Updated October 2020
This website is a writing sample. I am the sole embodied creator and editor of all the text. I’ve been trained as a wordcrafter, classically and on the job, for over forty years. I have a powerful ear for cultural and personal tone and intent – moving from brass tacks to etheria, from down-homeness to sophistication. I usually take in raw materials, inquire about the audience and the desired impact, and create from there: full book manuscripts, magazine articles, newsletters and brochures, web text, grant applications, awards nominations and presentations, press releases, fundraising letters, ad copy, and so on. My pleasure is to get it all completed quickly, with grace and precision, so that your investment is optimized.
For very brief projects, the cost is $1 per minute, with a 15-minute ($15) minimum. The cost descends significantly on larger projects, to $40 per hour for the first 10 hours and $35 per hour after that. The first project enjoys a 10% try-out discount, up to five hours. This includes original writing and near-total rewrites.
Editors vary. In a line edit, usually spelling-punctuation-grammar, my preference is to highlight known or suspected errors in the content. You can then decide if you want to add time to get suggestions or corrections. In content editing, which includes fact-checking and outright corrections, you also get feedback on logic and style – whether the tone works for your audience, whether it’s hampered by clichés, extra words, etc. The full, or structural, edit calls in comprehensive insight as to whether your offering is complete, organized, and/or repetitive.
The first project enjoys a 25% try-out discount (up to five hours). To see if you want to do this, you can send me the first ten pages for a free trial and estimates for the whole project (with options for expanding if you change your mind about what you want). Estimates are based on both the depth of the requested edit (see the next paragraph) and the readiness of the initial manuscript. As an additional service, I can type in the changes (with or without Track Changes) if an electronic file is provided. Occasionally authors also request that I type in any suggested amplifications and clarifications (which can be changed later by the author) to make the process faster and easier.
I’ve found that hourly rates – not page rates – work best for the way I work. Time is logged in 15-minute increments. The first ten hours are billed at $35 per hour, $30 after that. Usually I do all types of editing in a single process, but I’m willing to separate them out if requested:
* Line and copy editing: spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax (specify marked or made corrections)
* Content editing: fact-checking, logic, style – with rewrites or just marked commentary
* Structural editing: organization of material, missing and extraneous material
I’ve also been working with developmental editing, especially with autobiographical material. Although this requires additional specialized skills, and is thus is usually priced above other forms of editing, much of the process is conversational. For the time being, $35 per hour seems to be the right choice.