MJ BIGGS
Fiction Editor & Author
My Mission
Few things have given me as much joy and fulfillment as publishing a novel, which is why it’s my mission to help other writers see their stories through to publication using my experience and skillset.
I want you to feel fully in love with your finished manuscript and confident about self-publishing it or submitting it to agents (well, as confident as you’ll ever be when submitting something to agents). For these reasons, I edit thoroughly while taking great care to never override the voice and vision of the author. I believe an editor should amplify the authenticity of a writer’s work, and making edits simply to suit one’s own preferences and style dilutes that authenticity.
My Story
I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and over 10 years of experience as a professional copywriter and editor. Companies I’ve worked for include Crum & Forster and American Greetings. I’m currently a Senior Copywriter—AVP at Huntington National Bank.
My copywriting has won two awards from the American Advertising Federation, one from the In-House Agency Forum, and has won in the Communicator Awards as well.
In addition to making a career in writing and editing, I served in the Air National Guard.
In 2022, I published my new adult literary fiction novel, A Wonderful Place To Die, and started Night Owl Fiction, LLC, my book editing business.
My current work in progress is a continued exploration of the character-driven narrative.
Kinds of Books I Edit
Categories I work within are literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, horror, thriller, mystery, Gothic, historical fiction, mainstream, women’s fiction, spiritual/religious, and any sub-categories of those.
I don’t require a list of triggers and forewarnings from you before I review your manuscript. I read to understand and feel understood by this world more often than I do to escape it, so send me the dark, the ugly, the complex. The real shit.
Services
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Line/Copy Editing
Line editing and copy editing will be done simultaneously. I’ll fix syntax, confusing word choices, errors, overuse of specific words, and inconsistency in tone. If I notice any major plot or character development issues, I’ll still note them in comments with advice on how to address them.
Price: $0.014 per word
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Content Editing
I’ll leave comments as I read through your piece with suggestions on how to improve structural elements, such as plot, pacing, character development, and narrative perspective. I will also include a one-page critique. I can review one round of edits you make based on my suggestions at no additional cost.
Price: $0.013 per word
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Proofreading
This is the final step before publication, where I’ll check for any errors missed in previous rounds of edits.
Price: $0.011 per word
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Book Coaching
We can discuss the phases of writing your book, problems you’re having with the writing process, roadblocks in your plot, managing your time, how to go about self-publishing, and more.
Price: $40 per hour
For a consultation about editing services, please email me. I look forward to learning about your project.
Raw, Moving, Complex.
Dani Moran is studious, creative, and ambitious. She thinks she’s going places. When she meets Desmond Carvey through their shared love of rock music, the two feel an instant magnetism toward each other.
Desmond is beautiful, street-smart, and exciting. Beneath the charisma he shows to the world lies a darkness shaped by the difficult life he’s had. Dani believes her love can pull him through, but the darkness begins to overtake her as well. She faces critical decisions as Desmond’s demons threaten to devour the life they’ve built together along with the dreams she has for herself.
As Dani navigates her growing struggles, the support and criticism of her family and friends add depth to the narrative, making it both rich and captivating.
Set in the modern American Midwest, the story explores the duality of good and bad in people, abuse, self-empowerment, and the impact of family, for better or worse.
