Before we start, at the risk of appearing a little blunt, I need to get a couple of things out of the way.

This is an editing service. It is my livelihood. And it’s a very specialized and exacting skill.

If you decide you want to use my services—and anyone who writes anything, quite honestly, needs an editor or proofreader of some kind—then I want you to know something right off the bat, and before we go any further: this will cost you some money. Not a fortune, but not pocket change either. Just like when you choose to seek out a building contractor for house renovations or a mechanic for your car troubles, you will be paying someone a fair price for an important and (most would say) essential service.

Please have an idea of what your budget will be before you ask me to look at your work. If it’s realistic, I will be more than happy to give you an initial free sample edit somewhere in the 1,500–2,000 word range that is most representative of your current work, and we can take it from there. My quoted rates are only guidelines, and I will work hard to find a fair rate we can both be happy with. But don’t approach me expecting to pay me—a ludicrous example, you’d think, but it’s happened—well under minimum wage. It’s not only insulting (to us both, since your work is also worth more than that), but it wastes your time and mine.

So, let’s not be shy talking about money. I’m not greedy and you’re not rich. We both need it in order to make the rent and to eat, and after those basics, I for one don’t think too much about the stuff.

Now, I’m a far more friendly person than this disclaimer might indicate, so let’s move on to the business of fixing your written work. I am good, I am conscientious, and I will give your work the utmost in respect and close attention if I feel like you’re treating me fairly. Think of it this way: spending your hard-earned is relatively feeble short-term pain for the long-term gain of knowing your book won’t embarrass you in the marketplace, and will garner respect wherever it is read.

It’s a sales cliché of almost monstrous proportions, yet it’s absolutely true: you won’t regret it.

Ready? Okay…

When deciding rates of payment, we need to establish what kind of work you require. Some pieces arrive already fairly polished and requiring a simple once-over, whereas others need extensive rewriting.

The following is merely a guide, and since every project is different, the reality may turn out to be a hybrid of these categories. I will be sure to consult with you prior to starting work and, based on an initial representative sample (of 1,500–2,000 words), we will customise (customize, if you prefer!) a plan for your needs.

Proofread

This is the basic service, usually a one-time typo, spelling, and grammar check. At a basic rate of $0.015 a word (or $15 per 1,000 words), this will be approximately $3.75 per page.*

Copyedit

Can also be spelled copy edit or copy-edit. I may have to supplement the proofreading with a fuller edit, in which I’ll correct any awkwardness of tone, clumsy wording, continuity problems, or lack of clarity. This will cost $0.02 a word ($20 per 1,000 words), which works out to approximately $5.00 per page. Copyediting may be light or heavy, and rates will reflect that.

Substantive Edit

Also known as content, stylistic, or line editing. If you decide your work might benefit from a more top-down approach, let me know at the outset. This could involve the rearrangement of sentences and even paragraphs and rewriting some areas of the manuscript for tone or style or focus. We’re now looking at $0.04 a word ($40 per 1,000 words), which works out to approximately $10.00 per page.

Developmental Edit and Manuscript Evaluation

Ideally performed at the outset, long before a copyedit, a manuscript evaluation and a developmental edit are the most top-down of all levels of editing, sometimes involving a partial or complete overhaul. Think of proofreading and copyediting as twigs, branches, and trees, while these levels of editing are entire forests. It’s difficult to estimate cost with this type of editing, as it can vary a great deal depending on the individual manuscript. I prefer to charge an hourly rate ($45.00) for this type of work.

Write

I am also a versatile writer, so I am able to compose original copy for press releases, PSAs, blog posts, articles, web content, and official correspondence. This service is highly personalised and would require an initial customised consultation, with rates starting from $25.00 per page.

*A ballpark figure based on approximately 250 double-spaced words per page (calculating the rate per word is the more accurate method).