PROCEDURE
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
CONTACT Sally Asnicar using the Enquiry/Quote Request.
SPECIFY your requirements, including type and size of document, deadline (if any), budget (if any). Prices are based on the value of the work to be completed, not hourly rates.
You may be requested to provide the document or an excerpt of it for pricing purposes. If it is a manuscript, a synopsis should also be provided. As you can appreciate, every piece of writing requires different types of editing and in order to provide you with a realistic price range, it is necessary to see the work to ascertain how much editing and what type of editing is needed. Also, different formats – PDFs, for example – can take longer to mark up than Word documents. If the document is a manuscript, Sally may also do a short sample edit, so that you can determine whether her editing style is what you’re looking for, as apart from the universal rules of grammar and spelling, all editors bring a level of subjectivity to their editing suggestions.
WHAT WE WILL DO
Sally will provide you with a price, and if this is acceptable, agreed start and completion dates. The terms of the project will be laid out clearly in the terms of agreement, and you will need to sign and return this before commencement. You may be invoiced 50% upfront, with balance payable on completion. Note that new clients may be asked to pay in full beforehand.
If the job is lengthy (e.g., a manuscript), Sally will liaise with you regularly (usually weekly) to keep you informed of her progress with your project. For longer projects, progress payments may be invoiced before each stage (e.g., every few chapters).
TYPES OF EDITING
A common mistake writers make is to give their work to family members, friends or colleagues to proofread. Unless this person is a qualified proofreader and/or editor, they will miss small errors that a proofreader will pick up. As they know you, they may also find it hard to be completely objective and honest when reading and assessing your work.
Another misconception is that ‘proofreaders’ will perfect any structural issues with your work and improve your writing. This is not proofreading, it is editing. Editing covers a broad range of skills. More often than not, a manuscript – particularly by a new writer – requires more than proofreading; it may require a structural or developmental edit before copyediting and then, finally, proofreading.
TO SUMMARISE
- Manuscript assessment: If you have just completed a manuscript and are unsure what type of editing it needs, Sally is able to cast a critical eye over your work and write up a report outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the work, areas for further development and so forth. This is usually more economical than hiring an editor prematurely to carry out the types of editing listed below.
- Substantive editing focuses on the ‘story’ (also called structural or developmental editing). The aim is to ensure that the structure, content, language, style and presentation of the document are suitable for its intended purpose and readership. It is ‘big picture’ editing and does not concentrate on the finer details of grammar and spelling or typos.
- Line editing focuses on the writing, considers paragraph structure, sentence flow, word choice and language consistency/choice. It includes voice, style and readability.
- Copyediting focuses on grammar, spelling, accuracy, clarity and consistency in a document.
- Proofreading focuses on finalisation and perfection. In other words, the document is ready to be published and just needs a final polish and check. It includes making sure that all elements of the document are included and in the proper order (e.g., chapter/page numbering etc.), all amendments have been inserted, the house or other set style has been followed, and any remaining spelling or punctuation errors have been deleted.
Structural editing, copyediting and proofreading are all important elements of producing a piece of work that is suitable for publication (although it does not GUARANTEE acceptance by a publisher or agent).
“I was drawn to Sally’s website on the basis that she specialised in first time authors. She took on my average work with ordinary characters and dubious plot lines and helped me to turn it into something that I am now extremely proud of … I cannot praise Sally enough for her patience and expertise. She was a delight to work with.”
Chris Hepworth, author, The Sleepwalker Legacy and The Nocnista Agenda http://christopherhepworth.com/