Frequently Asked Questions
"Why bother with editing? What can you do that a family member, friend, coworker, or graduate student cannot?"
I am trained to examine language from an objective perspective. Others might be able to give you early input and rough edits, but I will polish your work for publication. Although editing can seem like an unnecessary expense, consider the time and cost involved in producing your work - professional editing can lead to quicker reviewer turn-around and more rapid publication for researchers (which can lead to more funding), and to greater credibility for businesses, nonprofits, and individuals. Readers consciously or subconsciously judge language problems in written work, so let me help you present your best.
"Why do you not list your fees on your site?"
Every project is different. Depending on the project, I may offer an hourly rate or a project fee. My rate for academic editing is also different than for nonacademic editing. If I request a few draft pages from your project to create a quote, I am using that document to time myself and to assess what kind of editing may be needed. My quotes are always fair and competitive with other editors in my field. You get what you pay for, which is a thoughtful, detailed edit with good customer service.
"How can I lower my costs?"
The most common ways I suggest to authors are:
1) Have a colleague or mentor edit the document before sending to me.
2) Format your own reference list - reference lists take a lot of time for an editor to format. Time is money.
3) Give me the last draft before you plan to submit or publish. Sending me a draft that you are still actively working on, especially if other authors are involved, can sometimes be wasted effort. Copy editing is most efficient after you have done as much as you can; think of me as a fresh pair of eyes. You will likely receive comments and suggestions from me that may require some work on your part, and you may want to send back to me for a quick last pass, but the bulk of the writing and organization should be done before I see the document.
"Are you a writer?"
Although I can write, I prefer to specialize in what I do best, which is editing. I may not be the best fit for you if you need a content writer.
"Have you worked with writers not native to English?"
Yes! I am very familiar with the particular difficulties nonnative writers have with English. I very much enjoy working with people from around the world. (Honestly, many people native to English need a lot of help too.) It's a difficult language with a lot of nuances and odd rules. I know the difficulties of learning another language well enough to write in it, so I have a lot of respect for multilingual authors.
"Do I need to live near you to hire you?"
Ah, one of the most wonderful aspects of living in these times is how interconnected we are. We can be a world apart, but as long as we both have email, we can easily work together without ever meeting or speaking on the phone. I use PayPal for payments, too.
"Are you familiar with AMA/APA/Chicago/ACS style?"
I have worked with style guides for the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, American Chemical Society, and Chicago the most. I always ask if there is a style I should follow and/or request the instructions for authors. If there is no style guide, then I focus on consistency with Chicago Manual of Style as the backbone.
"Eww, why editing? Isn't it boring?"
I love editing! As I mentioned earlier, I can write, but I find it very frustrating (as many writers do). Helping you sound your best and clearly convey your ideas is very rewarding to me. In this business, I especially love all the new things I learn and the people I meet from around the world.
"How can you edit scientific material if you are not a scientist?"
English is English. I follow the rules of English with the use of a style guide (rules established by a particular group of experts in a field). I am familiar with terminology in several scientific disciplines and know my limits - I do not generally edit work in engineering, mathematics, physics, and similar fields, but I am comfortable with many biological and social sciences. My greatest limitation is that I am unable to substantially revise or reorganize content in highly technical writing (e.g., biochemistry, cancer, statistics, etc.), but I can edit the English and put into proper format. I enjoy working with authors on a long-term basis because I become more familiar with their specific terminology and writing style and can edit subsequent work more quickly/efficiently.
"Why bother with editing? What can you do that a family member, friend, coworker, or graduate student cannot?"
I am trained to examine language from an objective perspective. Others might be able to give you early input and rough edits, but I will polish your work for publication. Although editing can seem like an unnecessary expense, consider the time and cost involved in producing your work - professional editing can lead to quicker reviewer turn-around and more rapid publication for researchers (which can lead to more funding), and to greater credibility for businesses, nonprofits, and individuals. Readers consciously or subconsciously judge language problems in written work, so let me help you present your best.
"Why do you not list your fees on your site?"
Every project is different. Depending on the project, I may offer an hourly rate or a project fee. My rate for academic editing is also different than for nonacademic editing. If I request a few draft pages from your project to create a quote, I am using that document to time myself and to assess what kind of editing may be needed. My quotes are always fair and competitive with other editors in my field. You get what you pay for, which is a thoughtful, detailed edit with good customer service.
"How can I lower my costs?"
The most common ways I suggest to authors are:
1) Have a colleague or mentor edit the document before sending to me.
2) Format your own reference list - reference lists take a lot of time for an editor to format. Time is money.
3) Give me the last draft before you plan to submit or publish. Sending me a draft that you are still actively working on, especially if other authors are involved, can sometimes be wasted effort. Copy editing is most efficient after you have done as much as you can; think of me as a fresh pair of eyes. You will likely receive comments and suggestions from me that may require some work on your part, and you may want to send back to me for a quick last pass, but the bulk of the writing and organization should be done before I see the document.
"Are you a writer?"
Although I can write, I prefer to specialize in what I do best, which is editing. I may not be the best fit for you if you need a content writer.
"Have you worked with writers not native to English?"
Yes! I am very familiar with the particular difficulties nonnative writers have with English. I very much enjoy working with people from around the world. (Honestly, many people native to English need a lot of help too.) It's a difficult language with a lot of nuances and odd rules. I know the difficulties of learning another language well enough to write in it, so I have a lot of respect for multilingual authors.
"Do I need to live near you to hire you?"
Ah, one of the most wonderful aspects of living in these times is how interconnected we are. We can be a world apart, but as long as we both have email, we can easily work together without ever meeting or speaking on the phone. I use PayPal for payments, too.
"Are you familiar with AMA/APA/Chicago/ACS style?"
I have worked with style guides for the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, American Chemical Society, and Chicago the most. I always ask if there is a style I should follow and/or request the instructions for authors. If there is no style guide, then I focus on consistency with Chicago Manual of Style as the backbone.
"Eww, why editing? Isn't it boring?"
I love editing! As I mentioned earlier, I can write, but I find it very frustrating (as many writers do). Helping you sound your best and clearly convey your ideas is very rewarding to me. In this business, I especially love all the new things I learn and the people I meet from around the world.
"How can you edit scientific material if you are not a scientist?"
English is English. I follow the rules of English with the use of a style guide (rules established by a particular group of experts in a field). I am familiar with terminology in several scientific disciplines and know my limits - I do not generally edit work in engineering, mathematics, physics, and similar fields, but I am comfortable with many biological and social sciences. My greatest limitation is that I am unable to substantially revise or reorganize content in highly technical writing (e.g., biochemistry, cancer, statistics, etc.), but I can edit the English and put into proper format. I enjoy working with authors on a long-term basis because I become more familiar with their specific terminology and writing style and can edit subsequent work more quickly/efficiently.