Line Editing Services to Refine Your Style, Tone, and Flow

Once the big picture editing is complete, my line editing services focus on finessing your style, tone, and flow. I apply thirty-eight years of expertise along with the relevant style guide for your project.

If the details below don’t describe the type of professional editing services or analysis you think your manuscript might need at this stage, consult my other service definition pages for manuscript evaluation , substantive editing, copy editing, and proofreading.

If you’re still unsure or would just like to see how I can be of help, contact me and we’ll determine your next best steps together. No more time and energy wasted second-guessing. I’ll show you what to fix and how.

My line editing services include:

clarifying meaning,
eliminating jargon,
smoothing language, and
other non-mechanical line-by-line stylistic editing.

Services may also include:

checking or correcting reading level,
creating or recasting tables and/or
figures, and
negotiating changes with you.

For ESL authors, I ensure that your English is correct and effective while retaining your meaning and voice.

Rated 5 out of 5

“I found Heather Sangster’s name in the author’s note of Margaret Atwood’s novel <i>Hag Seed</i>. I knew that I wanted to work with the best editor in Canadian literature, and that seemed like a clear endorsement. Working with Heather in developing my <i>Strike Vote</i> series has been like taking a private course in professional fiction writing. Her line edits let me know when I’m doing something right; and when I’m not, she often softens her recommended fixes in a way that makes me laugh out loud at my own slip-ups. To any other emerging authors who are considering retaining Heather: don’t think of it as investing in an editing service. Think of it as investing in yourself. If my experience is any measure, your writing will improve tremendously.”

~ Heather Derks

Strike Vote and A R C H I P E L A G O

Rated 5 out of 5

“Heather at Strong Finish would always be my first choice as editing partner for any writer looking to improve his or her professionalism. I have an English degree and copy-editing training myself, so I can be quite critical of a person’s command of grammar, style, and expression, but I can safely say that every edit Heather suggests is completely justified and only makes the finished product stronger. When Heather edited my teen novel Girl Reinvented, she maintained my voice and authenticity while encouraging me to question both larger questions of content and minor hiccups with sentence structure and word choice. I endorse Heather’s work without hesitation.”

~ Ann Moore

Girl Reinvented

Rated 5 out of 5

“Heather has a deeply intuitive sense of writers’ voices and intentions. She has lent her clear and precise editing eyes to my memoir, fiction, and an anthology of other contributors’ writing, always with prompt and respectful communication. Even while writing this testimonial, I know she will fix my terrible commas and be kind about it. Heather’s grounded and calm style is an asset to any author.”

~ Julie Devaney

My Leaky Body and Mess: The Hospital Anthology