Services, Rates, and Payment
Ghostwriting
Developmental editing
Copyediting
Cleanup editing
Proofreading
Website editing
Manuscript evaluation
Transcription
Note: For all services (unless otherwise noted) a page is equal to 250 words, regardless of type size and style, margins, line spacing, and other factors.
Ghostwriting
Many people have fascinating book ideas but no time to write (and rewrite and rewrite again). I can help you transform your ideas into a polished manuscript based on whatever materials you provide—rough draft, notes, an outline, audio recordings, video recordings—as well as telephone or in-person interviews. My ghostwriting services are always completely confidential. I will provide and sign a confidentiality agreement with terms that suit your situation.
Rate: $20 to $50 per written manuscript page
The rate varies depending on how much material you supply, the desired manuscript length, the amount of research required, whether you require transcription, and how much back and forth is necessary during the writing process.
Developmental editing
Developmental editing is ideal for materials that require reorganization and significant revision. A developmental edit, if one is necessary, should always precede a copyedit. Depending on the needs of your manuscript, I will rewrite and restructure paragraphs, subsections, chapters, and even an entire book, or I will provide suggestions for you to make these revisions, depending on your preference and the best method for the particular manuscript. I will ensure consistency and effectiveness in format and structure, including adding, deleting, moving, or rewriting headings and chapter titles; working with and suggesting tables, art, diagrams, and other figures; and analyzing the combination of language, art, and structure in terms of audience, market, and tone.
Rate: $10 to $25 per manuscript page
The rate varies depending on how much writing and reorganization is required and the level of complexity (such as complicated text or the need for multiple figures and tables).
Copyediting
Copyediting involves correcting spelling, grammar, and punctuation; tightening wordiness; correcting usage errors or suggesting alternative word choices; establishing consistency throughout the manuscript, particularly in its style (such as capitalization and hyphenation choices); querying confusing or ambiguous phrasing; minimizing unintentional repetition and redundancy; ensuring clarity; adjusting awkward rhythm; querying inconsistent or undesirable tone; smoothing or suggesting transitions; querying passages containing potential logical errors; identifying forced or clichéd figurative language; and much more.
Rate: $4 to $10 per manuscript page
The rate varies depending on whether the manuscript requires a light, medium, or heavy copyedit.
Cleanup editing
After a manuscript has been copyedited, the author usually makes changes based on the edit, particularly in response to queries. These changes need to be input into the electronic file. If you hire me for copyediting, you have the choice of entering these changes yourself or having me do it for you. The benefits of having me handle the cleanup process is that I am less likely to introduce errors when making your changes and I give the entire manuscript another read to catch any remaining typos or other problems. Hiring me for cleanup is not necessary, but it does ensure a more polished final manuscript.
Rate: Between 10 and 25 percent of the copyediting fee
The rate varies depending on the number of corrections and amount of rewriting done during author review.
Proofreading
Proofreading is ideal for a manuscript that has been edited and typeset, to catch typos, spelling or punctuation errors, problems introduced during typesetting (such as the wrong font or inconsistent spacing or heading styles), and obvious errors of fact or grammar. I will also proofread a manuscript that has not been typeset, but only if the manuscript was edited first. Otherwise, the proofreading turns into copyediting, and the changes are usually significant enough and numerous enough to require another proofread after the corrections have been made to the text.
Rate: $2 to $4 per page (typeset page, regardless of word count, or 250-word manuscript page)
The rate varies depending on whether the material is typeset, the level of proofreading required—light, medium, or heavy—and the complexity of the material (such as extensive tables or cross-references).
Website editing
I review your website for effective organization and design; typographical, formatting, and grammatical errors; and consistency, clarity, and impact of content. The fee includes testing the links and providing a second review after you've made corrections.
Rate: 1 to 4 cents per word
The rate varies depending on the complexity of the website.
Manuscript evaluation
A manuscript evaluation is a written report on the strengths and weaknesses of a manuscript, including suggestions for revision and new writing as well as notes on common problems and how to fix them.
Rate: $2.50 per manuscript page
Transcription
Send me an audio recording (a digital file, cassette, or CD), and I will transcribe the contents accurately and efficiently into a Microsoft Word file.
Rate: $50 to $75 per hour of recording
The rate varies depending on the quality of the recording and the speaker’s speed and enunciation.
Payment
I accept payment by check, money order, or credit card (through PayPal). Half is due up front and the other half upon completion. For larger projects, please contact me if you wish to discuss a payment plan.