YOUR HEARTFELT EDITOR
Kourtney Schmiedeke
YOUR HEARTFELT EDITOR
Hello, I'm Kourtney Schmiedeke, the driving force behind Heartfelt Editorial Services LLC. As the Owner, CEO, and Editor, I'm here to be your dedicated writing ally, committed to preserving your unique voice.
At Heartfelt Editorial Services, I understand that your manuscript is more than just words on a page—it's a reflection of your passion and dedication poured into every sentence. I'm deeply committed to honoring your creative journey and empowering your book to reach its fullest potential.
With extensive writing expertise spanning over 24 years and specialized editing experience of a year and a half, I bring a wealth of insights to enhance and enrich your manuscript, helping you achieve your literary goals with confidence.
At Heartfelt Editorial Services, I understand that your manuscript is more than just words on a page—it's a reflection of your passion and dedication poured into every sentence. I'm deeply committed to honoring your creative journey and empowering your book to reach its fullest potential.
With extensive writing expertise spanning over 24 years and specialized editing experience of a year and a half, I bring a wealth of insights to enhance and enrich your manuscript, helping you achieve your literary goals with confidence.
Services:
Step into the comforting embrace of Heartfelt Editorial Services—a haven crafted for writers seeking compassionate support and expert guidance. Specializing in fantasy, romance, paranormal, and children's picture books, I offer a sanctuary where your creative journey is honored and nurtured.
With a heartfelt commitment to your success, I bring a wealth of knowledge to every project. From gentle line and copyediting and meticulous proofreading to insightful manuscript critiques, and empathetic alpha and beta reading, I am devoted to helping you unlock the full potential of your writing.
At Heartfelt Editorial Services, your manuscript is cherished and respected, ensuring that your unique voice shines through while your prose is polished with care. Together, let's embark on a journey filled with warmth, understanding, and unwavering support as we bring your literary dreams to life.
With a heartfelt commitment to your success, I bring a wealth of knowledge to every project. From gentle line and copyediting and meticulous proofreading to insightful manuscript critiques, and empathetic alpha and beta reading, I am devoted to helping you unlock the full potential of your writing.
At Heartfelt Editorial Services, your manuscript is cherished and respected, ensuring that your unique voice shines through while your prose is polished with care. Together, let's embark on a journey filled with warmth, understanding, and unwavering support as we bring your literary dreams to life.
Why Heartfelt?
At Heartfelt Editorial Services, 'Heartfelt' embodies more than just a name—it's a genuine commitment. With sincere care, empathy, and a passionate dedication to your project, I invest my heart into every endeavor. Having edited 38 books, collaborated with 23 authors, and received 12 heartfelt testimonials, I'm deeply devoted to cherishing your unique voice.
Recognized on platforms like Book Craft Spotlight and Bookstagram, I take joy in celebrating the diversity and depth of your story. In the realm of writing and storytelling, dreams are the lifeblood of creativity. At Heartfelt Editorial Services, my mission is to nurture these dreams with the transformative power of words.
My journey as both editor and writer has taught me the profound connection between words and dreams. I believe each writer's vision is a precious ember waiting to ignite into a compelling narrative. My role is to gently fan these embers into brilliant flames with compassionate care, unwavering support, and expert guidance.
Respecting the sacredness of your voice, my editing process is deeply personal and tailored to honor your unique style and vision. My aim is not only to convey your ideas but also to evoke emotions, spark imaginations, and leave a lasting impact on readers' hearts.
At Heartfelt Editorial Services, I go beyond the conventional editor's role—I'm a compassionate companion on your creative journey. With warmth, empathy, and a genuine desire to see your dreams flourish, I'm here to support you every step of the way. Your story is my passion, and I'm honored to be part of your journey.
Recognized on platforms like Book Craft Spotlight and Bookstagram, I take joy in celebrating the diversity and depth of your story. In the realm of writing and storytelling, dreams are the lifeblood of creativity. At Heartfelt Editorial Services, my mission is to nurture these dreams with the transformative power of words.
My journey as both editor and writer has taught me the profound connection between words and dreams. I believe each writer's vision is a precious ember waiting to ignite into a compelling narrative. My role is to gently fan these embers into brilliant flames with compassionate care, unwavering support, and expert guidance.
Respecting the sacredness of your voice, my editing process is deeply personal and tailored to honor your unique style and vision. My aim is not only to convey your ideas but also to evoke emotions, spark imaginations, and leave a lasting impact on readers' hearts.
At Heartfelt Editorial Services, I go beyond the conventional editor's role—I'm a compassionate companion on your creative journey. With warmth, empathy, and a genuine desire to see your dreams flourish, I'm here to support you every step of the way. Your story is my passion, and I'm honored to be part of your journey.
Services I Offer:
- Line editing: this is the second stage of the editing process, focuses on improving the style, flow, and clarity of the text. This involves revising sentences and paragraphs to make them more coherent and compelling, ensuring that the language is engaging and appropriate for the intended audience. It addresses issues like awkward phrasing, redundancy, and tone.
- Copyediting: This is the third stage of the editing process, and it involves reviewing a manuscript for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and consistency errors. It ensures that the text adheres to specific style guides and corrects any inaccuracies or inconsistencies in language usage. The goal is to enhance the readability and overall quality of the writing.
- Proofreading: this is the final stage of the editing process, aimed at catching any remaining errors after copyediting and line editing. This includes checking for typographical errors, formatting inconsistencies, and minor grammatical mistakes. Proofreading ensures that the manuscript is polished and ready for publication.
- Editorial Critiques: provide an overall assessment of a manuscript, focusing on its strengths and weaknesses without making specific line-by-line changes. This service offers feedback on aspects such as plot development, character arcs, pacing, and thematic elements. Unlike developmental editing, which involves hands-on restructuring and rewriting, an editorial critique delivers a broad evaluation and suggestions for improvement, helping authors understand the areas that need attention for a stronger narrative.
- Alpha Reading: In-depth feedback on early drafts to assess plot, character development, and overall story structure.
- Beta Reading: Thorough review of polished drafts to provide constructive criticism and reader perspective.
SERVICES I Don't OFFER:
- Developmental Editing: This is the very first stage of editing and involves working closely with an author to enhance the overall structure and content of their manuscript. This process focuses on big-picture elements such as plot, character development, pacing, and narrative flow. Unlike line editing or copyediting, which address sentence-level issues, developmental editing looks at how well the story works as a whole. It includes providing suggestions for adding, removing, or reorganizing sections of the text to improve coherence and engagement, ensuring that the story is compelling and well-constructed from start to finish.
- Formatting: is the process of arranging a manuscript according to specific guidelines or standards. This includes setting margins, font size, and line spacing and ensuring consistency in headings, chapter titles, and other elements to make the text visually appealing and ready for publication.
- Publishing: is the process of producing and distributing a book or manuscript. This can involve traditional publishing through a publishing house or self-publishing, where the author takes on the responsibilities of producing and selling their book.
- Marketing: involves promoting a book to increase its visibility and sales. This can include activities like social media campaigns, book tours, advertising, and getting reviews. The goal is to attract readers and generate interest in the book.
- Design: in the context of publishing usually refers to the creation of the book’s cover and interior layout. Good design makes a book attractive and readable, contributing to its appeal and professionalism.
- Indexing: Creating an index for non-fiction books to help readers find information quickly and easily.