omniscient or third-person best in telling your story?)
• Regular one-on-one coaching sessions: You pick the time and we’ll meet online or in person as often as necessary to talk about your manuscript as you write or re-work it)
.08 cents/wd
Other tools from the saddle bag…
Phone consultation
Let’s brainstorm! We’ll spend an hour together exploring your story, ideas, characters, plot and sub-plots, as well as troubleshoot any potential road blocks — and how to avoid them. ($60)
Query letter review/critique
A query letter is just as important — and sometimes just as hard to write — as the manuscript itself. Let’s make sure your first impression is the best it can be for potential agents and publishers. ($90)
Manuscript outline review/support
Before you begin the journey of writing your manuscript, we can make sure your road map doesn’t have any dead ends or wrong turns. ($130)
Word on the Street
Partnership, Communication, Commitment and Inspiration
These are the gears we run on at Easy Writer
★★★★★
Ned is full of helpful tips on writing that will inspire you to write that book.
Tom Cherones
Emmy Award-winning director of Seinfeld and author of The Hardly Boys: Mystery of the Golden Goblet
★★★★★
Ned Hickson at Easy Writer Editing Services, was easy to work with and not only provided great edits and suggestions, but also great explanations throughout that I know will make me a stronger writer going forward.
I will definitely be working with him again!
Matt Blashill
Writer
★★★★★
Whether you are a writer or simply know someone who is, I highly recommend this service as a way to bolster courage and encourage good writing practices — and even laugh a little in the process.
Randall Willis
Award-winning writer and screenwriter, founder of “So What’s Your Story?”
★★★★★
I wrote a book about the athletic years of my four children. The manuscript had been sitting for about a decade. I set a meeting with Ned and, together, he helped me decide best how to modify my story as a guide for other parents. Ned kept in contact with me every step and his editing kept my content, but added much-needed clarity and order to my book. I’m very pleased to have used Easy Writer for my now completed book!
Lloyd Little
Retired educator and coach Author of Raising Athletes
For the writer who has Everything!
…EXCEPT a well-edited manuscript…
Just click HERE to choose the amount and complete your purchase, then scroll down to the “Get in Touch” box to confirm the details of your order and where we can send your gift certificate and official Easy Writer mug!
Get in touch
Have questions? Ready to roll? Don’t hesitate to reach out by sending a message. Contact me by email or through any of the social media links below.
Thanks for considering Easy Writer as a part of your writer’s journey and, regardless of which riding partner your choose, my best wishes for a smooth road ahead!
— Ned Hickson
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Ned Hickson is an award-winning nationally syndicated humor columnist. He has been awarded “Best Local Column” from both the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.
His first book, Humor at the Speed of Life (2013), is a collection of columns over his 23 years at Siuslaw News, where he also served as editor-in-chief from 2016-2021. His second book, Pearls of Writing Wisdom: From 16 shucking years as a columnist (2016), is a humorous writer’s guide offering tips, insights and perspectives from his many years as a columnist and writer. His latest book, No Safe Harbor, is a murder mystery set in Seattle, Wash. His next book, Harbinger of Truth (due out Nov. 15, 2025) continues the Pacific Northwest-based Shane McPhearson, P.I., crime/suspense novel series.
Ned lives on the Oregon coast with his incredible wife, his Harley Sportster, a crazy female tabby named Ella Bella Bing Bong (Ella for short), and a growing murder of neighboring crows. For a list of his books, visit his author website HERE…
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