FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
The industry standard for freelance copy editing is $30/hour, so that's my reference point. However, I prefer that clients send me a sample of their manuscript to start things off so that I understand how much work needs to be done. Depending on how polished/rough the manuscript is when it gets to me, the rate may be adjusted.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Haha—on paper, not much. I have a degree in music (vocal performance), which I continue to actively put to use as a singer-songwriter. But my grammar nazi skills? Those have always been intuitive. I've definitely grown a lot in my copy editing since I joined Ballotpedia's editorial staff in 2013, though; a big part of my job there is training the writers, so I've had to make sure I have enough mastery of the English language to pass it on to them proficiently.
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
When I was 12, I made my first instant messenger screen name: GrammarGirl91. Need I say more? I've always loved language and see copy editing as a healthy way to put my obsessive compulsive tendencies to use. :-) Truthfully, though, my professional experience in editorial was a total stroke of luck; a friend of mine was working as a project manager for Ballotpedia when it was still a tiny company, so I hitched myself to that wagon early on and got to grow with them.