Book. Thesis. Dissertation. Essay. Proposal. Synopsis. Query letter.

These are the most important pieces you will ever have to write. On them hinges the Ph.D., the agent, the grant, the interview, the book deal.

Whether the writing comes easy or hard for you, a trained editor can ensure that very important piece is error-free and as cogent and persuasive as possible. Everyone knows not to wear a stained shirt to an interview, but people routinely submit written work stained with misspelled words, random punctuation, and ludicrous errors.

Don’t risk losing out because your writing was riddled with faults or ill focused or simply dull. With the help of an experienced editor, you can make an excellent impression and an impression of excellence.

If the piece hasn’t even been started because you don’t know how or where to start, consider hiring me as your Writing Coach. See my blog, Crotchets, for examples of my writing style.

My editing expertise spans the full spectrum from the sciences hard and soft to fiction long and short. I can handle complex equations and haiku, philosophy and genetics from prokaryotes to Homo sapiens. Molecular biology or police procedural, I can help you get it right.

Editorial Services

Basic Copy Editing

Working with your completed piece, I will ensure that the spelling, punctuation, and grammar are all correct. I will impose a consistent style throughout, make sure footnotes and references are in order and complete, and query anything that seems unclear.

Substantive Editing

In addition to the services of basic editing, I will make or suggest changes in organization, improve readability by rephrasing and rewriting, and polish your piece until it shines.

ESL Editing

I have extensive experience with authors for whom English is a second language. Whether your background is Asian, African, European, or South American, I can help you achieve an authentic, idiomatic voice through broader use of rewriting and rephrasing than I would use at the substantive editing level. Britons and Australians might also consider this level of editing if they are writing for American readers.

Design

Typography and layout can contribute to readability or impede it. Through the judicious use of headings and fonts, I can give your piece a professional look that will draw the reader in.
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All services are offered as paper or electronic editing.

Paper: I will edit and return a printout of your piece, and you will incorporate the changes into your file. I will proofread the corrected piece to ensure all the changes have been transferred. Because you do half the work, this is the less expensive option for longer works. Copy to be edited must be printed out double-spaced with 1-inch margins on all four sides to allow room for marking up the text and writing queries.

Electronic: I will work directly with your Word file and return a completely corrected or marked-up file. If for any reason I cannot open or otherwise work with the file received, I will need paper copy.
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My fee for editorial services is $75 per hour, with a 2-hour minimum. I will be happy to provide an estimate after seeing a copy of your piece. A 100-page manuscript can generally be completed in 7 to 10 hours, depending on complexity and level of edit.