Mr. Editor’s Freelance Editing Services

Mr. Editor’s Freelance Editing Services

Brian Dawson, M. Ed.
dawbria@gmail.com

Editing and Proofreading Rates:  Rather than charge our clients an hourly rate, we’ve found over the years that most people prefer to know exactly what our editing and design services will cost before committing to use them. An hourly rate is meaningless if you do not know how many pages per hour an editor or proofreader can read or if he or she will do so consistently. One editor might read twenty pages an hour; another editor might read fifteen pages an hour. Both will produce a quality product, but one will take longer to complete your project. We’ve heard horror stories from authors and students who had been presented with a bill far in excess of what was originally budgeted.

Instead, we charge by the page. The established industry standard for a “page” is 250 words. (To figure out your exact page count, divide your word count by 250.) Because a page is defined as 250 words, you do not have to worry about whether or not your manuscript is in the right font or type size before you submit it to us. You can send it to our office “as is” and we will be able to edit it for you.

Turnaround time on most projects is five to ten business days (not counting weekends) from the date we receive your document. We can also accept some rush jobs (turnaround time less than five days), but please be aware that there may be an extra charge for this service.

All of our rates are quoted in U.S. dollars, and there is a minimum charge of $35.00 per job. The following rates apply to electronic editing of Microsoft Word documents (using the track changes feature) and hard copy manuscripts. If your document is in a PDF format and you require the editor to mark the electronic file, there will be an additional charge, as the editing process takes much longer to complete with the PDF editing tools available. Prices do not include return postage for printed manuscripts. Please anticipate an additional fee for any applicable courier charges. However, most work can be handled through the Internet. Let us know if you have a DropBox / Google Drive or similar account that you would like to use. We can tailor our work process to suit your needs.

Express Proofreading Service:  If your book or manuscript is already polished and only needs a final read for minor lapses or typos, we can offer you low rates and a quick turnaround time. We specifically created this service for the author whose manuscript has already been reviewed by another editor or proofreader and is in the final draft stage. This is the service to request if you are about to go to press, upload your file to the Internet, or otherwise distribute it to your readers.

$2.25/page (page = 250 words) when marking hard copy (printout)

$2.00/page for corrected electronic copy (MS Word file)

Basic Proofreading Service:  Our basic service includes proofing for spelling mistakes, typos, punctuation problems, capitalization errors, and awkward grammar. If your manuscript has been peer reviewed, workshopped by a writers’ group, or has gone through several drafts to get it to finally say just what you want, this might be the service for you.

$3.25/page (page = 250 words) when marking hard copy (printout)

$2.95/page for corrected electronic copy (MS Word file)

Extended Proofreading / Line-by-Line Copyediting Service:  This is our most requested service. Extended proofreading / line-by-line copyediting includes everything that comes with our basic service package. In addition, we will help you with the overall structure of your manuscript. Is your writing clear? Does it make sense? Is your word choice appropriate? Are there any redundancies or inconsistencies in the plot or narration? Are your characters or situations believable? During the editing process, we will leave you comments and questions in the margin of the document that address these issues and more.

$4.25/page (page = 250 words) when marking hard copy (printout)

$3.95/page for corrected electronic copy (MS Word)

Deep Editing / Rewriting Service:  If your text needs an extensive rewrite or a more aggressive edit, we can help you overhaul it. (Please note, this service is rarely needed. The line-by-line copyediting service is usually adequate at addressing most issues.)  $12.00/page (page = 250 words) when marking hard copy (printout),  $10.00/page for corrected electronic copy (MS Word)

Payments for Services:  Preferred payments are through Google Wallet. 

Money orders are also welcome.   We can accept personal checks, but the check must clear before work on a project begins. 

Arrangements can be made to work on your manuscript in stages if you would prefer not to submit a large project all at once.

 

We request a deposit of fifty percent to begin with the balance due upon completion.

We also offer a five percent discount if you pay your entire invoice at the time you engage  our services!