FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
For proofreading and basic editing, I charge by the number of words. Usually, a full page of 250 words runs about $2.25. By charging you based on the total number of words, I avoid charging you for a partial page at the end of a chapter. I can work by the hour, but customers usually find this difficult to estimate for novels and long articles. However, I usually work at $30/hour for basic services. For deep editing and reorganization, as well as heavy formatting of references for academic works, I charge $45/hour. Academic work is usually a mixture of the two. I discount longer works like novels, or a series of blogs, because the last half goes much faster than the first part. I also discount works that are converted to a second format (for example, a blog post I edit that is then submitted as a magazine article). If there will be ongoing work, I can give a quantity discount as well. I also go through your work more than once, so the price based on the number of words gives you a more thorough review than you might think.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I try to get a sense of what the client wants to achieve, learn whether their work has had any prior editing, and determine whether there is a great deal of formatting that needs to be done. I talk to the client about whether there is unique language to the work (foreign words, fantasy characters/dialogue, etc.) and any other specifics that will help me do a better job.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Foreign language degree. Years of work in an ad agency where every word counted and every mistake was critical. Supervised many copy assistants and other support for writing staff.