What to Expect

STEP 1

What sort of editing do you want? Are you looking for a stylistic editor to suggest changes that ensure your writing is logical, clear, and impactful? Or are you interested in a copy editor to check your words, punctuation, and citations? Maybe you’re not sure where to start and what you need.

STEP 2

Contact us for a quote. You will need to provide a sample of your work, the deadline for completion, and an idea of how much editing you want. For example, editing for internal consistency and accurate word use is faster than reorganizing sections, creating better flow, and suggesting content.

STEP 3

We will provide you with a timeline and price, based on your editing needs and document size.

STEP 4

If this all sounds good, we’ll sign an agreement. It helps to set out all our expectations before starting the project.

STEP 5

Depending on the size and scope of the editing, we may ask for a deposit.

When the work is complete, you can pay by e-transfer through your bank account, direct deposit from your institution, Paypal, or by wire transfer (international clients). We can provide an invoice in Canadian dollars, Euros, or other currency as needed.

How Are Fees Calculated?

Depending on the size and word count of the document, the fee may be a flat cost or assessed at an hourly rate.

The hourly rate depends on the type and difficulty of the work. For example, a stylistic edit of a document with highly specialized language (academic or in a distinctive script) takes more time than proofreading a children’s book.

• Proofreading: 9–10 pages/hour

• Academic / Technical work: 6–8 pages/hour

• Creative Writing: 7–8 pages/hour

• Poetry / Plays / Scripts: 15–17 pages/hour

• Complete edit: 4–5 pages/hour

A complete edit starts by checking the organization of your work, then a stylistic edit for clear meaning and readability. Then we copy edit for grammar, spelling and punctuation, and finish with proofreading. You are consulted throughout the process.

Hourly rate: $60

Word rate: $0.03/word to $0.05/word

Minimum: $60

What does the editing process look like?

You can submit your work by email, shared in Dropbox or another file-sharing platform, or as a hard copy on paper.

Editing options include:

  1. Word documents: We use Track changes so you can see all the changes and suggestions. You choose which suggestions to accept or reject.

  2. PDF documents: We use editing tools to mark-up the pdf and insert more substantial comment boxes. You choose which suggestions to accept or reject.

  3. Word documents with major structural changes: We send both the Track changes version and a clean copy with all suggestions accepted, which is easier to read.

  4. Paper and a red pen: For authors who prefer to work on paper, we can scan the edited version and e-mail it. This works best for smaller changes.

  5. Web content: We edit the content directly and send it back in the body of the email.

  6. Have another format that works for you? Let us know.