1. What do you edit?
2. How do I know you’ll do what I want?
3. Can’t I edit and proofread my own material?
4. How much do you charge, and how do I pay?
5. How important are good spelling, punctuation, and grammar?
6. I have another question.

1. What do you edit?

I copy-edit and proofread reports, essays, articles, academic papers, newsletters, books, short stories, websites, CVs, letters, presentations, advertising copy, theses, and more. If you’re not sure whether I’ll edit something, please get in touch.

Most documents I receive are in Microsoft Word format, where I use the “Track Changes” feature for transparency. Other options are possible. (Please note that I don’t do developmental or structural editing.)

2. How do I know you’ll do what I want?

Before I start work on your text, you can specify what you want. Be as clear or vague as you like, and between us we’ll decide what the text needs, whether it’s a basic proofread or a more thorough copy-edit. If you’re not sure, I can send you a short sample for free and we’ll take it from there.

3. Can’t I edit and proofread my own material?

Yes, but you’ll miss what an experienced third party would notice. When editing our own text, it’s difficult to get proper perspective. As Joseph M. Williams said:

When we read our own stuff, all we’re doing is reminding ourselves of what we wanted it to mean when we wrote it. That means that we are our own worst editors. We are constitutionally incapacitated from looking at our own writing the way others will read it.

Nor can you trust automated grammar- and spell-checking programs – they’re notoriously unreliable and no substitute for experienced human judgement.

4. How much do you charge, and how do I pay?

That depends on the text, since every project is different. I can give you a quote after seeing your text (or I can give you an estimate based on an excerpt plus word count). You can pay by bank transfer, cheque, cash, or PayPal. I ask for payment or part-payment in advance, though arrangements may be more relaxed with regular clients.

5. How important are good spelling, punctuation, and grammar?

I think they’re invaluable, but not everyone seems to agree! Good spelling and grammar testify not only to a writer’s command of the language but also to their professionalism, attention to detail, and respect for their clients, associates, and readers. This is reinforced by other virtues of effective prose, such as clarity, consistency, an appropriate tone, and an engaging style.

In his classic book The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, sociologist Erving Goffman writes about the importance we attach to proper presentation. He notes specifically how misprints can lead to a publication being “humorously discredited”. Writing experts agree: Here are Martha Kolln and Loretta Gray in their acclaimed book Rhetorical Grammar:

The importance of accurate punctuation cannot be overemphasized. Not only will readers be guided efficiently through your ideas, they will also gain confidence in you as a writer – and as an authority on your topic. It’s easy for a reader to conclude – perhaps subconsciously and, yes, perhaps unfairly – that slipshod punctuation equals slipshod thinking.

Research confirms this. IBM found that well-edited pages do 30% better than unedited pages. A Royal Mail survey in 2005 found that 74% of people said they would not trust a business that used poor spelling or grammar. A more recent study had similar results. Neglecting to have your work edited is a costly oversight, and the problem isn’t limited to business.

Mistakes happen easily, but readers notice them and judge your work accordingly. Your reputation depends in part on the quality of your communication, yet a 2013 survey found that most CVs have typos. Clear, error-free writing makes a positive, lasting impression, whereas careless writing is quickly dismissed – or remembered for all the wrong reasons.

6. I have another question.

I’d love to hear it.