Copy Editing-Manuscript copy,line editing guidelines & rates information
Manuscript Editing
Copy Editing & Line Editing
Guidelines, Rates, And Policies
Writers have many questions about the processes and policies of manuscript editing. Rather than put you to sleep with a "tome of procedure," I have created this FAQ page for your information and convenience. The list of questions is by no means exhaustive, so if you have a question that I have not covered here, don't hesitate to ask it using the form provided below and I will get back to you as quickly as I can.
Warning: This is going to be a long page. To save yourself some scrolling, click on the section that interests you, which will take you to those questions. Then use the "back to list" link provided after each answer, which will take you back to the section titles. (Of course, I love having your company, so if it pleases you to do the scroll stroll, feel free. Since midi files drive me insane, I won't torture you with music. I'll just hum along as the blue bar does its number.)
You can get back to the top of the page by clicking on the "back to top" link after each section.
Questions About Manuscript Copy & Line Editing
Questions About Fees
Questions About Policies
Questions about Manuscript Copy & Line Editing:
Do you copyright poems and/or manuscripts?
1) What does an editor do? What will having an editor do for me an my manuscript?
2) I can edit my manuscript myself. Why do I need an editor?
3) How do I pick an editor? What are the qualities of a good one?
4) How do I know when my manuscript is ready to be edited/if it needs more work before being edited?
5) Will an editor give me an opinion about my manuscript, or do they just dot the "i's" and cross the "t's"?
6) How do I know that my editor has done a thorough job on my manuscript?
8) How long will it take for my manuscript to be edited?
9) How should my manuscript be formatted for editing?
10) How frequently can I contact you about my manuscript during the editing process?
11) Why is manuscript editing so important?
12) Will having my manuscript edited guarantee that it will be published?
13) Do you have publishing contacts that can help me to get my manuscript editing?
14) Do you do all of your editing on hard copy? Can my editing be done via e-mail attachment?
15) What if I want to make changes to my manuscript once it is in the editing process?
Back to Top
Questions about fees:
7) How much does it cost to copyright poems and/or manuscripts?
16) What are your fees for manuscript editing and critiques?
17) What type of payment do you accept?
18) Where do I send my payment?
19) Do you have a payment plan available for your services?
Back to Top
Questions about policies:
20) Where do I send my manuscript?
21) When does work on my manuscript begin? When can I expect its return?
22) Will paying via personal check or money order affect when work on my manuscript begins?
23) What if there are insufficient funds in my checking account to cover my editing fee?
24) What if I want to change my mind about the editing of my manuscript once I have sent in my payment?
25) What if I disagree with changes made to my manuscript?
Back to Top
1) That's a great question. You can find that answer here
Back to List
2) There are many elements that make up a good manuscript. Proper grammar and spelling are only two of those elements.
A good editor will make sure that these elements are present in your manuscript. Every writer needs an editor. That includes editors. When we write, we are much too close to our material to be able to objectively edit our work.
You can read more about the elements needed in your manuscript here
Back to List
3) I am going to rephrase an answer that I gave when I was interviewed for a spotlight at BizTalk4U, a business web site. (You can check out the full interview here.)
A good command of the rules and mechanics of grammar and writing are essential but only a part of what a good editor requires. A passion for words and people is an important element, as well.
Editing requires broad vision and narrow focus, both at the same time. (We have to see not only the forest and the trees, but the shrubbery, wildlife, cloud position, and angle of the sun of every writing landscape that we survey.)
We--editors--are contractors and artists. We build, reconstruct, paint, mold, and sculpt our client's words until they reflect the vision, passion, and essence of the writer. Only then, in my opinion, is our work complete.
When choosing an editor, making sure that said editor is me, of course *smile*, and be sure that they possess the qualities that I have just mentioned.
An editor holds your heart in their hands. Good ones recognize that. Great ones--like me--know that every manuscript is a piece of a writer's heart and that heart must be valued, respected, and protected.
Editors need to be good listeners and able to establish rapport and trust with their clients. I excel at all three because people are important to me and I care about their welfare and their success. You are not one of many to me...you are one of a kind.
Back to List
4) A manuscript evaluation and/or critique is an excellent, and needed, tool that will let you know the state of your manuscript, if it is ready for editing, and what more will be needed to be done to it before it is ready for the editing process.
You can read more about and purchase manuscript evaluations and critiques here
Back to List
5) Your manuscript will be commented upon quite a bit during the editing process. Queries (questions and suggestions) are a part of manuscript editing and you will receive quite a bit of feedback and comments with your returned manuscript and also throughout the editing process when I send you updates about your manuscript's status.
Back to List
6) Your manuscript should sound better, flow better, and reflect what you were trying to say with it. Both the manuscript and your writing knowledge should be greatly improved. If it doesn't, it wasn't edited by ©UniqueCritique.
You can read a testimonial from one of my manuscript editing clients here
Back to List
8) It generally takes between four to six weeks for the manuscript editing process to be completed.
Back to List
9) Manuscripts should be double-spaced and use 12 pt. Arial or Times New Roman font, with 1 1/2 margins.`
Back to List
10) You are free to e-mail me as often as you feel you need to in order to express your feedback or to receive questions about your manuscript and the editing process. (However, please make those inquiries specific and pertinent. I know that you are anxious to receive your manuscript as quickly as possible and that you are concerned about "your baby." Your manuscript is in the hands of a competent and caring editor. Daily e-mails, while understandable, will slow down the editing process. I will update you about the progress of your manuscript on a regular basis.)
Back to List
11) Manuscript editing not only polishes, it improves both your writing and your manuscript. A good sounding story is will not be enough to get your foot in the publishing door. Additionally, your manuscript will not sound good without proper editing, in the first place.
Your writing will not be taken seriously without editing. Submitting an unedited manuscript is a waste of time, money, and is a chief cause of most manuscript rejections.
Back to List
12) There is no automatic guarantee that any manuscript will be published, edited or not. I can guarantee, however, that if your manuscript is not edited, the likelihood of its rejection is multiplied many times. Publishing companies receive manuscripts numbering in the thousands each year. Those not edited are, more often than not, rejected before more than a few pages are read because if certain elements are not present in a manuscript, the likelihood of that manuscript being a good, and publishable, one is slim.
An edited manuscript is a necessity, not a luxury, if you are serious about your manuscript being a success in the publishing world.
Back to List
13) I am a freelance editor. I stay strictly on the creative end of writing because giving promises (or even suggestions) about any certain publishers/agents opens me up to all sorts of expectations and problems associated with such advice. At my web site, I will offer advice or point out good resources and plan on digging up some helpful information about publishing companies, agents, etc, to give writers a heads-up, but that is a separate thing entirely and for informational purposes only. My writing services are separate from the educational properties of my web site.
Back to List
14) I prefer editing on hard copy. However, I will edit your manuscript via Microsoft Word, with the understanding that my editing will address the copy and line editing issues only. I will not be responsible for formatting your manuscript (that includes text type, indentations, spacing, etc).
Back to List
15) I welcome your comments and feedback that you have concerning your manuscript. If there are particular questions, concerns, or changes regarding your manuscript that you'd like addressed, please feel free to e-mail me and I will do what I can to address those concerns and questions and will do my best to work those issues into the editing of your manuscript, where possible.
However, if the changes will require additional time (changes are requested during the final stages of editing), an additional fee will be assessed--that fee to be determined by the nature of/extent of the changes needed.
Back to List
©UniqueCritique now offers copyright protection services. For a one-time fee of $75, we'll take care of all of the necessary details
required for copyright protection filings.
You can sign-up for and purchase our copyright services here.
Let's get started
Back to List
16) Copy editing is $3.00 per page
Both copy and line editing are $5.00 per page
These fees are for standard manuscript editing services. Those manuscripts requiring a more extensive edit will be assessed a higher fee.
Manuscript evaluations are $100.00
Full manuscript critiques are $250.00
You can find out more about the necessity of evaluations and critiques for your manuscript here
Back to List
17) For your convenience, ©UniqueCritique uses PayPal to accept payments.
We also accept U.S. Postal money orders, cashier's checks, and personal checks. (Cashier and personal checks must be from U.S. banks.) All funds must be in USD (U.S. dollars).
*NOTE: Personal checks and money orders must be cleared by our bank before work on a manuscript is begun.
Back to List
18) Money orders and checks (personal and cashier's) should be sent to:
Lynette Scott
P.O. Box 1336
Kalispell, MT 59903
All funds must be in USD (U.S. dollars)
Back to List
19) While I normally require full payment in advance, I will provide a payment plan of 50% of the fee, plus a $25.00 installment fee accompanying the manuscript, with the balance due 30 days from the date of the first installment (a per day late fee of $5.00 will also be assessed if the balance is not received when payment is due), if full payment is too difficult for my clients.
.If paying by check or money order, the first installment check must clear with my bank before work on your manuscript can begin and the check for the remaining balance must be cleared before your manuscript is returned to you. This may delay your manuscript's return, as checks sometimes take up to two weeks to clear.
Back to List
20) The mailing address for manuscripts is:
Lynette Scott
P.O. Box 1336
Kalispell, MT 59903
Back to List
21) Work on manuscripts begins on the day that funds have been received/cleared. You can expect its return within four to six weeks.
Back to List
22) Yes, because checks and money orders must be cleared by our bank before work on your manuscript begins.
Back to List
23) A fee of $30.00 will be assessed for returned checks due to insufficient funds.
Back to List
24) Manuscript editing cancellations within 72 hours of payment will be accepted. Your manuscript and payment will be returned, minus shipping and handling fees and expenses incurred involving any preliminary work begun on the manuscript. (This includes reading and evaluation time spent. Many hours are spent preparing and researching facts and other elements relevant to your manuscript before the red pencil is actually applied.)
Refunds will not be given after 72 hours.
Back to List
25) Your satisfaction is my number one priority, other than seeing your work in print, that is. If you have questions or concerns regarding any work that was done to your manuscript, don't hesitate to bring them to my attention. I will do what I can to address those concerns to our mutual satisfaction. (If a re-edit is appropriate, and deemed necessary, for certain sections of your manuscript, it will be done without any additional expense to you.
Together, we are partners in your success.
Back to List
We welcome your questions. Please submit them in this form.
Visit our Internet Marketing and Copywriting Services section
About Our Services *
Business Slogans & Taglines *
Web Site Critiques *
Email Marketing
Press Releases *
Speech Writing *
Brochure Copy *
Advertising Copy
Web Page Content *
Resumes *
Business Letters *
SEO Copywriting
Sales Letters *
Business & Internet Marketing
Web Site Creation & Redesign * Web Site Consulting
Home
Site Map
Copyright ©2002-UniqueCritique.net
No content of this web site may be used without permission of the webmaster.
Email LS@uniquecritique.net for more information.
This web site is updated regularly.
Last revised on 02-23-06
|
Contact Information |
Contact: Lynette Scott
Email: LS@uniquecritique.net
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1336, Kalispell, MT 59903
Phone: 1-406-752-3720 |