EDITING SERVICES

I work closely with an author throughout each stage of the writing process, answering questions, explaining suggested changes, and offering feedback and support. I respect a writer’s personal style and review documents for consistency and to improve the flow of the text as well as ensuring correct grammar and usage.

I will work with you at all editorial stages: before submission, at the revision stage, and after acceptance for publication to make certain your manuscript or copy conforms to house style guidelines. I can help you produce the most professional and polished document possible and assist you in all your writing needs.

Professional editing improves readability, flags inappropriate figures of speech and ambiguous or incorrect statements, eliminates wordiness and repetition, and eases transitions. It ensures continuity and integrity of plot, setting, and character in fiction. In nonfiction, theme, writing style, pace, and clarity are carefully considered. I specialize in a combination of substantive and line editing and consider the fluidity and rhythm of language, suggesting changes at the sentence level along with correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, syntax, repetition, inconsistencies, and issues of usage and style.

As your editor, I can review your ideas, outlines, and notes, and help you plan and organize your work. I can suggest alternative language choices and provide detailed notes about proposed revisions and content development. This process may include consultation before writing begins and developmental editing or rewriting as part of my services. An editor and author work together; a productive collaboration can make a significant difference in your work.

I use the “Track Changes” feature of Microsoft Word, which shows my edits in a different font color. I also insert comments and explain the suggested changes in separate text boxes. You will have complete control over which changes you accept or reject using the same “Track Changes” feature and be able to integrate the changes one by one or all at once after reviewing them.

When editors calculate rates, we use the industry standard of 250 words per page and usually edit at approximately five pages an hour, depending on the difficulty of the material and the level of services needed. Content or developmental editing and substantive or line editing take longer, approximately two to four pages an hour.

Your double-spaced Microsoft Word document (in a 12-point font such as Times New Roman) would be submitted as an attachment to an email message, with your questions, concerns, and requested professional service in the email text box.  You would include your name and contact information, project type, a brief synopsis, the word count of your document, and deadline (and house style guide) if applicable.

The level of services and the time spent editing can be adjusted at any stage to ensure your receiving the highest quality work at the most reasonable cost. I would be happy to provide an estimate based on a representative sample of your work or consult with you on a work in progress.