Frequently Asked Questions

The Editing Process

  • After you get in touch and we chat, I will request a sample of your manuscript in order to complete a sample edit (see question below for more information). If we both agree we’d like to move forward after the sample edit, we will discuss turnaround time and deliverables. I will send you a contract to sign to book my services, and I will block off the necessary time in my calendar to complete your work by the deadline. By the agreed-upon date, I will return the edited manuscript to you, and from there it will be your turn to incorporate (or ignore!) my edits as you see fit.

  • In order to give you an accurate cost and time estimate for your project, I usually will need to see an excerpt from the manuscript. I would prefer to see five pages from the middle of the manuscript, rather than the beginning or the end. Once I receive the pages, I will perform a no-obligation sample edit of the pages, which I will then return to you for your review along with a cost and time estimate. The benefits of this process are twofold: it allows me to give you an accurate quote so there aren’t any surprises down the road, and it also allows you to see whether we would be a good fit for each other. A mutually satisfying collaboration hinges on good communication and a good relationship.

  • The time needed to copyedit a manuscript varies. Some manuscripts and authors only require light copyediting, have very little front or end matter, or short chapters with concise paragraphs. Others need heavy editing, have dozens of pages of references, or involved technical writing with lots of proper names that need verifying. Because each manuscript varies so much, it is impossible for me to give a time or cost estimate before I’ve seen a sample. As a very, very rough estimate, the turnaround for an 80,000-word manuscript would be at least two weeks. Bu it’s important to note that t I also book out weeks or months in advance, so the actual wait time might be longer.

  • I do book up months in advance, so for the best chance of booking my services, please contact me a couple of months before you need your finished manuscript in hand.

Contracts, Prices, and Payments

  • Yes, we do need a contract to protect us both and to ensure we’re absolutely clear on what services are and aren’t included, how payment should be rendered, what obligations we both have to each other, etc. A contract protects you, the author, just as much as it protects me, the editor. I have a standard contract for you to sign, or I’m happy to consider your contract if you’d rather.

  • The cost to edit a manuscript will vary considerably based on word count, amount of front or end mater, subject matter difficulty, and the type of editing requested. The best way to get an accurate estimated cost is to request a sample edit from me. If you’re not quite there yet, the Editorial Freelancers Association’s rate chart will give you a general idea of what my services will cost.

  • I require a percentage of the total cost of the work up front in order to book you and set aside the time in my schedule. The remaining final payment is due once the completed manuscript is returned to you.

  • An initial deposit is required to book my services and block out time in my schedule. In order to edit a manuscript, I set aside days or weeks in my schedule and block it off to all other work or clients. If an author drops out at the last minute, there is no guarantee I will be able to rebook that time I’ve already set aside, and that could amount to days or weeks of lost income. The deposit helps mitigate some of the risk of no-shows, it ensures an author is serious about booking my services, and it keeps me on the hook to deliver a thoroughly edited manuscript by the deadline.

The Finished Product

  • I use Microsoft Word’s Track Changes to add, delete, reorganize, or comment on your manuscript. When I send the document back, you will be able to see every single change I have suggested—which also gives you, the author, full control over what changes you want to accept or reject.

    If you’ve never worked with Track Changes before, here are some helpful resources:

    Lisa Poisso, “The Author’s Guide to Track Changes”

    Flatpage, “How to Use Track Changes in the Editing Process”

    Liminal Pages, “How to Use Track Changes When Working with an Editor”

    Editorial.ie, “Working with Track Changes — Notes for Authors”

  • A style sheet keeps track of all the editorial decisions I have made in the manuscript so that I can ensure the manuscript is consistent throughout. For example, is it spelled “hard-working” on page 10 but “hardworking” on page 110? I will have made an editorial decision on which spelling to use, taking into account such things as which spelling you use more frequently and what our agreed-upon dictionary suggests. That decision will then be logged in the style sheet. As you can imagine, a style sheet can be a very useful tool for other editorial professionals who might work on your manuscript, like proofreaders, or even for your own reference if you ever decide to write a sequel, which is why I send it to you when I return your edited manuscript.

  • No, not at all. Our relationship is a collaboration, but at the end of the day, the work is solely yours. My edits are suggestions only, and the final decision (and responsibility) of what to incorporate into the final version is yours alone. You will be able to accept or reject each individual edit once you receive the edited version back. Or conversely, if you like all the changes, you can accept them all in one click.

  • Extensive fact checking, checking accuracy of quotations, indexing, beta reading, authenticity reading, and developmental editing are just some of the services not included in copyediting. While I don’t offer these any of these services, I am happy to give a recommendation for colleagues who do specialize in these areas.

  • No, I cannot guarantee perfection. I will be as careful and diligent as I can, but editors are also human and fallible. Additionally, I have no control over whether you accept or reject necessary grammatical changes. Copyediting is also not a replacement for proofreading. I still strongly recommend having your manuscript proofread after I’m done editing. Even books published by major publishing companies still contain errors, and they’ve gone through rigorous editing with multiple rounds of copyediting and proofreading.