Editorial Services

I work with an array of clients, including novelists and short story writers, traditional publishers and self-publishing authors, think tanks and professors, and memoirists and thought leaders.

I offer beta reads, manuscript assessments, proofreads, copy-editing, line editing, developmental editing, detailed reader reports, and tailored combinations of all these services. I also help with query letters, and I offer consultations on the good and bad of the publishing industry. In addition to fiction editing, I offer academic editing and report editing, and I also work on marketing materials, from social media posts to conference programs.

I’m comfortable in Canadian, American, and British conventions, and I’m familiar with all mainstream style systems, including guidance related to references and citations.

Creative Editing

I’m an editorial advisor in Sit Write Here’s Pathway to Publication program. I’ve edited novels and short story collections for Radiant Press and Guernica Editions. I’ve proofread and copy-edited children’s books and YA for Inhabit Education.

I’ve edited fiction that’s gone on to be signed by Invisible Publishing, Flame Tree Publishing, and Nat 1 Publishing, and I’ve worked directly for authors on materials published by Coach House Books and Rebel Satori Press.

I’ve helped dozens of self-publishing authors with novels, novellas, collections, memoirs, and thought leadership, and I’ve workshopped with newcomers to help them learn the basics of everything from grammar and formatting to storytelling and style. I also write detailed editorial letters breaking down theory and technique.

Academic Editing

I’m part of the editorial team that produces the arts journal Trigger, published annually by FOMU, a photography museum in Antwerp, Belgium, and I copy-edit and proofread membership surveys and reports for the US-China Business Council.

I’ve worked on deep-dive projects for the Institute for Research on Public Policy, offering a range of copy-editing, proofreading, and substantive feedback. I’ve also edited dozens of successful research proposals worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for the American Institutes for Research.

I’ve worked with the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities on guidebooks focused on the complexities of Canada’s Income Tax Act, and I’ve helped professors and assistant professors get published in academic journals.

Over the years, I’ve worked with numerous other institutions and organizations as well as dozens of students and beginner writers.

I’m a member of Editors Canada and the Editorial Freelancers Association. Below, you’ll find links to my directory listings in both organizations, and you can navigate to my LinkedIn page to view client endorsements and recommendations. You can also cycle through the testimonials at the bottom of this page. If you want an idea of how I think about grammar and storytelling, you can read the free writing resources on my blog.

I stay active in my communities. I’ve been a peer juror for the Ottawa Book Awards and the Ontario Arts Council, and I’ve been a judge for several Writing Battle contests. I volunteered on the jury of the Editors Canada Claudette Upton Scholarship. I also delivered talks on writing safe freelance contracts for the Editorial Freelancers Association, and I contributed to one of the organization’s efforts to orient clients in how to assess freelancers and what to expect from freelance business practices.

If you’d like to discuss an editorial project or get a quote, you can contact me here. Please include a project description, the word count, the deadline, and your budget. I base my prices on the rate chart published by the Editorial Freelancers Association, which you can view here. Please be sure to have a quick look before sending a query, as my quotes will never be below these ranges (although I give discounts when services are combined).

Three of the five pieces Paul edited for me have since been accepted for publication. I’m bringing him my novel next. If you want an editor who improves both your sentences and your storytelling, hire him.

Keith Fowkes, author of “The Pendant,” “Among a Thousand Lakes,” “You’ve Got Nothing to Worry About,” “Sympathy Card,” and others

Working with Paul Carlucci as an editor is like taking a master class in narrative first aid. I’ve seen him save a paragraph’s life by dispensing with a comma with the care and attention of a physician prescribing medication to a patient. Carlucci’s sharp eye, generous heart, and supportive spirit helped change [Survivors of the Hive], and my writing life, for the better.

Jason Heroux, author of Survivors of the Hive, Like a Trophy from the Sun, and others

I found it very easy to work with Paul. On top of being highly skilled, he’s incredibly efficient, warm, and friendly. What impressed me most was how quickly he understood what exactly I wanted. In the future, I will continue to work with him on all my projects.

Aditi Sen Chowdhury, associate professor, Queen’s University, Department of History

Working with Paul Carlucci was one of the most rewarding parts of bringing Wayward Voices to publication. His editorial insight was thoughtful, perceptive, and always respectful of my voice as a writer. He challenged me to strengthen the manuscript while helping me remain true to the story I wanted to tell, and the book is much better because of his guidance.

Frank Nixon, author of Wayward Voices

Paul has a way of being completely professional and easygoing at the same time. When dealing with creative, personal works, any criticism—even when deserved—can sting. Paul made the editing and revision process manageable by demonstrating a clear expertise with language and also by offering creative solutions and genuine insights regarding plot holes, character inconsistencies, verisimilitude, and pacing. I started the process of editing as a necessity, but in the end, I really saw the value.

Sarah Mintz, author of NORMA, handwringers, and others