# Experienced Copy Editor



## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

My name is Courtney Umphress. I hold a BA in English, and I’ve worked as a copyeditor for ten years. I have coordinated with over thirty authors from all over the world, and I’m proficient with both the _Chicago Manual of Style_ and individual client style guides. I produce thorough, quality work within strict deadlines, and while I’ve worked in a variety of genres, I specialize in fantasy and romance. I look forward to working with you!

You can find more information about my services, rates, and portfolio on my website: www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## Mark Tyson (Sep 22, 2014)

I use Courtney for all my editing with all my books. She does an exceptional job! I am so glad to see her here at kboards!


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## Mark Tyson (Sep 22, 2014)

I hope you are keeping one of those openings for my book 3, Mrs. Umphress! It should be ready by mid January.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Mark Tyson said:


> I hope you are keeping one of those openings for my book 3, Mrs. Umphress! It should be ready by mid January.


I have you scheduled for mid January!


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## Mark Tyson (Sep 22, 2014)

Good, thanks!. I will have it to you as soon as I can! I figured a moderator would have welcomed you by now!?


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## Mark Tyson (Sep 22, 2014)

I will have a book ready for editing in both February and March as well. Just FYI for booking purposes. I know you get busy during those months!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

It sounds like you have been busy, Mark! I will schedule you for mid January, February, and March.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I still have openings for February and March. Send me a message if you are interested!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hi, everyone!

I just want to mention I have two openings in March and a few openings in April for anyone looking for editing services. Feel free to message or e-mail me with any questions.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I am now offering 20% off all editing services for the month of April.


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## IvyRuth (Jan 24, 2015)

Delighted!  Yes, delighted.  That is how I feel having recently received my first book back from Courtney.  How happy am I?  She now has book two and I have reserved a spot for book three.  After trying (paid) three other editors I have found a team member I can work with.  Phew! I'm so glad to have finally filled this incredibly important part of my writing team. 

The other side of the coin...  Both books one and two were edited by paid professional editors prior to sending them to Courtney. Both prior editors caught the most simple errors and skipped over many important issues such as POV and well... many other substantive issues.  I won't name them here but will if you PM me. 

My genre is street lit / thriller so it uses a lot of slang yet follows standard thriller structure. Courtney mastered this combination genre well without missing a beat.  Further she suggested areas that would help make my writing stronger.  She combines a high level of professional and personal support which is a huge help with my writing and success as an author.


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## Mark Tyson (Sep 22, 2014)

IvyRuth said:


> Delighted! Yes, delighted. That is how I feel having recently received my first book back from Courtney. How happy am I? She now has book two and I have reserved a spot for book three. After trying (paid) three other editors I have found a team member I can work with. Phew! I'm so glad to have finally filled this incredibly important part of my writing team.
> 
> The other side of the coin... Both books one and two were edited by paid professional editors prior to sending them to Courtney. Both prior editors caught the most simple errors and skipped over many important issues such as POV and well... many other substantive issues. I won't name them here but will if you PM me.
> 
> My genre is street lit / thriller so it uses a lot of slang yet follows standard thriller structure. Courtney mastered this combination genre well without missing a beat. Further she suggested areas that would help make my writing stronger. She combines a high level of professional and personal support which is a huge help with my writing and success as an author.


I wish I had a like button! 
yes, Courtney is that good! You touched on something that first convinced me that I would never use anyone but Courtney. I had my first book edited twice and Courtney plowed through, what I thought was a final draft, like it was a first draft, finding stuff the first two people completely missed. I'm not talking about a few things per page, I am talking like it had never been previously edited at all! 
She's awesome!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Thank you for your kind words, Ivy and Mark!

I have a few openings left in May and June. My website is: http://www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I hope everyone is enjoying a great summer!

As of right now, I have three openings in June and two in July. Feel free to contact me with any questions.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I have limited openings in July and August. To quickly fill these spots, I am offering 10% off for Kboards members. Contact me for quotes!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Happy July, everyone!

I still have two spots open this month. I work with almost any budget, and I'm still offering 10% off services to Kboards members. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I am looking to fill two more spots in August. PM me if interested!


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## Salvador Mercer (Jan 1, 2015)

Don't give away my spot   I'll have my fourth book to you shortly 

Just wanted to say that Courtney did a fantastic job on my 115k word epic fantasy novel, Ranger Rising.  I thought I had caught every instance where I changed the color of an animal's fur and I'll be damned if she didn't find the one instance that snuck by me.  She has an eagle eye imho.

Btw, I'll send you an email to make sure I reserve a spot for the sequel to Ranger Rising in late September/early October.  I should have a pretty good idea by mid August on my pacing


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Thanks, Salvador!

I have your spot scheduled, and I will keep you in mind for late September. Can't wait to hear from you!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hey, everyone!

I just wanted to drop by and mention that I have a few openings in October. I'm also looking to fill spots in November and December. Thanks!


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## J.T. Williams (Aug 7, 2014)

I will send you an email.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Thanks, J.T.! I look forward to hearing from you.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hi, everyone,

I have been really busy the last few weeks, so thank you! I still have a couple openings left in November and December in case anyone needs to get a book out before the holiday season really hits us. 

Thanks!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I hope everyone has had a great 2015!

I'm interested in adding more romance novels to my portfolio, so I have decided to offer 40% off all romance novels scheduled in January or February. Feel free to contact me for quotes.

Thanks, and have a great New Year!


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## Salvador Mercer (Jan 1, 2015)

So if my characters kiss and I can get one of the bad wizards to marry one of their slaves and have a family, will that work as a Fantasy romance?  

I can also have a handsome, shape-shifting billionaire Paladin being pursued by the pretty, sexy and voluptious CEO of a major city's Thieves' Guild... would that qualify for the discount?  

All fun aside, just wanted to post and support Courtney on her expansion into the land of Romance!  Good luck!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

If you are willing to tell all of your fans that your series is now a fantasy romance, I will include you on the discount.  

Thanks for your support, Salvador!


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## Salvador Mercer (Jan 1, 2015)

Courtney Umphress said:


> If you are willing to tell all of your fans that your series is now a fantasy romance, I will include you on the discount.
> 
> Thanks for your support, Salvador!


You've earned full price from me


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Salvador Mercer said:


> You've earned full price from me


You're too kind!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Two spots have opened up in February, and the 40% discount for romance novels still applies.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hello, all!

I am now looking to fill openings in March and April. Check out my website for testimonials and my portfolio: www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## harker.roland (Sep 13, 2014)

Hi Courtney, does the 40% still apply for romance? I have a PNR that I can book now to be edited beginning April 1.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

harker.roland said:


> Hi Courtney, does the 40% still apply for romance? I have a PNR that I can book now to be edited beginning April 1.


Yes, the discount still applies. I will PM you with details.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I am now looking to schedule spots in June and July.

Thanks, everyone, for keeping me busy these past few months!


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## CharMarieAdles (Feb 15, 2012)

.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I am completely booked for the month of May, but I have a few openings left in June. I provide free samples, and I try to work with any budget. You can find some of my testimonials here: http://www.courtneyumphress.com/testimonials.html.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I have been extremely busy these last few months, and I suspect I owe it a lot to Kboards, so thanks, everyone!

I am now booking for September through December. Feel free to ask for a free sample to see if we are a good fit!


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## Salvador Mercer (Jan 1, 2015)

Courtney Umphress said:


> I have been extremely busy these last few months, and I suspect I owe it a lot to Kboards, so thanks, everyone!
> 
> I am now booking for September through December. Feel free to ask for a free sample to see if we are a good fit!


Email me and let's make sure I have a properly reserved spot this time for my Red Dragon book. I've missed so many deadlines with you that I need to hit at least one this year!  (Glad you've worked with me so much!)


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Salvador, your novels are well worth the wait!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

My goodness! It has been a whirlwind of a year! I can't believe 2016 is already almost over! 

I am now booking clients for 2017. If your budget has stopped you from looking into getting an editor, talk to me about it, and we may be able to work something out. 

Thanks for taking the time to look at this post!


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## Mark Tyson (Sep 22, 2014)

I'm glad you're busy but I hope you don't fill up too soon LOL! I will have the rest of my current project ready for you before the end of December. Of Course, I also have two more works in progress that should be ready around February. I will email you with the details so you can schedule me.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Mark Tyson said:


> I'm glad you're busy but I hope you don't fill up too soon LOL! I will have the rest of my current project ready for you before the end of December. Of Course, I also have two more works in progress that should be ready around February. I will email you with the details so you can schedule me.


I already have you in my schedule for this month, and I will talk to you about February. I look forward to reading the last novel in your series!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm offering 30% off all romance novels booked between now and February 14th. The date scheduled for the novel(s) can be any time this year, as long as I'm contacted before February 14th. 

You can contact me through my website: www.courtneyumphress.com. Thanks!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hey, everyone!

I just realized I haven't made a post on here since January!  I'm truly grateful to the many authors who have kept me so busy these past few months.

I currently have openings starting the first of August and beyond. I'm beginning to book clients two to three months in advance, so even if your novel is not finished, it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and book a spot. Just a reminder: I will edit a free sample in order for a potential client to decide if I'm the best fit for them. 

Happy writing!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hi, everyone!

After 5+ years in the editing business, I have finally decided to raise my prices. I will, however, honor my original pricing ($.006 per word for copyediting, and $.003 per word for proofreading) for all projects scheduled in August and September. 

Feel free to e-mail me with any questions.


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## Mark Tyson (Sep 22, 2014)

Courtney Umphress said:


> Hi, everyone!
> 
> After 5+ years in the editing business, I have finally decided to raise my prices. I will, however, honor my original pricing ($.006 per word for copyediting, and $.003 per word for proofreading) for all projects scheduled in August and September.
> 
> Feel free to e-mail me with any questions.


Well worth the new pricing! Still competitive and still one of the best editors I have ever used!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hi, everyone!

Kboards says I haven't posted in this thread in over 120 days. I've been so busy, I didn't even notice!

I'm booked for the rest of the year, but I am now scheduling for 2018. I tend to schedule around two to three months in advance, so scheduling as soon as you can is always the best option.

Here is a picture of some of the books in my portfolio:



Some testimonials of clients I have worked with include:

"Courtney is a wonderful editor to work with. She has a sharp eye for technical mistakes and formatting. Courtney is diligent in her work and will patiently comb out all the grammatical errors. She also can tell when certain story pieces or fragments may be contradictory and will give advice on how best to solve it. I would highly recommend her." -F.M. Merrill, author of _Sigil Hunters_

"Courtney was a pleasure to work with! Always professional and prompt with communication, and her work was done in a timely manner, which is always appreciated when working on multiple books at the same time. I would definitely recommend her services to anyone seeking to improve and polish their writing." -Helen Scott, author of The Siren Legacy Series

"Courtney was such a pleasure to work with! She was a true professional from beginning to end and not only was she affordable, but the quality of her work was fantastic! I highly recommend her to other professional authors and writers." -Allison Gatta, _USA Today_ Bestselling Author, author of The Archer Family Series

"As an indie author, one of the most important keys to success is a well-edited book. Finding an editor who provides concise editing is a difficult endeavor, but Courtney is the best at what she does. I've been through three other editors, and I'm happy I am done with them. Courtney has consistently done excellent work and has even cleaned up two other previously edited books, increasing their sale through and leading to a number of favorable reviews. It doesn't matter how many times I go line by line searching for every little mistake, I always miss stuff... Courtney does an excellent job of correcting and making further suggestions on how to improve my story overall. I wouldn't publish a book without her." -Jeremy Williams, _USA Today_ Bestselling Author, author of The Stormborn Saga, the Half-Elf Chronicles, the Saints of Wura, and the Lost Tales of the Realms

You can find more of my portfolio and testimonials at my website: www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I am now scheduling clients in February and March. Feel free to contact me through my website: www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hey, everyone,

I had a last-minute cancellation for January 17th through the 24th. I am offering 40% off services to the author who fills this spot for me.

I am almost fully booked in February and March, but I still have a couple spots open. Feel free to send me a sample to see if I am a good fit for you.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I know it can feel overwhelming when trying to find the right editor. There are so many people advertising their services, and authors want to put their faith and money in the right person. It can be a daunting task.

I know I am just one editor of many, so I want to specify what I offer to make it a little easier on those looking for an editor. The basics are included in the first post of this thread and on my website (www.courtneyumphress.com), so instead, here is what sets me apart from other editors:


My price is the same no matter the condition of the manuscript. I won't charge more if a manuscript needs a little more love.
I do not require a deposit to hold a spot in my schedule, though I do appreciate notice if a cancellation or a postponement is needed.
I offer half off on proofreading for manuscripts I have copyedited.
I will work within almost any budget. In fact, one client needed a little leniency with his budget, and now he is a USA Today bestselling author. It never hurts to ask.
While I accept almost any genre, I specialize in fantasy, particularly paranormal romance.
I have over five years' experience.
I have worked with clients from all over the world.
I have many testimonials from happy clients.

If you're still with me, thank you for taking the time to read this post!


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## Rosalie Chase (May 20, 2018)

Do you accept erotica?


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Rosalie Chase said:


> Do you accept erotica?


Hi, Rosalie. Yes, I do. Thanks for asking!


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## Rosalie Chase (May 20, 2018)

Cool. I'll be in touch.


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## Cleave T. Bourbon (Mar 17, 2017)

I just wanted to stop by and say that I have been using Courtney for a re-edit of new series I am about to publish and she has been awesome! She worked with my budget and so I thought that maybe she would give me the budget edit, but no! She gave me back a super detailed manuscript for the price. I had been using another service that was really pricey and she blew that editor out of the water! Someone, I think maybe here, had advised me to look into several editors and pick one that was a good fit for me. I found her! She did take a little longer than she quoted me, but she was upfront with me about the extra time and when I got the manuscript back I realized why. She had to fix a lot of ugly that I botched up. I had a whole section of the 200+ manuscripts I had missed when I self-edited and the previous editor had apparently missed it as well! Courtney is golden in my book and saved me a lot of potential bad reviews with that unedited section. I highly recommend her to everyone who asks me about editing.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Thanks, Cleave! I appreciate it!

My summer schedule is almost full, but I'm looking to fill the last few slots. I'm offering 50% off to those who can fill those spots between now and the end of September. I know editing costs can be expensive, especially for those just starting the publishing journey. More than anything else, I care about helping authors fulfill their dreams and get their stories into the right hands. It never hurts to talk to me and see if we can work something out.

www.courtneyumphress.com


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hi, all!

I have officially been in business for seven years, and to celebrate, I'm offering copyediting for only $20 to the first ten authors to contact me. Though I have an extensive portfolio, I'm looking especially for thriller, paranormal, romance, or mystery genres. Those interested in this offer must mention this Kboards post.

Find me at www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I have a couple spots left for the $20 offer, and my closest available time that I'm hoping to fill is August 19th through the 26th. Don't forget to mention this post to make sure you get a spot!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hey, everyone,

If you are shopping for editors, consider booking with me now to lock in a $50 flat rate before I go back to my regular prices in January 2020. Now is a good chance to receive quality editing at a low price just in time for the holiday season. You can find me at www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

There are only a couple weeks left to take advantage of my $50 offer. Mention this post and book a spot before the offer ends in January 2020!


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## Norman Steele Taylor (Nov 26, 2015)

.004 for a 10K word Kindle book means a total editing fee of $40

Since Kindle publishers can buy $99 books written by American authors like Amy Rainier, Gene Eugenio, Paul Thurmsen, Mike Paule, etc etc,  this means $139 per new title.

Rounded to $200 for a cover, this means a publisher only need invest 20K for 100 books that can yield more than 100K per year.... passive

Not bad.


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## Becca Mills (Apr 27, 2012)

Courtney, I'm sure you know the drill after all these years, but we do try to place this info in every vendor thread, so here goes. Apologies for not welcoming you way back when!

Greetings! You're welcome to promote your business and website here in the Writers' Cafe.

Now that you have an official thread, you'll want to add your listing to our Yellow Pages, found here: http://www.kboards.com/yp/. The listing is free to KB members and is completely self-service; you can add and edit your listing from the page. More information on our Yellow Pages listing can be found here.

In your thread here, we ask that the same basic rules be followed as we have for authors in the Book Bazaar: you may have this one thread about your service and must post to it rather than start a new thread each time. New threads about the service will be removed. Please bookmark this thread so that you can find it again when you want to post.

You may not make back-to-back posts to the thread within seven days. If someone responds (as I'm doing with this post), you may reply to them, but otherwise you must wait seven days. Any pattern of posting designed to artificially bump your thread to the top of the forum is prohibited. Please note that very short or (one- or two-word) posts with no meaningful information are discouraged and may be deleted at the moderators' discretion.

Lastly, your posts and images will need to meet our "forum decorum" guidelines, which is the case for every member.

You may find that members ask searching questions -- about how your service works, for example, or what they will get for their money, or whether your service adheres to Amazon's terms of service. Such "vetting" is a common here and can be rigorous.

Note that members are allowed to provide civil and honest feedback about your service in this thread. This feedback may include criticisms as well as kudos. You may respond to criticism in a civil manner, but name-calling, badgering, accusations of lying, and other breaches of forum decorum can lead to loss of vendor posting privileges.

Any and all disputes between you and your clients should be handled off-site.

Thanks,
Becca
KBoards Moderator

_(Note that this welcome does not constitute an endorsement or vetting of a service by KBoards. Members should do due diligence when considering using a service.)_


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## D. A. J. F. (Mar 29, 2019)

Norman Steele Taylor said:


> .004 for a 10K word Kindle book means a total editing fee of $40
> 
> Since Kindle publishers can buy $99 books written by American authors like Amy Rainier, Gene Eugenio, Paul Thurmsen, Mike Paule, etc etc, this means $139 per new title.
> 
> ...


That's an interesting strategy.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Becca Mills said:


> Courtney, I'm sure you know the drill after all these years, but we do try to place this info in every vendor thread, so here goes. Apologies for not welcoming you way back when!
> 
> Greetings! You're welcome to promote your business and website here in the Writers' Cafe.
> 
> ...


Thank you!


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## Cleave T. Bourbon (Mar 17, 2017)

What is your schedule like in January and February? Any slots open for a 111K novel?


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Cleave T. Bourbon said:


> What is your schedule like in January and February? Any slots open for a 111K novel?


I am booked all of January, but I have a spot in February open for you, Cleave!

Tomorrow is the last day for the $50 offer before I go back to my regular prices. I will book as far out as May, so take advantage of this offer now before it's too late! Happy New Year, everyone!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I have spots available in April, May, and June. If you're in need of an editor, contact me for a free sample to see if I am a good fit for you! You can find testimonials and my portfolio here: www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## HopeWingfeathers (Apr 26, 2019)

So that would be $680.00 for an 86,000 word manuscript? I am looking for an editor.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

HopeWingfeathers said:


> So that would be $680.00 for an 86,000 word manuscript? I am looking for an editor.


I somehow missed this reply! It would be $516 for 86,000 words.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hey, everyone!

I haven't been on Kboards in a while, and I like the new layout! I just wanted to pop in to say I have openings starting the first week in April that I'm looking to fill. You can check out my portfolio, testimonials, and rates on my website: www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

My name is Courtney Umphress. I hold a BA in English, and I’ve worked as a copyeditor for ten years. I have coordinated with over thirty authors from all over the world, and I’m proficient with both the _Chicago Manual of Style _and individual client style guides. I produce thorough, quality work within strict deadlines, and while I’ve worked in a variety of genres, I specialize in fantasy and romance. I look forward to working with you!

You can find more information about my services, rates, and portfolio on my website: www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I can't believe it's already August! I have a few openings available before the end of the year, so let's talk to see what I can do for you!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Hello all! My remaining spots until the end of the year are filling up quickly, so contact me soon for availability.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Check out my testimonials page to see what other authors think about my work!

Let's talk and see what I can do for you.


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I have a couple spots open in November and December. If you're looking for an editor, contact me to see what I can do for you!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I have just two spots left in November. I'd love to work with you!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I have only two spots available in December. Contact me soon to claim one!


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

I'm now booking for 2023. Contact me to see if I will be a good fit for you: www.courtneyumphress.com.


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## billyroberts (10 mo ago)

Courtney Umphress said:


> Hi, everyone!
> 
> Kboards says I haven't posted in this thread in over 120 days. I've been so busy, I didn't even notice!
> 
> ...


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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)




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## Courtney Umphress (Dec 31, 2014)

Happy 2023, everyone!

I am now accepting manuscripts for the end of January and beyond. 

www.courtneyumphress.com


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