The Service
Developmental/substantive editing is often the first big step toward publication. This service focuses on content, structure, and organizational aspects of your writing to ensure that your work has a strong foundation to build on. This process usually includes at least one conversation or meeting between the client and editor so I can ensure that I fully understand where you are with your work, what your concerns and goals are, and the parameters of your current needs. For academic or other types of writing that require citations, I can help you correctly format your work.
If you are further along in your writing journey and want more of a final polish, please see my listing for Copy Editing/Proofreading.
Qualifications
I have been working as a freelance editor since 2005, and hold a B.A. in English as well as a M.S. and Ph.D. in Communication. My own work has been published in scholarly journals as well as trade publications.
Style Guides
I am happy to accommodate style guides either from a specific publication outlet, or a disciplinary style guide such as APA or MLA.
Electronic Edits
I typically provide edits using Microsoft Word, but can also edit in Google Docs. The final product can either show my editing markup for you to review changes individually, or a clean copy with all edits completed.
Rate
My rate for substantive/developmental editing is $55/hour. Depending on the state of the original document, I can typically get through 3 - 4 pages of double-spaced text in an hour.