Lee D. Thompson client books, Design work, past projects, Uncategorized

Two recent projects, now in print!

First post here in over two years, and that’s certainly not due to a lack of editing work (time, now that’s the culprit).  It’s always hugely satisfying to start with an early draft of a new client’s work, see it through multiple drafts and then, once the proofing is done, sit down and design something that will fit in the hand, on shelves, in gift bags and in parcels shipped from Amazon (for example).  Two of my most recent completed projects are:

Adrian Charles Smith’s A Prison for the Mind: Reflections of a disappointed fundamentalist (editing, layout, cover design & website);

Monique Thébeau’s In the Dark of Winter (editing, layout).

Absolutely enjoyed working with both authors. Congrats to Adrian and Monique!

Lee D. Thompson client books, Design work, past projects, Uncategorized

The Breach House Anthology 4, Createspace

A little over a year ago, The Breach House Gang (a writers’ group I’ve been part of for 17 years) hired me to put together their (our) fourth anthology. I agreed, but only if we could do something a little different from our past anthologies, which were your standard 6×9 paperbacks with black-and-white imagery. Half of the Gang, you see, are also visual artists. We needed something that would highlight this. A square book. And colour.

Initially we discussed a hardcover, limited-edition artbook, but for very solid reasons rejected it (cost being primary, but also wanting to reach as many readers as possible). After some research, we went with Createspace’s print on demand, whose colour options were reasonably priced, and whose colour reproduction was surprisingly good.

That decided, a size was chosen (8.5 x 8.5), and all that was left to do was… well, everything! Set word-limits, gather the material, edit the writing, send it back, assemble the images, request higher resolution, arrange in some kind of logical, pleasing order. Choose the font group, chose the font size, margins, all that. Copyedit! Proofread. Run it past everyone in PDF. Fix more things. Run it past everyone again. Proofread x10. Print the proof. Gather everyone to see the proof. Fix more things!  Eliminate spine text (per Createspace request – book too thin). But once that was set, we placed the order for 100 copies. Total cost? Just over $1000 (including shipping).

After yesterday’s launch of the anthology (October 18, Attic Owl Reading Series, Moncton), there were 10 copies left.

The book online is here.

 

Lee D. Thompson Uncategorized

Recent work (design)

Two projects recently came to fruition, or at least publication. I founded Galleon in 2005 and since then five issues have appeared, which makes it a very sporadic literary journal.  In addition to being managing editor, I do the layout and cover, this time using one of my own photographs.

cover-gal-v2

Also completed, a client’s project, a romance novel, that included substantive editing, copyediting and eventually the layout and cover design. It was interesting working in a genre that, admittedly, I don’t read much.

matthewchristinacoverflat2

Currently I’m reading through a client’s trilogy (evaluation) and completing the edit of another novel. Always busy!

Lee D. Thompson Special deals

One Reduced Self-Publishing Package [SOLD!]

I love to help writers take a project from a pile of “help me!” pages to a polished, printed, professional-looking book. Unfortunately a lot of writers don’t know where to start and end up spending thousands of dollars for ‘expert’ help. There is no shortage of self-publishing companies out there eager to take your money and then move on to the next in line.

I’ll take your money, too, sure, just a lot less of it.

I’m offering:

A copyedit of the material (includes some follow-up editing)
Professional text layout
A fine-looking cover*
A print-ready PDF file
And guidance on how to (and where to) self publish with a print-on-demand or professional printing company.

Cost?
$600 if the book is between 50,000 –  75,000 words. If longer, or shorter, we’ll negotiate.
*The cost is reduced if you wish to hire you own cover designer.

Get in touch if interested!

Lee D. Thompson Special deals, Uncategorized

Pre-Holiday Specials! $40 Mini Edits. More!

Treat yourself or a loved one to some fabulous discounted editing, because Santa commands it. So until December 15 I am offering $40 mini edits (the edits are full-size, the works are mini – 3000 words and under) and…

50% off one manuscript evaluation (25,000 words or more)

50% off one substantive edit (25,000 words or more)

All offers include free gift-wrapping.

Interested? Contact me ASAP.

Lee D. Thompson past projects

A Surprising Project

escape from darken hall castleSome projects are just too cute to resist, even though you aren’t sure what exactly will come of them. I was a bit skeptical when approached to edit and then design a book written by an 8 year old – what was I getting myself into? Does an 8 year old even know the word stet? The story, however, was charming (and pre-edited by adults) and those in charge of getting the book to print weren’t skipping any details. In the end a quite-lovely little book (professionally printed, with illustrations by Freeda LeBlanc) was launched on October 24 in Moncton. It certainly has received more press than any other project I’ve been involved with. The CBC story below has received nearly 3000 shares.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/isabelle-stewart-moncton-author-book-1.3290310

For more about Escape from Darken Hall Castle, here’s the Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Escape-from-Darken-Hall-Castle-175252326147348

Lee D. Thompson Uncategorized

August’s Offer: Half Price MS Evaluation (30,000 words+)

For the next week I’m offering a steal of a deal to the first three who respond: 50% off a manuscript evaluation. Evaluations provide feedback on the shape, pace, dialogue, plot, use of language, character development and so on – all those readerly things. Are you wondering why your book just doesn’t seem to work? Why publishers are passing on it? An evaluation may be in order.

The evaluation does not provide any line-by-line editing or correcting, though problems areas will be pointed out. Essentially, it’s a read-through by a sharp-eyed reader.

Cost? I usually charge by this formula: word count divided by 100, divided by 2 (so 50,000 words, for example, would be $250); cut that in half, and that’ s my offer.

Act fast!

Lee D. Thompson Uncategorized

“Mini Edit” Offer Till August 1 (now extended)

Aren’t sure your work needs much editing? Perhaps you’re wondering if the piece is even worth being edited? Maybe you’re curious about how the editing process works, or wondering if my edits would ‘click’ with your style? Heck, maybe you can’t afford editing on a longer project, but would like the opening, or ending, made lustrous, or maybe you’ve a nice little short story wanting attention before being sent alone into the publishing world? With these questions in mind, I present the Mini Edit. It’s a normal, real-life edit, but… smaller.

For $50 you receive line-by-line editing on 10 double-spaced pages (or up to 2500 words)  plus notes on the piece highlighting its strengths while pointing out what would make it stronger.

This limited-time offer is for fiction and non-fiction works only, as poetry is more time-intensive (contact me for poetry rates).  *Note: offer is now a permanent part of my services. See here.

Maybe it will be the start of a wonderful working relationship. Operators are standing by.

Lee D. Thompson past projects

Fruits of Labour

It’s a thrill when a book you’ve worked on sees publication. In some cases, the book-to-be is only a concept when the client and I meet; in other cases, it’s a manuscript almost ready for publication. In all cases, you have notes, printed pages, files and drafts in Word and hours and hours of thought and care: what will make this the best book it can be?  In the image below are just five that I’ve worked on.

From left to right: Motché perfect: Le chiac en poésie by Anne Levesque (I consulted, edited and did layout), Serendipity, Judy Savoie (consult, edit, layout and design), Beyond the Call: The Life and Legacy of Mark Gallagher, Rosemarie Willis & Warren Redman (consult and layout), Get More Power from Your Brain, Eileen Pease (copyedit), Hearts of Oak: A Gaelic Legacy, Gail Crawford (copyedit), and Baby Jonah: The Emotional Journey of a Preemie Mom, Lidia Branch (consult, edit).

Lee Thomson Editing