You'll receive two documents from me. One Word Doc with tracked changes and one "clean" document with all of my changes incorporated, as if you had accepted all of my edits.

I fully expect authors to accept some of my changes and reject others. All of my edits are suggestions. The purpose of the "clean" document is to give you an easy-to-read version of my changes, as a document with tracked changes can be overwhelming to look at!

 

Typically I offer two drafts per package. You send me the content, I offer my edits, you incorporate the ones you want to keep, and I review your changes. Past that, I charge per additional drafts. New drafts that are over 50% changed are considered new projects.

 

It's a little different for every book, but here's what you can generally expect:

For a line and copy edit of an 80,000-word fiction novel, I'll likely take 3–4 weeks for the first round of edits. I'll suggest the author take 3 weeks to review those edits. Then I'll take another 1–2 weeks to review your changes. In total, that's roughly 8–9 weeks from start to finish. 

Developmental editing for an 80,000-word novel would run on a similar timeline to line and copy editing. A proofread would take 2–3 weeks total. 

Before you sign anything, I'll send you a proposal with a price and project timeline, so you know exactly what you're getting and when. You'll have an opportunity to tweak the timeline before we start, especially if you anticipate needing more time to review my edits.

If you need it significantly sooner than the timeline I've proposed, I charge an additional rush fee.

I set my rates in line with the Editorial Freelancers Association's guidelines. 

That said, each project often has completely different needs, so while I can give you an idea of what to expect (see my services page for rate examples), I need a little info from you before giving you an official quote.

Things like technical content, fact-checking, and project scope all impact the hours required to give you what you need. I assess each project based on your intake questionnaire, estimate the number of hours it will take me, and arrive at a quote. 

Financial accessibility is huge for me, and honestly there's not enough of it in the publishing industry. If the full cost of an edit isn’t viable for your budget, I offer payment plans to reduce the amount you’ll pay per month. 

Scope reductions are also available, meaning we’d downscale the editing package, and thus the number of hours it would take me. This might mean I do one editing pass instead of the usual two, or we might agree to limit the extent of our email correspondences and follow-ups.

While payment plans split up the cost of the project into smaller bites, scope reductions lower the overall cost of the project.

Wherever you're at, I always draw up a quote for you before booking and encourage you to come to me with concerns as needed.

Yep! I offer sample edits for new clients working on long-form projects—ideally more than 50,000 words. 

Sample edits are like the speed-dating of a writer–editor relationship. They give prospective clients a chance to decide if my editing style complements their writing style and give both of us a chance to get to know each other before jumping into a potentially months' long editing process.

First you send me a little information about your piece. If it looks like I might be a good fit for your needs, I offer a free 1,000-word sample edit. 

Please note that this is only possible for line editing, copy editing, and proofreading, as developmental editing requires expansive context that I'm not able to gather from a small sample. I am, however, always happy to schedule a free consultation with you, where we can talk about my style and editorial process.

Nope! I spent years editing plays professionally for a publishing and licensing house and am a playwright myself.

Unless your play has been picked up by a publisher or you plan to self-publish, copy editing and proofreading aren't super necessary for theatre, but developmental editing can be!

I offer both coaching services and developmental editing for playwrights, as well as proofreading for those looking to self-publish their script.