Editing

As an academic author, you have so many demands on your time and attention besides writing, and the closer you get to finalizing a manuscript and submitting it for publication, the more you may realize you still have to do. I help authors get through those final steps to a polished, consistent, and publisher-ready text through the following types of editing:

• Line editing: substantive editing to improve the clarity and effectiveness of your writing at the sentence and paragraph level
• Copyediting: addressing issues with spelling, grammar, punctuation, usage, consistency, and adherence to any required style guides
• Checking citations for formatting and accuracy

My disciplinary background is in musicology, and I have also edited scholarship in fields including anthropology, cultural studies, theology / religious studies, and art history. I especially enjoy working with early-career scholars on their first book projects.

When to work with me

My clients who are writing monographs tend to work with me at one (or both) of the following stages:

1. You’re preparing to send sample chapters or the full manuscript to a publisher for review. At this stage, I typically focus on thorough line editing to make sure your arguments are coming across clearly, the writing flows smoothly at the sentence and paragraph levels, and any distracting mistakes are addressed.
2. Your book is under contract and you’re preparing to submit the manuscript to the press to begin the publication process. After you’ve received and incorporated feedback from peer review, this is your last chance to get other eyes on your manuscript before you submit it for publication. While your book will be copyedited as part of that process, it’s worthwhile to make sure the text you submit is as effective and polished as possible. I can also take care of things that the copyeditor may not be required to address, such as citation accuracy. Because I’m working with you directly instead of through the publisher, we can communicate throughout the process to resolve any questions.

I can also provide the same types of editing services for shorter publications such as journal articles and book chapters. If you are organizing an edited volume or other multi-author work, I can help you by editing the chapters and ensuring that the citation format is consistent throughout the volume.

With any type of material, I specialize in getting the details right as you finalize your manuscript. If you’re stuck in the drafting stage or your work needs rethinking at the content/conceptual level, what you need is a developmental editor. I am not a developmental editor, so I encourage you to check out the Editorial Freelancers Association’s member directory to find someone who can provide that type of support (and then reach out to me when you’re ready to work on the details!).

Specialized services

Citation and bibliography checking

I got my start in editing in graduate school as an editorial assistant for the Journal of the American Musicological Society, and one of my responsibilities was to check the citations in accepted articles. From this experience, I learned that 1) even an article impressive enough to be accepted to a discipline’s flagship journal can have citation errors, and 2) I can help.

Depending on your needs, this service can include:

• Checking citation formatting to ensure adherence to the required style (Chicago notes/bibliography, Chicago author-date, MLA, APA, or Harvard) and/or reformatting citations from one style to another
• Making sure all elements of each citation are accurate: author’s name, title, publisher or journal, page numbers, etc.
• Looking up quotations wherever possible to check accuracy of the wording, source, and page number

Translation revisions

Combining my skills as a line editor with my reading proficiency in French and Spanish, I can revise translations from those languages to achieve a more accurate, idiomatic, and readable English text. This could range from a few quoted paragraphs in your manuscript to a full translated book.

Training

I have completed the following online courses:

• Ideas On Fire: Introduction to Professional Academic Editing (2019)
• Editorial Freelancers Association:
  • Copyediting: Intermediate (2020)
  • Intermediate/Advanced Academic Editing (2021)
  • Proofreading and Copyediting with The Chicago Manual of Style (2021)

Rates

My rates depend on the scope of the project and the type(s) of editing needed. Shorter projects such as a journal article or book chapter will generally be priced by the word, while book manuscripts will receive a customized quote for the full project. In some cases, such as bibliography editing as a standalone service, an hourly rate may be used.

My per-word rates typically range from $0.03 to $0.045 ($30 to $45 per 1,000 words), with comparable rates for project-based and hourly fees. For comparison to industry standards, please see the EFA Editorial Rates chart.

Payment

• If you are paying with your own funds or being reimbursed by your institution, I can accept payment by check, ACH bank transfer, Venmo, or credit/debit card, and full payment is due within 30 days of service completion unless we agree on a different arrangement. I will provide an invoice and a receipt.
• If your institution is paying me directly, it is your responsibility to connect me with someone who can process payments for independent contractors. University payment systems often go slowly, so any efforts to move things along are appreciated!

Portfolio