Services & Prices

“Copyediting” is a term that encompasses a broad spectrum of services ranging from basic proofreading to conceptual editing.  Please read the descriptions of services below to determine which level of editing will best suit your needs.

Also, note that all edits will be performed using the track changes feature in Microsoft Word.   This enables you to accept or reject changes at your discretion.  Thus, the voice of your writing always remains your own, and you retain total control over your work.

Proofreading: $2.50 per page

Proofreading involves reading a piece with a focus on conventions and grammatical correctness.  Are your commas in the right places?  Are you using a semicolon correctly?  Do paragraph breaks occur in appropriate places?  Do your sentences make sense?  Are your sources cited properly?  If you are comfortable in the content of your writing and simply want to polish your punctuation, this is the service for you.

Conceptual Editing: $3.50 per page

With conceptual editing, we will focus not only on your punctuation, but also on the main ideas and arguments of your piece.  Below are some sample questions a conceptual editor would use when reading your work:

• Is the introduction compelling?  If not, what might the writer add/change to make it so?
• If the piece is argumentative, is the argument clearly stated, or does the reader have to wade through the entire piece to get to the main point?  If the latter is true, how might the writer better focus the argument?
• If the piece is argumentative, what is the strength of the supporting evidence?  What kinds of sources are cited?  Are they reliable?
• Are there any sections that need to be reorganized/removed/added?
• What questions does the piece raise?  Does the writer answer them?
• Is the writing redundant?
  
• If the piece is fiction, how is the character development?  Are the characters believable?  Are there any contradictions/inconsistencies in the descriptions or in the storyline?

If you opt for conceptual editing, you will receive a detailed response to your work recommending changes, asking questions, and offering suggestions for improvement.

Book-Length Projects: Varies

Because editing costs can rise tremendously on longer projects, we are willing to negotiate prices with you for editing services performed on longer works, especially if you are a returning client.  Please email the editor at sara@smediting.com to determine an appropriate price on book-length projects.

Submission Guidelines

We prefer that all files be submitted via email to sara@smediting.com.  Please be sure to include your full name and billing address either in your email or in the file itself.  To get the most out of the editing process, please also include some information about the kind of piece you are writing and your purpose for wiriting it.  If applicable, please include essay prompts, assignment guidelines, and the citation style you are required to follow (MLA, APA, etc.)

Please submit files in Microsoft Word (2007 or earlier versions).  Please double space all files and use one-inch margins.

Please contact the editor at sara@smediting.com if you would like to submit hard copies of your work.  You are responsible for all postage costs.