Work with me
Copy editing, notebook workshops and talks. Write to me with what you have in mind; I answer within two working days (sample).
What I do
Most weeks I edit: books for small presses, reports for charities, the words on websites. I check sense, consistency and spelling, and I ask questions in the margin rather than rewriting your voice.
A few times a year I run a half-day workshop on keeping a notebook, and I give talks to libraries, walking groups and writing groups.
Prices
Fixed before I start, from a two-page sample. No surprises on the invoice.
Copy editing
Per 1,000 words, one round of queries included
from $28
Proofreading
Per 1,000 words, on the final layout
from $18
Notebook workshop, half a day
Per person, up to ten people
$45
Private workshop for a group
At your library, school or office
from $320
Talk with questions, about an hour
Travel within 30 miles of Springfield included
from $150
Example prices.
How an editing job goes
The same five steps for a long book or a short report.
1
You send a sample
Two or three pages and a line on who will read it.
2
I edit the sample
Free, so you can see how I mark things up.
3
We agree price and date
Fixed price, a start date and a finish date.
4
Edit and queries
Tracked changes, with questions in the margin.
5
Final file
A clean copy, the marked-up copy and a style sheet.
Questions
Do you edit fiction?
Yes, novels and short stories as well as non-fiction. I do not edit academic theses.
Which spelling do you use?
Whichever your readers expect. I keep a style sheet for every job so the choices stay consistent.
How far ahead should I book?
About four weeks for a book, one week for a short piece (sample).
Can a workshop come to us?
Yes. I bring notebooks and pencils for up to twenty people; you provide a room with a long table.
Ask about a job or a date
Tell me what it is, how long it is and when you need it. I reply within two working days (sample).