Copyediting is different than Proofreading. They are SEPARATE SERVICES. Please scroll down to view the differences. I charge separately for each.
Literature types I offer services for are Fiction and Nonfiction, any genre. My favorites are fiction with romance, mystery, suspense, drama, action, adventure, and fantasy.
Rates will vary, depending on the project's complexities and deadlines, and are quoted and negotiated on a project-to-project basis. Editing average price guidelines can be found at the following link at the Editorial Freelancers Association website: www.the-efa.org/rates/.
I prefer to copyedit/proofread up to 2,500 words for FREE before committing. The words would be my choice from the entire work. This gives my client and me a feel for project demands, expectations, and the timeline. It also aids in estimating the cost of the project. If your project is more complex, has a tighter deadline, or will take up more of my time, then the rate increases.
I look forward to your business and especially reading your masterpiece! I can also be reached via Facebook, LinkedIn, Goodreads, and Fiverr.
Literature types I offer services for are Fiction and Nonfiction, any genre. My favorites are fiction with romance, mystery, suspense, drama, action, adventure, and fantasy.
Rates will vary, depending on the project's complexities and deadlines, and are quoted and negotiated on a project-to-project basis. Editing average price guidelines can be found at the following link at the Editorial Freelancers Association website: www.the-efa.org/rates/.
I prefer to copyedit/proofread up to 2,500 words for FREE before committing. The words would be my choice from the entire work. This gives my client and me a feel for project demands, expectations, and the timeline. It also aids in estimating the cost of the project. If your project is more complex, has a tighter deadline, or will take up more of my time, then the rate increases.
I look forward to your business and especially reading your masterpiece! I can also be reached via Facebook, LinkedIn, Goodreads, and Fiverr.
During the 2,500-word free copyedit, I will review the manuscript to assure it is ready for my level of editing (copyediting). If not, I will suggest/recommend a development or line editor.
After the 2,500-word free copyedit, a mutual agreement via a signed contract, and a deposit, I will perform the following copyedit functions for your manuscript, helping the author polish their work of art. I am here to help the author with their readers in mind. I don’t assume that any of my suggestions in Track Changes will be approved. It is the author’s responsibility to approve or reject them. They are not physical changes until the author takes action.
COPYEDITING package includes:
After the 2,500-word free copyedit, a mutual agreement via a signed contract, and a deposit, I will perform the following copyedit functions for your manuscript, helping the author polish their work of art. I am here to help the author with their readers in mind. I don’t assume that any of my suggestions in Track Changes will be approved. It is the author’s responsibility to approve or reject them. They are not physical changes until the author takes action.
COPYEDITING package includes:
- Pre-cleanup:
- Check chapter numbers and any headings.
- Check for weirdness like missing or truncated text, forgotten indents, etc.
- Check spaces, tabs, margins, font, line spacing, quotation marks, etc.
- Three separate passes (light, detailed, then tidying up)
- Light: I am reading, mostly, to get a feel for the author’s style. Along the way I flag obvious errors. I will query the author often here with questions for their preference sheet.
- Medium: Detailed copyediting; along the way following up on the flags I left in the first pass.
- Tidying Up: I will toggle between show and hide tracked changes to check my work for accuracy and tact. Also, this is where I might have to do more research on facts, have more questions for the author, cross-check the preference sheet against my work, etc.
- Query the author at any point, and probably often, as I will be filling out a detailed Author Style Preference Sheet that will also itemize what trumps CMOS or MW or other rules. The most important question will be the dialogue style. A lot of rules are broken in fiction, especially dialogue. It is very important for me not to alter the author’s style.
- All passes will include checking the following with Track Changes turned on. I will assure that I will correct without introducing errors.
- Font
- Grammar and word usage
- Spelling and capitalization
- Punctuation
- Abbreviations and acronyms
- Consistency
- Clarity and readability
- Redundancy
- Numbers and symbols
- Formatting
- Basic fact-checking
- References and notes
- Marking placement of visuals
- Checking chapter titles/numbers, front and back matter, etc.
- Querying anything questionable with the author
- I can negotiate any other variables with the author that they would like added here. It is difficult to pinpoint an exact list of copyediting responsibilities as each author/book is unique. I ensure to focus on solving any other issues I come across not listed here. However, if it will take more of my time, we will need to negotiate a fair compensation for the added services.
- If a deadline is pushed up, expect a fair increase in my pay also.
- Supplied to author: Annotated File, a Summary Document of my work that will explain special changes I am suggesting, and Instructions on approving/rejecting changes and removing comments in Track Changes.
- I can’t reiterate enough how I am helping the author with THEIR BOOK. I like what Author Amy Schneider states in her The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction book:
- “The author has done the design and construction; I’m just smoothing and polishing, maybe pounding in a nail that sticks out here or there, maybe applying a little putty where something had to be taken apart and redone. If I’ve done my job correctly, my work is invisible—but it shows off the author’s creation to its best advantage.”
During the 2,500-word free proofread, I will review the manuscript to assure it is ready for my level of editing (proofreading). If not, I will suggest/recommend a development or line editor or copyeditor, depending on the work it demands.
After the 2,500-word free proofread, a mutual agreement via a signed contract, and a deposit, I will perform the following proofreading functions for your manuscript. I am the final check/eyes during the editing process. I don’t assume that any of my suggestions in tracked changes will be approved. It is the author’s responsibility to approve or reject them. They are not physical changes until the author takes action.
PROOFREADING package includes:
After the 2,500-word free proofread, a mutual agreement via a signed contract, and a deposit, I will perform the following proofreading functions for your manuscript. I am the final check/eyes during the editing process. I don’t assume that any of my suggestions in tracked changes will be approved. It is the author’s responsibility to approve or reject them. They are not physical changes until the author takes action.
PROOFREADING package includes:
- Look for typos, double words, grammatical and punctuation errors, misspelled words, and formatting issues.
- Check for style and consistency.
- Fact-check information when needed.
- Add comments with suggestions when needed.
- Run two passes.
- Build an author's style preference sheet and query the author as needed.
- Supply the author with the proofread summary (explaining special changes I suggested), the annotated file, and instructions for approving/rejecting and removing comments in the Track Changes function.
My Process & Final Product
- Work commences after signed contract and deposit received.
- I save your original.
- I create a copy of your file, naming it "AuthorBookName_AnnotationsByJanell."
- I activate Track Changes and start reading.
- I query the author and reference the author's style preference guide, Chicago Manual of Style, Merriam-Webster, and other factual data.
- My annotations are suggestions for the author to approve or reject. I will include some comments for further explanation and references.
- Repeat the whole process with a second pass and/or third pass to verify work and find anything missed during the first pass.
- After final payment confirmation from the author, I send the Annotated File for review. I include instructions and a summarization of my findings.