FAQs About Working with Me
What Does Working Together Look Like?
First, I’ll ask you for some information about your project, such as length, subject matter, and audience, and your goals, timeline, and any other requirements you have.
I’ll also need to know what file format your material is in. Copyediting usually requires DOCX files, as I work in Microsoft Word, but I can also copyedit PPTX files in PowerPoint. If your text has already been laid out for publication, I’ll proofread and mark up the changes needed directly in your PDF file. For book layout, I’ll work from your edited DOCX file and individual image files.
Initial Consultation
Sample Edit and Proposal
Next, for editing or proofreading, I’ll look over your entire manuscript or other document and do a sample edit of a short section so you can see what kinds of changes and feedback you can expect from me, and so I can accurately estimate your timeline and investment. Along with the edited sample, I’ll send you instructions for reviewing the changes and a proposal that includes a detailed description of the proposed services, timeline, fees, and terms.
For book layout projects, I’ll review your manuscript, any image files, and your answers to the questions on my intake form, then create a detailed proposal for you.
Deposit and Scheduling
After reviewing the sample edit and proposal, you’ll have the opportunity to ask me any questions you have about them. I can adjust the proposed timeline or include additional services if needed. When you sign the proposal to indicate your acceptance of it and pay the specified deposit, I’ll book time in my schedule for your project and confirm the project timeline.
The remaining steps will vary depending on which services we have agreed on, but the detailed proposal means you’ll know exactly what to expect.
Who Do You Serve and What Services Do You Provide?
Cookbook and Recipe Authors and Publishers
I work with cookbook authors and publishers, food bloggers and influencers, brands, meal kit companies, and anyone who deals with food-related or recipe-heavy writing. The services I provide for this type of work include the following:
Copyediting: I ensure that all the parts of a recipe work well together and that style choices are implemented consistently across recipes. I also identify whether each recipe contains all the information home cooks will need to be successful, and then either make adjustments myself or ask you for additional information.
Proofreading: I check many of the same items as in a copyedit, plus identify any formatting issues and check images against the recipe or other text they relate to.
For more information about how these services work for your needs, please visit my Cookbook Authors page.
Nonfiction Authors and Publishers
I work directly with nonfiction authors and also for publishers, on both long and short pieces. My areas of specialty include food and cooking, education, Christian nonfiction, business, and how-to and self-help. The services I provide for this type of work include the following:
Line Editing & Copyediting: Line editing is sentence- and paragraph-level editing with a focus on readability, style, and tone. Copyediting is sentence-level editing with comprehensive, detailed attention to clarity, consistency, and correctness. Because there is some overlap between these services, if you want me to line edit your book, I’ll combine the two services into one stage of editing. I can also provide copyediting only.
Citation & Reference Checking: A service that checks that in-text citations, footnotes or endnotes, and bibliography or reference list entries are properly implemented and conform to your chosen style guide. This is included with copyediting but also available separately.
Book Layout: Readying your manuscript for publication, including laying out the main text and other elements into pages for the interior of your print book and formatting them as a reflowable ebook.
Proofreading: Here I perform a final check for errors and inconsistencies (in the text or formatting) after the manuscript has been laid out for print and formatted as an ebook but before the book is published.
For more information about how these services work for your needs, please visit my Nonfiction Authors page.
Fiction Authors
I work with fiction authors who are nearing the end of their self-publishing process and need assistance with the final steps. The services I provide for this type of work include the following:
Book Layout: Readying your manuscript for publication, including laying out the main text and other elements into pages for the interior of your print book and formatting them as a reflowable ebook.
Proofreading: Here I perform a final check for errors and inconsistencies (in the text or formatting) after the manuscript has been laid out for print and formatted as an ebook but before the book is published.
For more information about how these services work for your needs, please visit my Fiction Authors page.
Academic Writers
I work with graduate students, career academics, and anyone looking for editing in the academic writing space. The services I provide for this type of work include the following:
Copyediting: This service focuses on sentence-level editing with comprehensive, detailed attention to clarity, consistency, and correctness, as well as conformity to your style guide. If you are a student, your program’s rules may or may not permit copyediting.
Citation & Reference Checking: I perform an in-depth check of in-text citations, footnotes or endnotes, and bibliography or reference list entries, ensuring they conform to your chosen style guide.
Formatting: I format and style the document to ensure all elements (e.g., page numbers, headings, lists of tables and figures) are styled correctly to meet your submission requirements.
Proofreading: A quality-control check of both the text and the formatting of your paper or book.
For more information about how these services work for your academic writing needs, please visit my Academic Writers page .
How Does Each Service Work?
Line Editing and Copyediting
Line editing for nonfiction authors only
Copyediting for cookbook, nonfiction, and academic authors
I’ll make two passes through your text, making corrections using Word’s Track Changes function and leaving comments to explain the reason for certain changes or to present you with multiple options.
Between the first and second editing passes, I may email you a list of questions to clarify your preferences for the handling of specific issues. After the second pass, you’ll receive the edited file, a style sheet, and instructions.
The style sheet documents which resources were used to guide stylistic decisions, explains any intentional departures from those guidelines, and lists specific names, terms, and abbreviations to show how they are styled.
Your instructions for what to do with the edited file will depend on the process that’s most appropriate for your project. You may accept or reject each change to finalize the edited file yourself or review the changes and comments then communicate your feedback to me so I can finalize the changes for you.
Citation and Reference Services
For academic and nonfiction authors
In academic work and some nonfiction books, citations can be extensive, and matching them up and making sure they’re all formatted correctly can require hours of your precious time. That’s why I’m here to check them for you.
During this service, I’ll check that in-text citations, footnotes or endnotes, and bibliography or reference list entries correspond correctly with one another and conform to your chosen style guide. I’ll correct source details and gather missing information where possible and flag any information still missing or nonexistent sources for your attention.
Citations and references will be formatted in the style appropriate for your project: the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) author-date format, CMOS notes and bibliography format, APA, Turabian, or a custom style guide provided by your university or journal publisher. I’ll use Track Changes to show the work being done and leave comments where more clarification or a new source citation is needed. After one round of editing your references, the document comes back to you for you to approve my work and implement any further changes.
Book Layout
For nonfiction and fiction authors
While some very basic formatting can be included in the copyediting stage, the work at this stage is much more comprehensive. I’ll use Vellum software to lay out the text and other elements appropriately for print and/or digital publication; add elements such as a title page, table of contents, page numbers, and running heads as appropriate; and produce PDF and/or EPUB files ready for proofreading and uploading to your printing or distribution platform. Vellum produces beautiful print layouts with cohesive design, balanced page spreads, and many possibilities for customization, and reflowable ebooks optimized for different platforms.
To get started, you’ll answer a few questions about your publication plans and formatting preferences. Then I’ll need the text, your image files, and a cover image for the ebook. You can choose among a few styling options for various elements and review the preliminary print layout, then it will be ready for proofreading. After proofreading, I’ll incorporate your last changes and produce a PDF of the print interior and EPUB reflowable ebook files optimized for each platform you plan to use (Apple, Google, Kindle, Kobo, Nook, and a generic EPUB file for other platforms).
Academic Paper Formatting
For academic writers
Formatting of academic papers includes making sure items such as the title page, font style and size, margins, chapter titles, tables and figures, and headers and footers are styled correctly to meet your submission requirements.
I work in Microsoft Word to implement all the details of APA, Chicago Manual of Style, and Turabian formats, as well as custom client-provided formatting guides such as American College of Education (ACE).
Proofreading
For cookbook, nonfiction, fiction, and academic authors
After copyediting and formatting, proofreading is essential to ensure that your text and layout are as error free as possible before publication or submission. In some cases, I’ll do the proofreading myself, but if I’m too close to the text at this point to proofread it effectively, I’ll refer you to another professional for this step.
To proofread your work, I will need the formatted version (usually a PDF), since a proofread looks at styling and layout as well as words. The exception to this is academic papers, which are often submitted as Word documents. I complete one thorough round of proofreading, checking for typos, missing punctuation, formatting inconsistencies, and anything that would pull a reader out of the text.
I use the Adobe Acrobat PDF markup tools to leave comments and suggestions for you or your book designer to review and implement. While correctness and clarity are still the goal, suggested changes are minimized during a proofread, since adding or removing a few words or a whole line can affect the formatting on the following pages.
As a final step, you’ll need to carefully review your files and either implement the suggestions yourself or give a final list of corrections to your book designer.
Ready to Work With Me or Find Out More?
I love working with nonfiction authors, cookbook authors, fiction authors, and academic writers to polish their work with professional editing. I’m eager to hear about your project and your goals for publication. When you inquire, I can help determine the right service to get you to publication. Use the button below to get started—or just to ask for more information. I can’t wait to read what you’ve written and help you get it ready for publication!
