There are tough editors who will bust your chops. There are nice, easy editors who will barely touch your work. Then there's me.
I'm encouraging and I'll tell you what's great about your writing. I'll acknowledge what's working well. Make no mistake, though: I'll also tell you the other stuff you need to hear. I'll point out your manuscript's weak points. I'll be honest about what I think could work better. But don't worry. I'll also give you lots of ideas about how you can make your manuscript stronger. I'll challenge what you think you know about your manuscript and your writing. I'll urge you to dig in and work hard. I'll push you to write a better book than you ever knew you could write. I'll give you lots of constructive criticism (delivered in a friendly tone of voice—I'm not a monster, after all).
I'll also remind you that this book is your baby, not mine. In the end, you're free to take my advice or not, on any and all edits (with absolutely no hard feelings on my side). Of course you are. You're the writer!
If you don't want an honest, thoughtful analysis paired with plenty of suggestions about how to make your work stronger, don't come to me—we'll just drive each other crazy, and who needs that? (Not you? Me, either!)
On the other hand, if you're open to suggestions, ready to dig deep, and want to take your project to the next level, we should get along swimmingly.
Ready to dive in?