Questions frequently asked of a fiction editor
My friend knows a cheaper fiction editor…
Quite possibly they do. There is always someone cheaper. But the same goes for copyediting as for anything else – you get what you pay for. The price of copyediting is generally reflective of the service you receive. I’m not saying I’m the right editor for you, by all means shop around. But make your decision based on a measured judgement of the work. Cheaper does not necessarily mean ‘good’, or even ‘adequate’. Get a few samples done, then make an informed decision.
Questions on copyediting services
Do you do proofreading?
I take on proofreading jobs occasionally, but only for nonfiction. Often, clients ask me to proofread texts that clearly need copyediting, so provide me with a sample of your work and I’ll give you an analysis of the job required. However, my skills are better suited to copyediting, and so for the most part that is what I stick to.
What is the turnaround time?
For works of fiction up to 80,000 words, I aim to have the manuscript back to you in three weeks. With nonfiction, however, it depends on the word count and the level of editing required. A line edit on a 2,000-word promotional piece, for instance, may take longer than an edit on a 5,000-word blog story. I can copyedit nonfiction work on an urgent basis, but the hourly rate will be necessarily higher. It should go without saying, though, that copyediting cannot be rushed. I cannot meet impossible deadlines.
