I offer comprehensive, personalized copyediting and proofreading services for a wide range of writing projects. Read below to learn more–and if you have any questions or would like to discuss a project, please contact me. I’d love to work with you!

Specialties

I welcome copyediting/proofreading requests for all types of projects, but I am particularly experienced in the following areas: 

  • Academic writing: essays, lab reports, theses, dissertations, grant and scholarship applications, research articles, and other writing projects for students and faculty
  • Educational materials: textbooks, workbooks, assessments, and online course content in all academic/professional disciplines
  • Creative writing: novel and novella manuscripts, children’s picture books, short stories, poetry, creative nonfiction, and satire/short humor
  • Job search/career materials: resumes, CVs, cover letters, presentations, and writing samples
  • Marketing/promotional materials: book cover copy, websites, brochures

Proofreading

Proofreading is performed on documents that have already been edited and laid out in their final format  (e.g. print-ready PDF, webpage). The goal of proofreading is to flag typos, layout issues, and other errors or inconsistencies missed in previous editing rounds. Unlike copyediting, which can involve making more extensive corrections, proofreading is meant to be a light-touch final check to ensure that all errors are fixed in the final product.

For each proofreading job, I will:

  • Review the document against design specifications and style guidelines (page numbers, headers and footers, fonts, paragraph and line spacing, etc.)
  • Correct typos and other errors that may have been missed before (spelling, punctuation, grammar, word usage, etc.)
  • Confirm all website URLs

Rate: $25/hour

Copyediting

Copyediting is performed on documents whose content and organization are final. It involves thoroughly editing documents for correctness in grammar, language usage, punctuation, and other mechanical matters, as well as checking for consistency in formatting and adherence to style guidelines. Copyediting does not involve editing for content, structure, or organization, nor substantially rewriting any section of the document.

For each copyediting job, I will:

  • Correct grammar, punctuation, and other mechanical errors
  • Apply a specific style guide (industry style, house style, and/or author preferences)
  • Create a project-specific style sheet
  • Query problem areas (inconsistencies, ambiguous sections, etc.)
  • Ensure correct and consistent formatting of numbers, citations, reference lists, headers and footers, figures, and tables
  • Polish the text (eliminate repetition, jargon, wordiness, etc.)
  • Rewrite sentences and short segments for clarity, tone, and flow while preserving the author’s voice
  • Check all website URLs

Rate: $35/hour

Additional Services

In additional to what’s described above, I’m happy to discuss and negotiate rates for other editorial services. These may include developmental edits, alpha/beta reading for novel manuscripts, and more.

Process

When you contact me about a potential project, please provide the following information:

  • Type of service (copyediting, proofreading, or other)
  • Title and type of project (e.g. essay, novel, cover letter)
  • Word count
  • Preferred start date and deadline
  • For longer projects: a 500-word sample of the project (this is about two pages double-spaced in MS Word) I will edit the project sample and return it to you free of charge. Based on the sample edit, I will provide a quote and timeframe for the project. You will also be able to review the sample edit and decide whether you would like me to take on the rest of your project.

For each copyediting or proofreading project, I will do a first pass through the entire document and then send it back to you. After you review my edits, answer queries, and provide input, I will do the second and final editorial pass. I will incorporate the edits and answers to your queries and address any other lingering issues. Once you are satisfied with the final product, I will return to you a clean copy of the document.