It’s always a good idea to have another pair of eyes look at your work. The first thing you need to do is determine which level of service you need: line editing, copyediting, or proofreading.
Line editing and copyediting
Line editing and copyediting services are similar; however, whereas copyediting addresses the more technical issues (grammar, punctuation, word usage, syntax, and format), line editing addresses the flow of paragraphs and sentences. I will always include some line edits when editing a text. But if the line edits are extensive, I will suggest two rounds of revisions: one to eliminate the more significant issues and a second to focus on catching mistakes and formatting.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final step after a text has already been thoroughly copyedited. Here, the proofreader simply looks for mistakes that may have been missed in previous edits.
Just like copyediting, I offer two options for help with writing: developmental and technical.
Developmental consultation
Often when doing research, you have so much information it’s difficult to see how to tell the story. That’s where I come in. I’ll work with you to help you determine which story you want to tell from the information you have and how best to present that information.
Technical writing help
This is a step beyond copyediting and is specifically for people who may be wonderful researchers, but who are not great writers, are grammatically challenged, or for whom English as a second language. Instead of simply copyediting, I will work with you (and your text) to help you understand the more technical aspects of the English language.
Please note: these are consultation services only. I am not a ghostwriter.
My prices are based on the length of a document, the amount of work needed, and how quickly you need it back. That said, my prices are within the guidelines of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA). You can find base rates at www.the-efa.org/rates.
I can. However, you must check your university’s policy on proofreading and get a signed statement from your advisor/supervisor approving the use of a proofreading service. I can provide this statement if your university doesn’t already have one.
Once I get that authorization, I can edit your paper in compliance with the rules of your university, which usually involves checking grammar, spelling, punctuation, and citation format.
I edit subjects within the social sciences and humanities.
I specialize in the Chicago Manual of Style; however, I can use whichever style guide you require.
I do! I check for errors and formatting as part of the basic proofreading/editing service. However, I can also do this as a separate service if needed.
I have basic knowledge of indexing; however, I don’t offer it as a service.
That depends on the type of document needed. For article submissions and business documents, I am always happy to give suggestions on how something can be rewritten. However, I cannot rewrite anything being submitted for an academic qualification. I can only correct grammatical or formatting errors.