Final Literary Prose Editor (Literary Fiction | Hemingway / The Alchemist)

Job Description I’m looking for one final literary prose editor before I begin querying literary agents and/or self-publishing. The manuscript is approximately 52,000 words and is literary fiction. It has already gone through: * Developmental editing * Multiple line edits * Several beta readers * Extensive revision by me The story, structure, and characters are finished. This is the final polish before publication. What I’m Looking For I’m not looking for another developmental edit. I’m looking for someone with exceptional literary taste who understands restraint. My goal isn’t simply cleaner writing. My goal is prose that feels inevitable. Simple without being plain. Literary without sounding literary. Writing that disappears and leaves only the story. If you believe a passage can be materially improved—made sharper, more human, more restrained, or more emotionally true—I’m very open to bold revisions. I’m not interested in rewriting for the sake of rewriting. Every change should earn its place. If your instinct is usually to add words, we’re probably not the right fit. If your instinct is to make every word earn its place—but you’re willing to substantially rewrite a passage when it genuinely improves the book—I think we’ll work well together. Please Look For * narration that could become dialogue or physical action * places where the narrator explains something the scene has already shown * repeated ideas or repeated wording * dialogue that could sound more natural * unnecessary words * opportunities to trust the reader more * places where omission would strengthen the prose * passages that could become more memorable without becoming more ornate One thing I’m particularly interested in is identifying places where the prose has become too even. I’m looking for opportunities where a scene can become more memorable—not by becoming louder, but by becoming more inevitable. Style The guiding philosophy is: Less, but better. Major touchstones include: * Ernest Hemingway * The Alchemist — Paulo Coelho * The Old Man and the Sea * The Sun Also Rises * Stoner — John Williams * The Road — Cormac McCarthy The novel also contains short animal fables woven through the human story, so experience with literary or philosophical fiction is a plus. Deliverable I’m not looking for a lengthy editorial letter or an AI-generated report. The deliverable should simply be: * One manuscript with Track Changes enabled and changes/edits drafted * Edits that I can accept or reject individually * A brief executive summary (one page maximum) highlighting any major observations I’m much more interested in thoughtful edits than lengthy commentary. Ideal Background I’d love to work with someone who has: * published literary fiction * edited literary novels * worked with traditionally published authors * experience in literary journals or MFA workshops (a plus) * an appreciation for minimalist, character-driven prose Please include: * a brief description of your background * one or two comparable projects * why you think you’re a good fit for this manuscript There’s no need to submit a lengthy proposal. A concise introduction and a few relevant examples are all I’ll review. Timeline I’m currently querying literary agents while simultaneously preparing a self-publishing path if needed. I’d like this final pass completed within approximately 1–2 weeks. There’s room up or down on the budget depending on experience.