Why should I hire an editor?
There are lots of reasons to hire an editor. It could be that you believe in investing in a service that will make your project the best it can be. Maybe you're brilliant in your field, but writing and grammar aren't your strong point. Maybe you need a native English speaker to look over your work. Perhaps you've been struggling with your book manuscript and need a pair of professionally trained eyes to give you guidance.
Even if you ARE a brilliant and strong writer, it's still worth hiring an editor because we all have a harder time spotting typos and mistakes in our own writing than we do in others'. You can read why that is here.
How do you decide your rates?
All of my hourly rates are the industry standard, as described by the Editorial Freelancers Association. You can see their editorial rate chart here.
How do you price big projects?
I will ask you to send me a short sample (usually 10-15 pages) from the beginning of your manuscript, so I can get an idea of what kind of shape the text is in. Then, I will estimate the number of hours it will take me to complete the project and present you with a quote. If you agree to the quote, I begin the edits. I prefer to do it this way so that both sides agree in advance to what they think is a fair price and so there are no surprises at the end of the project.
I have a short story or creative nonfiction essay that is longer than 8,000 words. What is the rate for that?
Any manuscripts above 8,000 words fall under the developmental editing category.
Is a developmental editor the same thing as a beta reader?
No. A beta reader will read your manuscript and give you their opinion of it, which is usually a short (few paragraphs) general impression of what they liked and didn't like. A developmental editor interacts heavily with the manuscript while reading by leaving in-text comments and gives extensive feedback at the end that is focused on more craft-driven areas like structure, plot, and characterization.
Can I pay in a currency other than dollars?
I accept USD (American dollars) and EUR (euro). If you would like to pay in EUR, I will adjust the price according to the current exchange rate.