FAQ:
How do you determine project pricing?
All of my edits are priced within a range of $0.02 and $0.07 per word based on the level of edit requested, expected turnaround, and the demands of the specific manuscript (tables, charts, and intensive notes or citations, for example, require more attention and time than narrative text). This method of pricing allows me to align my fees more closely to the level of service a project requires.
Invoiced costs never exceed the quote cited at the beginning of the project. A small deposit of $50 for works of one hundred pages or less and $100 for works exceeding one hundred pages is requested before editing services begin.
Do you offer discounts on multiple services?
Yes! Although I cannot cite a specific formula or rate, layered services are discounted because I am already familiar with the manuscript, and will spend less time orienting myself within the text. A structural-plus-copy edit of a dissertation or book manuscript will be priced lower than the standalone estimate for either service, even if second services are booked after the initial edit is finalized.
Why do you ask for a writing sample?
Writing samples provide a sense of a manuscript. How dense is the writing? How do the paragraphs, thoughts, and sentences flow? Though the sample offers a small glimpse into the text, it allows me to more accurately project pricing and turnaround times.
What style guidelines do you follow?
While I am most familiar with APA, MLA, AAA, and Chicago, I am able to work with any style sheet that a writer provides.
Will you change my words?
I never change or edit a writer’s words. Clear errors of grammar, spelling, and formatting are corrected in-line using track changes, giving the writer the opportunity to accept or reject the edit. Edits for clarity, flow, and style are suggested in comments, which the writer can review and respond to during the query process. Finalized documents contain tracked changes and suggested edits which writers always have the freedom to use or ignore.
What is your privacy policy?
Although I may on occasion make general inquiries to resolve finer points of grammar and style, I never share or disclose a writer’s name or their work. As far as document security, all file uploads are conducted securely, either through this website or into a password protected folder in google drive workplace. I work on an encrypted server and store manuscripts in apple cloud storage while editing, then delete the file as soon as the finished edit is uploaded to the writer.
Do you use AI tools in your edits?
I do not use AI tools. I believe the quality of my edits is tied to my level of engagement with a text. In truth, I tend to turn off Grammarly and similar tools even when they are integrated into word processing software because I find them to be distracting and too often incorrect. While I cannot foresee the future of these tools as they develop and evolve, I will always oppose AI that has been trained on the intellectual property of writers and artists, and support the Authors Guild’s advocacy and legal action on this issue.
Do you write term papers or reports?
I do not write academic papers. I also hold the right to refuse edits of work that shows signs of being written with generative AI. As a rule of thumb, if your professor or advisor would not approve of your request, the same is likely true for me.
Why Electric Blue?
It is my favorite color.
It is an opening lyric from one of my favorite songs.
It came into use in British and American English in the 1870s and is associated with lightning, electric sparks, vibrancy, and creativity—apt images for impactful writing.
Fun fact: It is also the name of a brilliant and critically endangered species of gecko.