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FAQ - please read in its entirety prior to contacting me

What items do you edit and proofread?

Anything with words should be edited and proofread. These include self-published works and e-books​, long and short stories, personal writings and essays, and fiction or nonfiction books​. ​ Other items include include newsletters, bulletins, documents, and flyers in addition to organization, club, church, special-interest group, business, and school materials. Documents distributed on a schedule (e.g., weekly, monthly) may have the minimum fee ($20) waived or reduced depending on their intervals and complexity. ​ I also enjoy looking at instructional as well as medical forms and documents​, and advertising or marketing materials​. Websites and blog content​ are their own animal. Contact me to talk about what you need.



What services are not offered?

I do not check for plagiarism, source accuracy, or verify permissions or copyrights. I am not liable if you choose to abuse those responsibilities. I also do not create, format, or check over bibliographies or citations.

Resumes: I will proofread and make suggestions for improvement but not format beyond obvious issues. I do not make specific style suggestions or write content. I find that most resumes that come to me to be "looked over" are in serious need of pre-editing assistance. I can recommend this type of service if needed.



How do I submit my work and how is it marked up?

I require submission of five to ten pages of your work for me to look at prior to my committing to the job in order to assess the scope. Included with your submission should be this downloadable sheet.​

Work is emailed in one of the following formats. I will mark them up and return them to you as described:

  • MS Word, Word for Mac, and LibreOffice: Track Changes

  • Google Docs: Suggestions

  • PDF: Comments and Sticky Notes

  • Handwritten: to be printed, marked, and scanned back

Custom style sheets are accepted. Read here for more about style sheets. If you would like to use a simple one I created, you can download one here or here. Finally, this is another sheet you are free to add on to if you would like to specify more exact preferences about some common issues.



After submission, what is the process like?

We talk about your goals and expectations for the piece, who the audience is, and your expectations of me. I email you a contract, edit (or proofread), and when done, submit back to you for review. You are free to keep the suggestions and changes you like and disregard those you don't. I am open to discussion during the entire process. Sometimes authors want to talk as we go along; other times, they prefer to wait until it is done. I do not expect (or want) a response to every single query I pose. It is your work, not mine.



Will you change what or how I write?

I certainly try not to. It is not my place to change your wording or impose my preferences. I strive to work with you and help to keep your style predominate throughout. I use a fairly light hand and am not heavy with commas and hyphens. I punctuate based on how words read, not by what the style book says. You do the hard part: the writing. I'll help you make it look its best. When your writing looks professional, you do too.



What sources are used for proofreading and editing?

I use The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.



When will I get my document or manuscript back?

No later than when we agreed to it unless unforeseen circumstances occur. Turnaround is usually a few days to a week for up to 5,000 words (about 20 pages). Rush jobs are available.



What payment do you take?

Currently I accept only PayPal, unless private arrangements are made at the start of the project. There is a $20 minimum for most services. Projects of $50 or higher may require a deposit, as might jobs that are extensive or complex.



What else do I need to know?

Your name and work are confidential and will not be used for any purpose without your consent. Also, remember that I am not perfect and will occasionally miss things, too. I strive for those instances to be minimal but am not liable for error in the finished product or legal action resulting from such errors.



What is the rate for services?

Cost varies depending upon what you would like done and how much work will be required for me to provide that. Please see the ABOUT page to learn the difference between proofreading and editing. ​ Proofreading is usually $0.01 a word, which includes my taking a second look after you have made your decided changes. ​ Proofreading a document that I have edited is $0.005 a word, provided that you have not made significant changes between processes. ​ Editing starts at $0.02 a word, which includes my taking a second look after you have made your decided changes. Each project has a $20 minimum.



  TESTIMONIALS  

As an author, I cannot stress enough the need for someone else to edit your work. No matter much I try to do it myself, Katie still finds numerous corrections which result in a more polished product for my readers. She respects my writing style and does not push her suggestions. I have found her to be thorough with a high level of attention to detail and I feel she gives my books one hundred percent of her focus.   -F.G., Florida

I am a college senior getting ready to enter into the “real world," I had been struggling to have my resume look just right. Katie helped me make it professional and ready to send out. She had a lot of good suggestions and pointed out things I had never thought about or knew before. I am now ready to ace my interviews!

-S.U., Pennsylvania

Katie edited a short story for me as part of an anthology project my writing group is doing. She did a great job with her suggestions, but more than that, she was very willing to answer emails and to give feedback. She took all the time necessary for me to feel really good about my story! I will ask her to edit again.  -L.B., North Carolina

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