Editing is a fickle business. There are editors living in 3rd world countries that can live very well on $10 a day, who can afford to charge a very low rate. Other editors live in nice houses in expensive cities and need to charge more. Some editors are university graduates, some have PhD's. Some are very good, and some aren't.
As an editor - how much should you charge? As a writer, how much should you pay? Unfortunately there is no standard 'going rate' for editing; editors have unique styles and services. Prices can depend on level and depth of editing, on turnaround speed and other variables. Here are a few tips to make sure you're charging/paying the right amount.
For Editors:
If you're a freelance editor, you need to find a way to charge fairly and consistently. Your price has to reflect your quality and skill level, but also be competitive. A good strategy: Search through about 10 editing sites that you like and that are offering similar services; ie your competitors. Look at how they charge and how much - and then shoot for an average. If the cheapest is $10 an hour and the most expensive is $50, settle on about $25. Although everybody is searching for a bargain and a good deal, when it comes to editing people are already afraid that the service won't be good enough. They are paying for editing because they NEED their writing to be great, flawless, perfect. Therefore price is rarely the determining factor. They want the best editor, most experienced and most suited to their project. So as long as your price is reasonable, you're probably OK.
You should also look at how much you'd like to make per hour. There are many ways to charge clients - personally I prefer by word (or page, although that can be less precise) because it lets visitors check exactly how much their project will cost right away. But figure out how many words you can edit in an hour, and based on that, how much you need to charge per word. I think $15 an hour is a pretty reasonable rate for editing - although some editors make much more. Therefore - if I can edit 1000 words an hour, I could charge $.015 per word.
For Writers:
Now that you've gained these peaks into the business of editing, you writers should have a better idea of what to expect. Choosing a qualified editor can be difficult. Don't assume that the most expensive is the best, and also don't assume the the cheapest is untrustworthy. Read the editing services site, read the testimonials and see if they sound genuine. If it's possible (and it should be!) send them a 1 page sample and see how well they do.
Compare a few sites and get some price quotes - then you can set a reasonable budget for yourself; it should be a price that you feel comfortable with and that you think should be enough to get a qualified editor. If you want a bargain - email some of the more expensive sites and ask them if they will drop their price... many of them will.
You can also search freelance sites like guru.com or elance.com and get freelance editors.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Friday, November 7, 2008
Editing and Proofreading
Moving sites. I've expanded PaperPerfect and finally moved away from a bad host towards a more reliable one. The new site is: http://www.paper-perfect-editing.com. You can also reach it through: mypaperperfect.com
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Self-editing and proofreading your novel
Writing novels is about the most fun a person can have with himself. At least, this was true a hundred years ago when there was no TV, internet or Wii. Nowadays, the author is the person who - through some deliberate passion, usually rooted in dreams of grandeur - locks the real world out and gives birth to an imaginary one.
I wrote my first novel in about a month, on spiral notebooks. I immediately paid a critical roommate to edit it. After a few chapters, she stopped trying to fix all the little stuff, because she recognized that it was, in fact, still pretty bad and would need serious re-writing. With a great deal of tact, she let me know that this was so. It was at least a year later when I could see it myself. I rewrote it entirely, expanded greatly on the plot and characters. It became a confused mess. 4 years later, I've done a lot of research, developed a very tight outline for the plot, and am confident that, next time it gets rewritten, it will be much better.
The moral of the story? Don't rush your novel!!
Here's what will happen if you do:
1) You finish quickly, pay an editor to fix the grammar and spelling, but can't find anyone to publish it because frankly, there are thousands of novels seeking publication every DAY and yours just isn't good enough.
2) You try and rewrite or edit yourself, but don't know where to start - hey, you think its just right and if nobody else can see that, its because the world isn't ready for your genius
3) You decide to self publish, buy 500 copies of your book and pawn them onto neighbors and family.
3) You give up, after having spent at least several hundred dollars.
Is there a better way? Of course. A professional editor (a good one at least, although they are rare and usually charge way too much) can seriously improve your novel. I know this, because I have - in my opinion - saved many novels myself. Many of the novels I edit are seriously flawed. They may have great ideas, great characters, and even be written very well (good use of language), but invariably there are serious plot flaws. The motivation for the characters isn't developed. There is no reasonable explanation of how things happen the way they do, rather than some other way. Things happen for no reason which interrupt the flow of the plot. Vast amounts of background information is given in monologue or narrative. My role, is to point these problems out to the author and say "Readers won't accept this!" Readers today are very critical. They want a smooth, intriguing story. They won't settle for less - and a publisher or agent is twice as picky.
I help writers re-hash and re-think and re-organize - in fact I make them do it. I don't write for them, but I do offer some options that they may develop. My questions and reactions force them to consider their novel from a reader's viewpoint. The result is a dramatically better manuscript, which can then be proofread or edited for perfection.
A final warning: So - if you are looking for an editor - make sure you find one that can work on the big stuff, before getting to the little stuff! Otherwise you're throwing money away.
http://www.perfect-english-editing.com
I wrote my first novel in about a month, on spiral notebooks. I immediately paid a critical roommate to edit it. After a few chapters, she stopped trying to fix all the little stuff, because she recognized that it was, in fact, still pretty bad and would need serious re-writing. With a great deal of tact, she let me know that this was so. It was at least a year later when I could see it myself. I rewrote it entirely, expanded greatly on the plot and characters. It became a confused mess. 4 years later, I've done a lot of research, developed a very tight outline for the plot, and am confident that, next time it gets rewritten, it will be much better.
The moral of the story? Don't rush your novel!!
Here's what will happen if you do:
1) You finish quickly, pay an editor to fix the grammar and spelling, but can't find anyone to publish it because frankly, there are thousands of novels seeking publication every DAY and yours just isn't good enough.
2) You try and rewrite or edit yourself, but don't know where to start - hey, you think its just right and if nobody else can see that, its because the world isn't ready for your genius
3) You decide to self publish, buy 500 copies of your book and pawn them onto neighbors and family.
3) You give up, after having spent at least several hundred dollars.
Is there a better way? Of course. A professional editor (a good one at least, although they are rare and usually charge way too much) can seriously improve your novel. I know this, because I have - in my opinion - saved many novels myself. Many of the novels I edit are seriously flawed. They may have great ideas, great characters, and even be written very well (good use of language), but invariably there are serious plot flaws. The motivation for the characters isn't developed. There is no reasonable explanation of how things happen the way they do, rather than some other way. Things happen for no reason which interrupt the flow of the plot. Vast amounts of background information is given in monologue or narrative. My role, is to point these problems out to the author and say "Readers won't accept this!" Readers today are very critical. They want a smooth, intriguing story. They won't settle for less - and a publisher or agent is twice as picky.
I help writers re-hash and re-think and re-organize - in fact I make them do it. I don't write for them, but I do offer some options that they may develop. My questions and reactions force them to consider their novel from a reader's viewpoint. The result is a dramatically better manuscript, which can then be proofread or edited for perfection.
A final warning: So - if you are looking for an editor - make sure you find one that can work on the big stuff, before getting to the little stuff! Otherwise you're throwing money away.
http://www.perfect-english-editing.com
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
speech making made easy
http://www.squidoo.com/howtogiveagreatspeech
check out my article on how to give a great speech. I wrote it after giving a presentation about life in Taiwan, and sitting through 6 other, poorly done speeches by other people. Don't let a good opportunity be wasted by bad planning!
check out my article on how to give a great speech. I wrote it after giving a presentation about life in Taiwan, and sitting through 6 other, poorly done speeches by other people. Don't let a good opportunity be wasted by bad planning!
How to choose a great essay topic
http://www.squidoo.com/essaytopichelp
I've just written an article on how to choose a great essay topic. Choosing a topic doesn't have to be difficult. Find a subject that interests you and poke around until you discover a problem, question, or statement that you can't agree with. Find something that makes you scratch your head and focus on it until you have an opinion about what's really going on. Then find the evidence to support your claim and bingo! A brand new idea. Essay topics should always introduce something new, something that has purpose, that teaches, expands, illuminates...
Find out more at www.mypaperperfect.com
I've just written an article on how to choose a great essay topic. Choosing a topic doesn't have to be difficult. Find a subject that interests you and poke around until you discover a problem, question, or statement that you can't agree with. Find something that makes you scratch your head and focus on it until you have an opinion about what's really going on. Then find the evidence to support your claim and bingo! A brand new idea. Essay topics should always introduce something new, something that has purpose, that teaches, expands, illuminates...
Find out more at www.mypaperperfect.com
Monday, November 12, 2007
Should I use Copy Editing or Proofreading Services for my Essay, Thesis and Dissertation?
Students who have trouble writing essays, or are at least concerned about their academic success, might be asking themselves, "Should I use Copy Editing or Proofreading Services for my Essay, Thesis and Dissertation?"
This article presents some background information on the topic of editing and proofreading services for student essay writing. Recently there was a rumor that Google would shut down all the "Essay Writing Service" websites on the internet because they have become so popular with students as a way of getting out of doing their assignments.
Although the concern is obvious - students are essentially lying to their teachers when they hand in an essay they didn't write - the implications of Google's actions are controversial.
These essay writing services fill a need, and fill it well. The fact that they have become ubiquitous is a testament to their popularity. Can Google (a web giant based on its own self-proclaimed motto, "we index everything") legitimately interfere with moral issues?
Well, first of all, Google is not the moral Nazi-esque power instigating the change. They are simply a business trying to keep the support of their faithful customers. They can either listen to the up-standing citizens of the educational institutions who demand that internet services providing essay writing be banned, or they can listen to a handful of money-grubbing entrepreneurs who are providing a somewhat morally opaque solution to clients who may not necessarily be better off for it.
Not to say that paying for writing is bad. Businesses spend billions of dollars a year hiring writers to write their ads, letters, company profiles, etc for them. Good writing pays, so it's worthwhile to get your writing done by experts. The same would seem to apply to students. After all, although writing a good essay is a challenging task, which builds character and will increase your written and oral communication, most students may not necessarily see the rewards of doing all the work themselves, especially if they get a low grade that haunts their future career opportunities.
The whole situation is a little similar to Tobacco Company controversies: Tobacco is bad for people, but adults have the freedom to use it anyway. Kids and teenagers shouldn't, use it, but they do anyway. On the general principle of "protecting youth until they can protect themselves", efforts should be made to stop them from getting it. (It = tobacco/paid essay writing). Just because it's there, doesn't make it good.
A less controversial, but more delicate question is whether students should get their essays edited. Professional proofreading and copy editing, in general is marketed towards publication materials that have to be absolutely free from error. Manuscripts get proofread before publication just to catch little mistakes like typos and bad punctuation.
Copy editing and proofreading services for students can take students' own ideas, their own writing, and show them how to improve it. Most students will check what the copy editing services have actually fixed, which helps them to realize what choices they could make in the future to write more effectively.
In one sense, this might even be better than writing it all yourself - many students are happy with their B- average and have a precise knowledge of just how much work it will take them to get there. Since grades alone give no motivation to improve, most students will keep the same poor study and writing habits without ever trying to change them. They'll work just hard enough for their B-, then crumple the paper up and throw it away with no real sense of satisfaction.
With online editing and proofreading services, students have what amounts to a professional writing tutor. Sure, they charge, but when a student chooses to invest in his own academic career, he's bound to take himself more seriously.
Of course, for graduate students writing a thesis or dissertation, proofreading becomes almost necessary. Having a clean, well-written document is almost as important as the research itself as a device to express professionalism. Getting your thesis or dissertation proofread by editorial experts is a great way to make sure it's flawless.
This article presents some background information on the topic of editing and proofreading services for student essay writing. Recently there was a rumor that Google would shut down all the "Essay Writing Service" websites on the internet because they have become so popular with students as a way of getting out of doing their assignments.
Although the concern is obvious - students are essentially lying to their teachers when they hand in an essay they didn't write - the implications of Google's actions are controversial.
These essay writing services fill a need, and fill it well. The fact that they have become ubiquitous is a testament to their popularity. Can Google (a web giant based on its own self-proclaimed motto, "we index everything") legitimately interfere with moral issues?
Well, first of all, Google is not the moral Nazi-esque power instigating the change. They are simply a business trying to keep the support of their faithful customers. They can either listen to the up-standing citizens of the educational institutions who demand that internet services providing essay writing be banned, or they can listen to a handful of money-grubbing entrepreneurs who are providing a somewhat morally opaque solution to clients who may not necessarily be better off for it.
Not to say that paying for writing is bad. Businesses spend billions of dollars a year hiring writers to write their ads, letters, company profiles, etc for them. Good writing pays, so it's worthwhile to get your writing done by experts. The same would seem to apply to students. After all, although writing a good essay is a challenging task, which builds character and will increase your written and oral communication, most students may not necessarily see the rewards of doing all the work themselves, especially if they get a low grade that haunts their future career opportunities.
The whole situation is a little similar to Tobacco Company controversies: Tobacco is bad for people, but adults have the freedom to use it anyway. Kids and teenagers shouldn't, use it, but they do anyway. On the general principle of "protecting youth until they can protect themselves", efforts should be made to stop them from getting it. (It = tobacco/paid essay writing). Just because it's there, doesn't make it good.
A less controversial, but more delicate question is whether students should get their essays edited. Professional proofreading and copy editing, in general is marketed towards publication materials that have to be absolutely free from error. Manuscripts get proofread before publication just to catch little mistakes like typos and bad punctuation.
Copy editing and proofreading services for students can take students' own ideas, their own writing, and show them how to improve it. Most students will check what the copy editing services have actually fixed, which helps them to realize what choices they could make in the future to write more effectively.
In one sense, this might even be better than writing it all yourself - many students are happy with their B- average and have a precise knowledge of just how much work it will take them to get there. Since grades alone give no motivation to improve, most students will keep the same poor study and writing habits without ever trying to change them. They'll work just hard enough for their B-, then crumple the paper up and throw it away with no real sense of satisfaction.
With online editing and proofreading services, students have what amounts to a professional writing tutor. Sure, they charge, but when a student chooses to invest in his own academic career, he's bound to take himself more seriously.
Of course, for graduate students writing a thesis or dissertation, proofreading becomes almost necessary. Having a clean, well-written document is almost as important as the research itself as a device to express professionalism. Getting your thesis or dissertation proofread by editorial experts is a great way to make sure it's flawless.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Should I get my book edited?
If you've finished your first novel or non-fiction and you're ready for the next step, you're probably considering getting your book edited professionally. If not, you should be. Why?
Unless you're planning to self publish and promote the hell out of your book, you're going to want to find an agent or publisher who will help you out (for a hefty commission). However, while in the old days these guys would look for raw talent and do the editing themselves, this is no longer the case. Agents and Publishers want a done-deal, something they can put out on the shelves immediately and turn a heavy profit from. In fact a lot of writers now can't get anyone to look at their manuscript unless they bring their own audience, fan club and publishing history! Makes it rough for 1st time authors, but not impossible. The way to get your foot in the door is 1) a GREAT book, with a fully developed plot, fully developed characters, etc. and 2) an exceptionally clean, error-free document.
Most authors will assume when they first finish their book and are tearful with enthusiasm that their book is magnificient and perfect in every way...except for the occasional typo. So they'll pay $500 bucks or more getting it copyedited or proofread. But, after 6 months of rejection letters from agents and publishers, they decide they need to rewrite their book. They make lots of changes. And then what? Well, they'll need to get it edited again, and pay another $500 or more...
That's why, my advice to you is: make sure the story is as good as it can be! Join writing clubs to share and critique your work. Let your friends/family members read it. Really listen to everybody's responses. Take 3 months vacation, lock it in your desk, then come back to it with fresh eyes. When your sure it's really ready, then yes, you should get it copyedited.
Incidentally, PaperPerfect has put together a pretty economical solution to editing for authors, because (as writers ourselves) we know it's a pain to dish out tons of money just to clean up a manuscript - especially when there's no guarantee of getting it published.
Check out our offer at www.mypaperperfect.com.
Unless you're planning to self publish and promote the hell out of your book, you're going to want to find an agent or publisher who will help you out (for a hefty commission). However, while in the old days these guys would look for raw talent and do the editing themselves, this is no longer the case. Agents and Publishers want a done-deal, something they can put out on the shelves immediately and turn a heavy profit from. In fact a lot of writers now can't get anyone to look at their manuscript unless they bring their own audience, fan club and publishing history! Makes it rough for 1st time authors, but not impossible. The way to get your foot in the door is 1) a GREAT book, with a fully developed plot, fully developed characters, etc. and 2) an exceptionally clean, error-free document.
Most authors will assume when they first finish their book and are tearful with enthusiasm that their book is magnificient and perfect in every way...except for the occasional typo. So they'll pay $500 bucks or more getting it copyedited or proofread. But, after 6 months of rejection letters from agents and publishers, they decide they need to rewrite their book. They make lots of changes. And then what? Well, they'll need to get it edited again, and pay another $500 or more...
That's why, my advice to you is: make sure the story is as good as it can be! Join writing clubs to share and critique your work. Let your friends/family members read it. Really listen to everybody's responses. Take 3 months vacation, lock it in your desk, then come back to it with fresh eyes. When your sure it's really ready, then yes, you should get it copyedited.
Incidentally, PaperPerfect has put together a pretty economical solution to editing for authors, because (as writers ourselves) we know it's a pain to dish out tons of money just to clean up a manuscript - especially when there's no guarantee of getting it published.
Check out our offer at www.mypaperperfect.com.
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