J. Bigler

Fiction Prose Editor

Prose Editing

Strong prose shouldn't sound like your editor. It should sound like you—only clearer, sharper, and more intentional.

    • Clarity and readability

    • Active versus passive construction

    • Awkward or confusing sentences

    • Sentence structure and variation

    • Word choice and precision

    • Rhythm and flow

    • Repetition and unnecessary wording

    • Dialogue that feels unnatural or unclear

    • POV consistency and narrative distance

    • Showing versus telling where it affects the prose

    • Overwriting and under-explaining

    • Paragraph flow and transitions

    • Places where the writing doesn't communicate what the author appears to intend

What Prose Editing Is - and Isn't

I will:
Strengthen the language already telling your story while protecting the voice that makes it yours.

I won't:
Rewrite your novel in my voice, restructure your plot, rebuild your character arcs, or provide a final proofreading-only pass.

Prose editing happens between developmental editing and proofreading.

Your story is built. Now we're making sure the writing delivers it.

    • Your manuscript edited in Microsoft Word using Track Changes

    • Direct sentence-level edits throughout the manuscript

    • In-line comments where an explanation or author decision is needed

    • Suggestions rather than rewrites when changing the wording could interfere with your individual voice

    • An editorial letter identifying recurring prose patterns, strengths, and areas to watch in future revisions

    • One private one-hour consultation after the edit

    • email support for questions about the edit

Simple, Transparent Pricing

No complicated quotes. No guessing what your edit will cost.

Full-manuscript prose editing is priced by manuscript length, in 10,000-word increments.

Your price is determined by your manuscript's word count at the time of booking. There are no additional charges based on the amount of editing your manuscript requires.

Prose Editing

Starting at $1,500

Pricing is based on total manuscript word count.

  • Up to 50,000 words
    $1,500

    50,001–60,000 words
    $1,800

    60,001–70,000 words
    $2,100

    70,001–80,000 words
    $2,400

    80,001–90,000 words
    $2,700

    90,001–100,000 words
    $3,000

    100,001–110,000 words
    $3,300

    110,001–120,000 words
    $3,600

Over 120,000 words
Please contact me for a custom quote.

Is Prose Editing Right for Your Manuscript?

If your story is where you want it, but the writing still needs a closer look, you're probably ready for a prose edit.

We'll focus on what's actually on the page: voice, POV, dialogue, emotional continuity, clarity, and flow.

No rebuilding your story. Just making sure the writing is doing what you intended.

Ready for another set of eyes?

30 Minute Free Consultation
Questions? Let's Talk

About Your Editor

I'm J. Bigler, a fiction writer and prose editor living in the Midwest.

I'm married, have dogs who believe most things revolve around them, and I'm happiest outside. Give me a campsite, good coffee, and nowhere I need to be for a while, and I'm pretty content.

I've spent much of my professional life in a world where details matter, people don't always say what they mean, and getting human behavior right matters. That experience has also given me a particular familiarity with criminal justice, tactical and paramilitary environments, and the people who work within them, which inevitably finds its way into how I read and write fiction.

I love working with other writers and getting invited into stories they've spent months or years building. I approach editing as a collaboration. I'll tell you when something loses me, ask questions when I need to, and absolutely tell you when something works.

When I'm not editing, I'm usually writing fiction of my own, reading, spending time with my husband and our dogs, camping, or making another espresso I probably don't need.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you and your story.

J. Bigler

Writer • Prose Editor