Image by Sebastien Gabriel. Sunset. Make your writing shine! Courtney Diles Writing and Editing Services provides develpmental editing, proofreading, copy editing, mental health sensitivity reading, encouragment reviews, and ghostwriting to authors. We provide proofreading, blog and article content, technical writing and editing, style guide creation, and grant and proposal writing for businesses.

Welcome!

Your writing already has a light inside of it. Courtney Diles Writing & Editing Services can help you make sure it shines through.

For authors, I offer encouragement reviews, mental health sensitivity reads, proofreading, developmental editing, copy editing, and ghost writing.

For other businesses, I offer technical writing services, technical editing, proofreading, style guide consultation, grant and proposal services, and content creation in the form of blogs and articles.

A Bit About Me

I have a BA in English with a Writing Concentration from the University of South Carolina fourteen years of publishing industry experience dating back to 2008. I started going to writing conventions when I was in high school. After my internship with Penguin Random House in 2012, I began editing for authors on a freelance basis. As I expanded my professional interests, books remained an inextricable part of my career. I specialize in YA fantasy, paranormal romance, and comics.

I have nine years of experience in the more technical side of writing. I have offered quality assurance, proofreading, and technical writing and editing services to companies such as GP Strategies Corporation, Amatrol, inc., Talentopia, EPAM Systems, Bank of America, Gulfstream Aerospace Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance, and more.

Experience

Summer 2012

August 2012 – Present

August 2014 – March 2019

Today

I got a three-sentence email that changed my life! My time as an Editorial Intern with Penguin Random House (just Random House then) illuminated a world of possibilities. I went back to the University of South Carolina for my senior year of college and graduated with a degree in English Composition.

I immediately began freelancing. I started on Elance, which became oDesk, which became Upwork. I scored #1 out of 100,00 test-takers on one of the oDesk proofreading tests. I acquired Rising Talent status. I found more business through networking and word-of-mouth. Most of all, I worked with clients I loved creating stories that would move thousands of people.

The world of elearning caught my eye and I started work as a Content Developer for GP Strategies Coporation! Long before the pandemic, I was thrown into the world of MOOCs, ILTs, and simulations. Manuals and job aids were also favorites of mine. After several years on quality assurance duty, I caught a love for writing technical content and proposals, and these became part of my freelance practice.

Today I independently offer writing and editing services for businesses and authors through this website. Please explore to determine if I'm a fit for your needs!

Have We Met?

If I look familiar, you might have seen me around.

Conferences, Workshops, & Conventions

A photo of Courtney Diles, offering writing and editing services to authors and businesses. Editing services specialize in paranormal romance. Make your content shine.

Southeastern Writer's Association Conference 2008–2013 (St. Simon's Island, GA—I got married here!)
South Carolina Writer's Workshop Conference 2008–2015
GenCon 2017, 2018, 2019 (Indianapolis, IN)
BookExpo America 2012 (NYC
Basics of Self-Publishing Writing Workshop with Robert Kent 2016 (Indianapolis, IN)
MadCap Writing Cross-Culturally Retreat 2018 (Nashville, TN)
Elements of Grantwriting with Clarence Bolden 2019 (Indianapolis, IN)
Imaginarium Convention 2018, 2019, and 2020 (Lousiville, KY)

Southeastern Writer's Association
South Carolina Writer's Workshop Rock Hill Critique Group 2009
South Carolina Writer's Workshop Columbia II Critique Group 2009-2013
South Carolina Writer's Workshop Board 2013-2015
NaNoWriMo Bloomington!
Louisville Writer's Meetup 2017-2022
Society of Children's Book Writer's and Editors 2010–2016

Critique Groups & Other Writerly Affiliations

Books I've Edited

Browse some of the books I've had the privilege to help refine!

Services for Authors

This is plot-level editing. In a developmental edit, I will analyze how your scene weave, character arcs, pacing, and other plot devices ultimately contribute toward creating the emotions and effects you're aiming to evoke.

This is your ideal choice if you have a NaNoWriMo novel with major plot holes you don't know how to fix, if you need to adapt a story to fit better within a certain genre, or if you need to cut a lot of word count.

The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Please read more below.

Developmental Editing

$.01-.02 per word

This is plot-level editing. In a developmental edit, I will analyze how your scene weave, character arcs, pacing, and other plot devices ultimately contribute toward creating the emotions and effects you're aiming to evoke.

This is your ideal choice if you have a NaNoWriMo novel with major plot holes you don't know how to fix, if you need to adapt a story to fit better within a certain genre, or if you need to cut a lot of word count.

The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Please read more below.

This is the nitty-gritty stuff. If you're about to publish your book on Kindle, I can make sure your punctuation and grammar are on point.

If you're going the traditional publishing route, I proofread by the Chicago Manual of Style to make your manuscript stand out and reduce the workload of the in-house editors you would be working with.

The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Please read more below.

Proofreading

$.005-.02 per word

This is the nitty-gritty stuff. If you're about to publish your book on Kindle, I can make sure your punctuation and grammar are on point.

If you're going the traditional publishing route, I proofread by the Chicago Manual of Style to make your manuscript stand out and reduce the workload of the in-house editors you would be working with.

The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Please read more below.

In a copy edit, I don't question each scene like I would in a developmental edit, but I go deeper than I would in a proofread to make each scene shine.

I'll give you advice on where to amp up description and where to tone it down, where you might need reaction beats, discreet synonym use, dialogue tags, and more.

The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Please read more below.

Copy Editing

$.01-.02 per word

In a copy edit, I don't question each scene like I would in a developmental edit, but I go deeper than I would in a proofread to make each scene shine.

I'll give you advice on where to amp up description and where to tone it down, where you might need reaction beats, discreet synonym use, dialogue tags, and more.

The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Please read more below.

As a mental health advocate who has answered calls and text for eight crisis lines, started two support groups, and run a successful mental health blog, I'm happy to bring what I've learned to you.

The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Please read more below.

Mental Health Sensitivity Reading

$.005 per word

As a mental health advocate who has answered calls and text for eight crisis lines, started two support groups, and run a successful mental health blog, I'm happy to bring what I've learned to you.

The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Please read more below.

As a writer, when you review your manuscript, it's important for you to know what you are already getting right. Unfortunately, many editors provide unbalanced reviews that leave you feeling like you've done everything wrong and your only option would be to start over. I'm a writer, too. I've been there.

I provide encouragement reviews for writers who want a clearer view of what strengths they bring to the table.

The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Please read more below.

Encouragement Review

$.005 per word

As a writer, when you review your manuscript, it's important for you to know what you are already getting right. Unfortunately, many editors provide unbalanced reviews that leave you feeling like you've done everything wrong and your only option would be to start over. I'm a writer, too. I've been there.

I provide encouragement reviews for writers who want a clearer view of what strengths they bring to the table.

The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Please read more below.

I have one published book under my name and I have ghostwritten six. My writing style is versatile but I'm happiest writing stories with fantastical elements and a literary edge. Please reach out to learn more.

Please read more below.

Ghostwriting

Available upon request

I have one published book under my name and I have ghostwritten six. My writing style is versatile but I'm happiest writing stories with fantastical elements and a literary edge. Please reach out to learn more.

Please read more below.

Services for Businesses

Technical Writing

I specialize in working with subject matter experts and distilling raw information into clear and compelling content. My portfolio is coming soon.

Copyediting and Proofreading

Across my 12-year career, I have provided copyediting, proofreading, and quality assurance services to EPAM Systems, Amatrol, inc., Gulfstream Aerospace Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance, GP Strategies Corporation, Penguin Random House, and more.

Technical Editing

I specialize in editing content for clarity and creating consistent style, formatting, and branding across learning solutions, marketing materials, and technical documentation.

Style Guide Creation

I provide consulting services to business wishing to create stylistic consistency across their marketing materials, learning solutions, or documentation.

Grants and Proposals

I have a passion for applying my storytelling skills to the business world in terms of grant applications, technical proposals, legal proposals, and award submissions. This portfolio is coming soon.

Blogs and Articles

I have 12 years of experience creating blogs and articles, specializing in book reviews and mental health advocacy. My portfolio is coming soon.

Features

Encouragement and positivity

Any type of review will come with at least two pages of analysis of your story's existing strengths (and what opportunities they offer you). As a writer facing down revisions, it's important to what you already doing right so you don't end up sacrificing the gold with the rubble.

Competitive Pricing

My rates fall within the median range put forth by the Editorial Freelancer's Association and below the median ranges found on Reedsy. The maximum cost for any combination of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and mental health sensitivity review is $.02 per word.

Once we begin a conversation and decide on a rate, I will create a contract using Hello Bonsai. I ask for half of the payment upfront and half at completion, but larger projects can go by milestone. Payment options are available through my business profiles on Paypal, Cashapp, and Venmo.

Tailored to Your Goals

My editorial style is adaptable to your ideal path to publication, the audiences you wish to reach, and the emotions and effects you wish to evoke within your story. If you have a message to send out into the world, I want to make sure it's loud and clear—and positioned on a mountaintop.

Timeline Tailored to the Project

Timelines depend on the length of the project and the intensity of the work. Start a conversation today to book a spot on my calendar!

Once we begin a conversation and decide on a timeline, I will create a contract using Hello Bonsai to hold myself accountable.