What to Expect

If you are ready to get a quote for your project or learn more before you do, you can 1) Start by filling out the form on the contact page. This is NOT a contract, nor an invitation to join any lists, etc., but a simple contact form so I can get and give the best possible information for your project. 2) There will be at least one email back and forth following your initial contact, requesting any additional information, etc., so both parties can confirm the intent and terms of the contract. 3) Assuming we both still want to and are able to move forward, I will send the full contract and invoice for the deposit. 4) Once the contract is signed, the project will start and will follow the dates set on the contract.

Below are the steps above in more detail:

Contact me through my request form. My available changes all the time, so even if you are requesting a free edit, contacting me doesn't guarantee when I will be able to fit you in. Within two days after that, you will receive an email that either confirms your request (restating your requirements and contact information, and listing the time-span and cost for the service), or if I am fully booked more than twelve months out or unable to complete the request, a referral list of other suggested editors for your project.
If I confirmed your request and if you agree to the terms, you'll then need to respond to my email, completing the request and booking the service. This response is based on your timeframe, but if you respond more than a month after receipt of my confirmation email, the timeline and or cost may change. A quick response from you not only ensures a timely start on your project, it also demonstrates your availability during the process, which is helpful for both of us.
I'll send the agreement (it will be signed by both of us, protecting your content and my work) and invoice listing the final cost, along with the amount due immediately (50% of the final cost). It will also list the date when the full amount will be due, as well as the start and completion date.
You will send your signed agreement and deposit payment right away to complete the booking process. Then, on or before the start date, you will send your project (must be a Microsoft Word Doc). If the project is delivered more than five days past the agreed start date, a fee of 5% may be added to the final amount.
I will email you to confirm receipt of both payment and project when they arrive, and email you questions along the way if needed.
All changes will be made with MS Word Track Changes and in comments, leaving all final choices, changes, acceptances or rejections, and revisions in the author/creator hands and voice.
Final edit will be delivered along with an editor's letter explaining any broader suggestions, and a full stylesheet.

Please contact me using the simpler contact form if you have any other questions.

Here are a few more tips to make things go smoothly:

Sometimes hiring a freelancer can be nerve-wracking (for the freelancer too!), especially without meeting them in person. I like to have a clear understanding in place so that both parties know what are expected of them. Along with an invoice, I always send an agreement to be signed by both parties (see my contract to the right). But also, here are some tips:

Request the Sample Book Edit before hiring me in full. This is absolutely your best way to know if this editing relationship is going to work out. I can edit three to five pages of your project for free, up to 2000 words. Sometimes my availability is too far out, and in those cases I can send a few pages of my tracked changes on a past client's work.

Please keep an eye on the dates! 50% of the final amount is due up front; this is non-refundable once the project starts, and reserves my time. Your invoice will also list a date the final amount is due—usually a few weeks after completion. If you are unsatisfied with the service, you must cancel before the final date listed on the invoice to avoid paying the final amount. No refunds will be issued after that date when work has been completed and the payment has been received.

Communicate! This goes deeper than just the timeliness of your responses. Be honest with me about your expectations. Sometimes the editor to creator relationship can feel adversarial, but I hope every author knows that I have only the utmost respect for them and their project, and no suggestion or revision is meant as an attack. If we are both patient, open, and respectful, we can help the project reach its full potential. I truly believe that!