Rates, Quotes, and Billing

I usually bill the client in a single invoice once the work is completed. Larger jobs may be invoiced in installments. I accept checks by mail and online payments (credit card via PayPal, bank transfer, etc.). The following prices are subject to change.

Copyediting projects are generally priced by the hour, though manuscript critiques may be done for a flat fee. My minimum hourly rate is $40.00. Jobs that present scheduling or editorial challenges will likely run higher.

The total number of hours needed to copyedit a piece of writing will depend largely on its length and the amount of work it needs. Here are some guidelines on my typical pace for different levels of copyediting, based on a 250-word manuscript (MS) page: 

• Heavy copyedit: 2–3 MS pages/hour
• Medium copyedit: 4–7 MS pages/hour
• Light copyedit: 6–9 MS pages/hour

I'd be happy to give you an estimate of the total cost of editing your work. Please contact me and supply the following information:

• A description of the text and any particular problem areas
• A general indication of what you'd like me to do
• A representative sample (such as one chapter, including notes)
• Any scheduling targets or deadlines

Proofreading projects can be priced by either an hourly rate ($40 minimum) or a page rate. The exact page rate will depend on the nature of the material, the method of markup (electronic versus pen-and-paper), and the turnaround time. Typeset book or magazine layouts usually run in the neighborhood of $3.50 to $5.50 per page. Documents requiring extensive corrections or heavy checking of bibliographic sources will likely incur higher rates.

I'd be happy to give you an estimate of the total cost of proofreading your work. Please contact me and supply the following information:

• A description of the text and any particular problem areas
• Your preferences on markup and delivery
• A representative sample (such as one chapter, including notes)
• Schedule: When can I expect to receive pages? When do you need the corrections back?

Most indexing projects are priced per indexable page. For trade books, rates usually fall between $3.50 and $5.50 per page, while scholarly books will run from $5.00 to $8.00 per page. The exact page rate will depend on trim size, complexity of material, depth of indexing, and turnaround time.

I'd be happy to quote a price for indexing your work. Please contact me and supply the following information:

• A description of the text, including the number and nature of any illustrations
• A general indication of the type of index you're looking for
• Publication details: Who is the publisher? Do you know the book's trim size? Its final page count?
• A representative sample (such as one chapter, including notes)
• Schedule: When can I expect to receive pages? When do you need the completed index?