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Saturday, April 17, 2010

FAQ


Frequently Asked Questions



Why Do I Need an Editor?

What Kinds of Documents Do You Edit?

What forms of payment do you accept and when do I pay you?

What happens when I send you my file(s)?

What file formats do you accept and how do I send them?

I am really uncomfortable sending documents via e-mail. Isn't there another way?


I've done my research on professional editing services, and I have noticed your prices are way lower than the competition. Why are you so much cheaper? Shouldn't this concern me?


What if I don't like or agree with your your edits?


Can you tell me more about the free sample edits?


Can I get my money back if I'm unhappy with the final product?


Can you guarantee my edited manuscript will result in publication or help me to gain massive amounts of fame, money, and/or notoriety?


You're editing my project right now, and I just had a great idea for it and I'd like to make a change. Can you accept changes after I've submitted my document to you?


If I already purchased a proofread, do I have to pay full price if I decide to come back and have you do a line edit on the same document?

How can I help make sure my manuscript is edited in a more timely manner?

But I need my very long novel/document right away! Can you still work with me?

Do you have a payment plan?

What style manual do you use?

Can you guarantee that all of my personal information and manuscripts will be protected from theft?


What are your credentials and why should I choose you as my editor?



Why Do I Need an Editor?
Supportive friends, family, and groups are essential tools in any writer's tackle box. They provide emotional backing and camaraderie. The only drawbacks to having them edit your work are objectivity and time. If you are
lucky enough to have anyone in your family or social circle who has time to comb through every word of your manuscript and give no-nonsense suggestions on how you can improve your writing, that is a very
valuable person and you should regularly massage his/her temples and baking him/her cookies.

The problem is, when friends or loved ones read your work, they often are doing it as a courtesy. They might be able to pick out glaringly obvious grammar or plot inconsistencies, or give you an overall impression of the finished product, but they might not have any expertise in finding common style issues like passive voice, tense
issues, and adverb abuse. They may also not know proper manuscript formatting, or be able to spot factual errors and anachronisms often missed by the casual reader.

Even the most knowledgeable of your peers can hesitate in giving you advice that could be construed as criticism. They don't want to hurt your feelings. Well heck, I don't want to hurt your feelings either, but you're not paying an editor your hard-earned money to give you a cheerful pat on the pack, and I hope you would ask much more from me than that if only to get your money's worth. I have not only the experience and the knowledge, but also the professional incentive to scour your work down to the comma and give it an honest, straightforward critique. I do this because I stake my reputation and livelihood on how well I do it.
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What Kinds of Documents Do You Edit?
Although I am capable of editing a very wide array of writing, I specialize in manuscripts for novels, novellas, and short stories. When I first began Allison Edits, I had cast as wide a net as possible in order to meet an entire world's worth of editing needs, from academic papers to health care manuals, but fiction is my lifeblood. I spend hours a day writing and reading it, and it's what I prefer to edit. However, if my prices appeal to you and you really need someone to proofread your dissertation, memoir, or editorial article, I welcome your inquiries. I make it policy to consult with every possible client to see if my skills can fit their needs.
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What forms of payment do you accept and when do I pay you?

I work with PayPal, which is a very easy and secure way of doing business. My payment structure is as follows: 

  • 50% upfront and 50% upon completion of your project. This is the preferred method for clients who want their work faster.
  • The new Chapter Pay system, which allows you to send me your work piece by piece. I only edit what you send, and when you're ready for the next chapter, I will invoice you. As I edit each chapter, I will send it back to you as well as insert a copy into a fully-formatted and polished Master document, which you will receive at the end of your project. This method is perfect for clients who are on a stricter budget.
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What happens when I send you my file(s)?

This is the description of a typical Allison Edits job: Once I receive your file(s), I evaluate the level of edits needed, perform a free sample, and generate an official quote for the job. If you are satisfied with the quote and the sample, I will send you a contract and an electronic invoice for payment due. After I receive your signed contract and payment, I will immediately begin the editing process. Upon completion, I will send you an electronic invoice for the outstanding balance. Once I receive that, I will immediately send back your completed document. 


If you are doing Chapter Pay, you will not receive an additional invoice until you send me your next chapter.
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What file formats do you accept and how do I send them?
I use the track changes and comment features on Microsoft Word 2007. I prefer to receive .doc files, but I can also take .rtf, and .odt. If you use Word 2007, you are probably familiar with the .docx format, but I prefer not
accept those. If your document is in a format other than these, I recommend 
Zamzar.com as a way to easily convert it to .doc.

As of right now, I ask that you send your documents as e-mail attachments, or if your file is on an online storage site such as 
Box.net or ibackup, simply send me the link so I can download it. I can also work with documents sent via Google Docs, though this sometimes presents formatting issues. As a general rule, I do not work with hard copies. On special occasions, I will accept a short, hard document (100 pages or less) via Fed Ex or UPS, but the shipping costs are your responsibility and will be worked into the cost of the edit.
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I am really uncomfortable sending documents via e-mail. Isn't there another way?

I have bounced back and forth on this topic a lot since beginning this business, and I understand your concern completely. In this age of mass information sharing, a lot of people do not trust electronic methods to protect them from theft of their property. However, I am of the mind that documents sent through very secure, encrypted means are far safer from unscrupulous hands and human error that you face with traditional mail.

Second, because I edit documents on the computer, it is far less time consuming to receive them in electronic form. If I have to scan your novel into my computer, I will easily lose a day of work, and I would have to charge more for the upkeep of my printer and scanner.

Third, in today's eco-conscious climate, I fully embrace paperless technology, and the publishing industry at large is coming to do the same. 

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I've done my research on professional editing services, and I have noticed your prices are way lower than the competition. Why are you so much cheaper? Shouldn't this concern me?

If you've researched the market, you know that professional editing services are not cheap. A few have quoted me in the thousands for standard novel-length manuscripts (around 70,000 words).

The demand for good editing is higher than ever due to the shrinking publishing market and the expanding small press and Print on Demand (POD) industries. POD books are hardly ever given a thorough editing treatment. If you want one "in-house," you have to pay a lot for it, and it is still often sub-par. If you hope to publish in the
traditional market, you must usually acquire an agent first. This presents a problem, because
 literary agents and others who consider your work for publication are not editors. They don't have the time to be. They go through hundreds of submissions a month. As such, they want very polished work for consideration, and if doesn't appear that way at first glance (often down to the formatting), they will reject your work and move on to the next person in the slush pile. If you get an acceptance on your work, only then will it go through their in-house editing process. Allison Edits is there to make sure you can get through that very first (and very difficult and competitive) hurdle of simply being read and taken seriously.

With such a demand for editing, it is easier to price my services competitively. I chose the lower end of the price scale, because it has broader appeal. The more people who are putting well-edited pieces of writing into the world, the happier I will be as a reader.

Second, and most important, I love this job and 
I want your business. I understand skepticism and cynicism with things that seem too good (or cheap) to be true, but I do not base my pricing on the high quality of my editing skills. I base it on the kinship I feel with the author who has worked his or her heart out on a piece and is looking for anyone who can give it an honest and professional examination. I do not believe someone should have to invest thousands of dollars for this opportunity.
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What if I don't like or agree with your your edits?

The relationship between editor and writer is one of give and take. Disagreements will occur during the course of an intense project. Keep in mind that a good editor is not out to "win" or make you feel bad. My first job is to help make sure you convey your ideas clearly. I review your manuscripts with a very critical eye. Chances are good that if an editor has trouble understanding something you've written, other readers (readers you don't know, such as publishers, agents, and random strangers) will have the same problem.

There is always a gray area, of course. On matters strictly artistic, opinions can vary. But remember:
you hired me. No clause in our contract states I have the final word on whether or not you kill the hero of your story or cut out a particular scene or paragraph you feel is vital, even if I felt it was unnecessary. If I make such a suggestion, it is only out of my deepest desire to help strengthen your work, but I don't always expect an author to bend to my will. Throughout the editing process, we will learn much from one another. If successful, I hope to see more of your work. I like repeat clients.

Some working relationships are unsuccessful, however. That is why I offer 
free sample edits. This affords you the opportunity to evaluate my skills as an editor and for us to see if we mesh well before spending several days or weeks or dollars working together.
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Can you tell me more about the free sample edits?

I will edit the first 20 pages of your novel-length manuscript for free, and this will apply toward the total cost of your project. Obviously this does not apply for smaller projects (if your document is under 10,000 words), but you are welcome to submit pages from another work just to see what you think. The default edit for a sample is the Line Edit. 
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Can I get my money back if I'm unhappy with the final product?

Allison Edits stands behind its services. If you are unhappy with the final product, contact me within 3 days. I will give it a second revision at no additional charge. This does policy does not apply if your edited works are not accepted for publication.
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Can you guarantee my edited manuscript will result in publication or help me to gain massive amounts of fame, money, and/or notoriety?

Absolutely not. I cannot stress this enough. Although a good editor corrects your grammar and helps bring out the very best in your writing, the process is largely a subjective one, and the author has the final word on what happens with his or her document. The decision to accept your book, story, or article lies solely in the hands of the publisher, editor, review board, contest judge, or agent taking it under consideration. If a story edited by Allison Edits is not accepted for publication, the editor is not liable. Beware of any editing service that claims it can get you published, or any agent that refers you to a service that can doctor up your book to make it publishable. These people are sharks and will take you for a ride.
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You're editing my project right now, and I just had a great idea for it and I'd like to make a change. Can you accept changes after I've submitted my document to you?

Once I begin editing, I do not accept changes. This interrupts the time line for your project, and affects anyone else I may be working with. However, if you have a new section or chapter you'd like to add to your manuscript, I will edit that section after the original project is complete. Standard editing rates would apply.
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If I already purchased a proofread, do I have to pay full price if I decide to come back and have you do a line edit on the same document?

No. All higher editing tiers include the previous tiers before it. This means the money you already paid for your proofread goes toward the price of an upgrade.
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How can I help make sure my manuscript is edited in a more timely manner?

If you have most of your ducks in order before sending me your document, such as having it already properly formatted and having any applicable research at the ready, it won't take me nearly as long to complete the job. I can't set out a firm time table until we have had a chance to discuss your needs. Level 1 edits don't take nearly as long as Level 2 or Level 3, but I always make conservative estimates. I hope that if your document requires extensive editing, you will allow sufficient time for the work to be completed and be flexible should I need an extension. This benefits us both. If I don't have to rush, the quality of the final product will be that much better. We will have ongoing contact throughout the project to ensure that I am meeting your goals promptly.
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But I need my very long novel/document right away! Can you still work with me?

Depending on my availability and the level of edits you need, I could put a rush on a job, but this will incur $100 surcharge. Before I say yes to anything, you will need to consult with me directly.
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Do you have a payment plan?
The new Chapter Pay system works much like a "pay as you go" plan. See the Pricing and Payment page for more details!
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What style manual do you use?
I refer often to The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White, which one of the most well-known and influential style guides in the English language for the general public. However, I also refer to the Chicago Manual of Style, as it is preferred by most editors and publishers, and is a great reference for formatting. Where the two differ will depend on the purpose of your piece or your own personal preference. I am also very familiar with AP and MLA style guides.
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Can you guarantee that all of my personal information and manuscripts will be protected from theft?
Absolutely. I understand how important it is for such matters to remain absolutely confidential. Not only will I sign a confidentiality
agreement before starting work on your manuscript stipulating that I will not under any circumstances share your personal information or work with any third party, but once your edited document has been returned to you and our business is officially complete, it will be deleted from my system within 3 business days.

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What are your credentials and why should I choose you as my editor?

It's funny how some of us end up with the word "editor" attached to our names. Some go to school specifically to wind up with the job, while many of us start out doing something else and wind up here as a matter of circumstance. Consider me one of the latter. I have extensive writing experience in both fiction, non-fiction, and academia. I have been published both in print and on the web, having written short stories, blogs, novels, and film reviews, and I have received abundant respect and acclaim from peers, colleagues, and professors alike.

I encourage you to ask for references, testimonials, and a sample edit that will allow my work to speak for itself and make you feel confident you are getting your money's worth.

If you have any questions not answered above, please contact me at 
allison@allisonedits.com!

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