Production
You Can Trust

A seasoned team that has shipped dozens of titles—now focused on making yours shine.

You Own It

Your accounts, your files, your royalties. We set it up so you’re in control.

Clear Timelines

Milestones, proof windows, and real project management—so you always know what’s next.

Editorial Pathways

Every book begins with a conversation — a careful reading, a considered response, and a shared vision for what the manuscript might become. At Sea Star Books, our goal is to guide authors through a clear, professional editorial process that transforms a work-in-progress into a publishable book.

Preliminary Evaluation

We believe that everyone with a dream in their heart and a manuscript in a desk drawer deserves a chance to have their book-in-the-making read by a professional, and the Preliminary Examination is the pathway to achieve that dream.

After submitting a manuscript, authors can expect a senior editor to undertake a focused read of the work. At the end of the process, you’ll receive a thoughtful review of the manuscript’s current state — an overview of its strengths, areas for growth, and potential next steps for development. We make a promise to our authors that the Preliminary Examination will always provide the best path forward.

Full Evaluation

Sometimes, a Preliminary Evaluation reveals deeper challenges that merit a more comprehensive approach. In these cases, we may recommend a Full Evaluation.

A Full Evaluation follows the same structure as the Preliminary but with greater depth and precision. It examines every aspect of the manuscript—its structure, pacing, voice, and emotional arc—while providing specific, actionable strategies for improvement.

The Evaluation will serve as a priceless tool, whether the author wishes to use the evaluator’s insights to make improvements themselves or hire the evaluator to make the changes for them. Evaluations are a prerequisite to developmental editing, offering a clear foundation for what comes next.

Copy Edit

Copy editing refines writing at the sentence level, ensuring that every line is clear, consistent, and correct. This stage focuses on the three pillars of professional editing: consistency, clarity, and correction.

Is the manuscript stylistically and mechanically consistent? Is every sentence getting the author’s message across as clearly as possible? Are there mechanical errors that need to be corrected?

Copy editing polishes the text into its cleanest, most readable form—the final shaping of voice before design and layout.

Developmental Edit

A Developmental Edit addresses the manuscript’s deeper architecture—its structure, themes, and emotional rhythm. For projects that require reshaping plot points, refining character arcs, or strengthening narrative flow, a developmental edit offers the focused attention needed to elevate the work to its fullest potential.

It’s an immersive, collaborative process that helps the author see the book anew—clarifying purpose, sharpening storytelling, and bringing the heart of the manuscript fully into view.

Proofreading

Our full Proofreading Sequence is the safeguard that ensures the finished book meets the highest professional standards.

This process unfolds in three stages.

First Proofread: A meticulous review of the edited and typeset manuscript, correcting typographical, grammatical, and formatting errors while ensuring internal consistency.

Second Proofread: A follow-up pass, often by a second set of eyes, confirming that all corrections have been properly applied and no new errors were introduced during layout.

Cold Read: A final, comprehensive front-to-back reading of the fully designed book—the last stage of refinement before publication, ensuring total accuracy and harmony between text and design.

Together, these passes ensure that your manuscript’s final form—whether printed or digital—is as polished, precise, and enduring as the story it tells.