FAQ’s
June 23, 2016What is the difference between proofreading, copyediting, and editing?
Proofreading is the most superficial of editing processes. It is primarily a search for grammatical errors and typographical errors. Copyediting is a deeper process. The copyeditor is not just looking for errors, but more generally for ways that the work can be improved. He or she will make suggestions to improve clarity, flow, structure, consistency, and impact. Editing is a general term that refers to a wide range of services, from consultation on proposed projects to proofreading.
Many editing services charge by the page. Why do you charge by the hour?
I offer a wide range of services, and I have found that my clients’ situations also vary widely, so I may be doing very different things with any given set of pages. I don’t do a volume business, and my services are client-centered, so the piece-work model doesn’t work very well for me.
Will my personal voice, the unique character of my writing, get erased in the editing process?
One of my primary goals is to not only preserve, but to enhance, the tone and character of the texts I work with. Good editing will not diminish the individual quality of your work.
What if the subject matter of my writing is very technical, esoteric, or otherwise not understandable by the average reader? Can you still work with it?
I can. If the subject matter is beyond me, I may not be able to offer advice about the quality of the reasoning or the validity of some points, but I can still work with the language. I have worked with varied subject matter to good effect. I will add that I am a widely read, experienced, very curious person, and so am familiar with more subjects than your average editor.