A Better Editor ^SM

Professional proofreading/copy editing to fit your budget and meet your deadline! Business correspondence, reports; personal writing, letters, memoirs; Web site proofing/navigation; and APA style theses, dissertations, bibliographies, and journal articles.

Many authors of academic papers, research reports, journal articles, books, and theses or dissertations must publish, but do not expect to make money directly from the writing. I will work with you to suggest a level of editing within your budget. Do consider though, that completing your degree is a milestone, not the end of the road. In the years ahead you may want to write a journal article based on it, or even a book. It may be referenced in other places as well. So think of this an investment in your future, not just part of the cost of graduating!

Rates:

My rates are still about the same now as when I started. For business and commercial writing, I charge $50 an hour. For grad students I charge $25.00 an hour. I give a half hour free sample, copy editing a few pages of your document. If you like it we can work together. If not, you are free to look elsewhere.

You must help me understand what you need. If your university has any directives about how they want the APA style applied, I need a copy. You can stop at anytime if you are not satisfied with my work and we cannot work it out. I will refund whatever is left in your deposit.

A deposit is required in advance. Then I let you know when it is time to replenish it. All work must be paid before sending you the final draft. I have to do this because long ago when I first started someone promised to pay and took the document and I never heard from that person again. I know that you have worked hard on your manuscript and I treat it with respect. I expect the same from you!

All financial payments and refunds are handled through PayPal. If you do not have an account, you can set up one for free. I do not want to take credit card numbers.

Estimates:

I cannot give an estimate without seeing your materials. If you are in a hurry, I will call you collect with an estimate, before starting to work. I cannot guarantee a firm price; too many variables are involved and, too often, changes take more time. If you have a budget limit, let's discuss it at the start, and I will tell you approximately what can be included for your amount.

Components of Cost:

The cost depends on several things. Clients pay for expenses such as: postage, long distance calls, word processing, disks, printouts, or other special requests. I do it this way because everyone has unique needs, and should not have to pay for something that is not needed. My actual time depends on many things. Please see the list below that discusses factors involved in the time-cost.

Manuscript Form:

When you send your manuscript to me, be sure your last name and page number are at the top right of each page, including front matter and end matter, all numbered consecutively beginning with the title page. Place footnotes or endnotes, starting on a separate page after the text, clearly marked for their location in the text. You can use author-date or superscript style. If you cannot make superscript on your machine, use a number enclosed in parentheses where the superscript should go. Reference notes or bibliography and other end matter should be as close as possible to the style you need.

Extra time = extra costs

• Reference or bibliography entries take a lot of time. I can format for different styles and journals. However, there is still a lot of work entering the data and double checking the minute details for the preferences of each editor or university!
• There is a separate format charge, in addition to my time, if you want an index, or specially set up title pages and front matter. All this should be discussed in advance so you have no surprises on the invoice, and I have no surprises giving me a time crunch!

The Basic Process:

You can send me the complete manuscript, and I will return it at one time completely copy edited. Or you can send me the manuscript in sections or chapters, and I will work on them and send them back while you are working on the next one. Either way, this first phase of editing is the most expensive. Probably, you will want to review it and consider carefully my suggestions. You may want to have colleagues review your work at this point. Then after you revise it, you may want me to go over it a second time. There is a twenty per cent discount on my time-cost for this second edit (unless you practically rewrite the whole thing!) because I am already familiar with it. Some authors have the opportunity to proof the galley pages before they go to the printer. I can do this proofreading too, since by then I will be very familiar with your manuscript.

FACTORS IN THE TIME-COST OF PROFESSIONAL COPY EDITING

• My fee is by the hour so you can choose what you want.
• How soon do you need it returned? A rush job always costs more.
• What style manual do you want me to use? APA, Chicago, MLA, Gregg, AP or something else, or do you want my suggestions? Some are much more complicated than others. Do you want a style sheet? It is often used for long articles or books, not always for shorter documents.
• What form will it be in when you send it to me? Handwriting costs more to type. On disk or online (in a format I can use) is least expensive because it eliminates the typing.
• Where are you in the writing process, and how much editing do you want at this stage?
• Do you want the edited document all at once, or returned in stages so you can go over it while I work on the next section or chapter? Or shall I wait until you return each section?
• How do you want the copy editing done? Changes made directly to the manuscript in the computer take less time and cost less than hand coding on a paper manuscript.
• Computer text-markup editing where all the changes, deletions, corrections and so forth are marked on the manuscript nearly doubles the time it takes and so costs a lot more.
• What page formatting do you want: margins, fonts, one or two spaces between sentences, and such? Special effects cost more than standard!
• At the end, do you want a final edited copy printed out, a computer-edited printed copy showing changes, or a disk with either or both types of files, or both a disk and printed copy? Do you want it copy edited both on a computer and by hand, or something special?
• How do you want the material returned to you: FedEx, postal service, e-mail, FTP, pickup, or other? Online or on disk costs less than mailing a large paper manuscript.

Please Go to next page for suggestions about preparing your manuscript to reduce the cost of copy editing.

Good editing takes time. Please don't wait until the last minute and then want a miracle. I am fresh out!

For an overview of Copy editing steps click here

To find out more about costs click here

For things you can do to reduce your costs click here

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Like many people, after looking at all this you may have particular questions about your manuscript. Please do not hesitate to contact me for more information. The first 30 minute phone call, or e-mail consultation is always free!

Telephone 1-800-301-8847 (near Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA)

For my e-mail address and to request a free half hour sample of copy editing your document, please call. I get way too much spam! I will need your phone and e-mail address, too. Please give a brief message of what you are seeking. I usually respond within 48 hours on business days. If you are in a hurry it is okay to try again sooner.

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A Better Editor ^SM

Tel: 1-(800) 301-8847 (USA-48) *** 1-(920) 855-1483

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