Developmental Editor: Fiction & Fantasy

Getting your story to its best and final form

Editorial services for fiction authors who need support on a budget

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Specializing in

  • Horror
  • Gothic
  • Psychological Thriller
  • Speculative Fiction
  • Fiction
  • Dark Fantasy
Lucceza St Denis

The Editor

Hi, I'm Lucceza! (or Lu for short)

I'm a Manhattan-based fiction writer and developmental editor. I graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Psychology and minors in Creative Writing and Sociology, which is a big part of why I pay such close attention to character development, flaws, and arc when I'm editing.

Between literature and writing courses, poetry club, and a growing love for horror, I eventually worked up the courage to write my own book. Every stage of that process (outlining, drafting, editing) confirmed something I already suspected: helping a story reach its truest, most final form is the thing I love most.

I care about atmosphere as much as plot, and the architecture of a sentence as much as that of a scene. I work with authors who want their manuscript to do more than move the plot along. They want it to stir up real emotion and linger in a reader's mind.

Services

Editing for every stage of the manuscript

Manuscript Assessment

from $350

A comprehensive editorial letter addressing structure, pacing, character, and atmosphere: a map for your revision.

Best for: You're not sure what stage your manuscript is at, or want big-picture feedback before committing to a full edit.

  • A full read-through of your manuscript
  • 3–5 page editorial letter covering structure, pacing, character, and atmosphere
  • A prioritized list of what to tackle first

Developmental Edit

$350 flat rate (under 30,000 words)

Deep structural work on plot, tension, voice, and world: the bones of the story, reset.

Best for: Early drafts with structural issues: pacing problems, flat characters, plot holes, or unclear stakes.

  • In-manuscript comments on structure, plot, and character arcs
  • Big-picture editorial letter
  • One follow-up call to walk through revisions

Line Edit

$300 flat rate (under 30,000 words)

Sentence-level craft: rhythm, imagery, and the quiet architecture of dread.

Best for: A structurally solid draft that needs sentence-level craft: voice, rhythm, imagery, and atmosphere.

  • Line-by-line prose edits and suggestions
  • Notes on voice, tone, and pacing at the sentence level
  • Consistency checks (POV, tense, style)

Copyedit

$250 flat rate (under 30,000 words)

A grammar, punctuation, and consistency pass that cleans up the mechanics without touching your voice.

Best for: A complete draft that needs technical cleanup: grammar, punctuation, and consistency, before it moves on to proofreading or goes out into the world.

  • Grammar, punctuation, and spelling corrections
  • Consistency checks (names, timeline, formatting)
  • Style and usage notes

Proofread & Beta Read

$150 flat rate (under 30,000 words)

A final read-through that catches lingering typos, plus honest reader impressions on how the story actually lands.

Best for: A manuscript that's already been edited and just needs one last technical pass, along with a real reader's reaction before you publish or submit.

  • Final proofread for typos, formatting, and small errors
  • A beta-reader style response: what worked, what didn't, where attention wandered
  • Short written impressions, not a full editorial letter

Rates may vary by manuscript length and condition. Every project begins with a free 2–page sample edit. Bundled or customized packages are also available on request. Just ask when you reach out.

Process

How a project unfolds

  1. 01

    Inquiry & Sample

    Send your manuscript's opening pages, genre, and word count. You'll receive a free sample edit within a week.

  2. 02

    Proposal & Timeline

    Based on the sample, you'll get a fixed quote, an editing timeline, and a start date.

  3. 03

    The Edit

    Your manuscript is edited in full, with in-line comments and an editorial letter on completion.

  4. 04

    Author Review

    A call to walk through the edit together, followed by two weeks for your questions.

  5. 05

    Final Polish

    A final proofread pass once revisions are complete, leaving your manuscript ready to submit.

A Note on Budget

Every author deserves support

If the services above don't quite align with your budget or the kind of support your manuscript needs, please don't hesitate to reach out anyway. We can discuss a customized alternative with fees adjusted to fit your situation. I'm here to help authors in every way I can.

Get in Touch

Get in Touch

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Tell me about your manuscript. Every inquiry begins with a free sample edit, no obligation.

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