Are your prices negotiable?
To a degree, yes, but please remember: I price my services according to the length of time it will take for me to complete the project, the length of time I studied to get here, and my experience in the industry, not according to your budget. That said, if money is tight, we might be able to work something out.
Do I have to pay upfront?
Different services offer different payment plans. Check out the specific pages for details or contact me to discuss your particular needs.
I hear you offer free book coaching and editing placements. How do I get on one of those?
It’s true, I do. I love what I do, and I want to spread that love as far and wide as I can—even to those who can’t afford it. However, I do still need to earn a living. That’s why I only work with one free client at a time, which means I can normally take on between four and six each year. If you want to be considered for one of these, contact me to discuss your situation and I’ll let you know when the next available space is. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you anything personal or get into details about your financial situation. I only want to know about you as a creative and your project. Contact Me
Can I pay in different currencies?
Yes. I have clients all around the world and take payments in all different currencies. The prices on my website are listed in pound sterling, but here is a handy currency converter.
Can you edit my 100,000-word manuscript in 24 hours?
No! Good work takes time. However, if you are on a tight deadline, message me with the details and I’ll see what I can do.Contact Me
How do I know you have the skills I need?
Check out what my clients say about me on the homepage. Before we start working together, we’ll have a good chat about exactly what you need, and I’ll be entirely honest about whether that’s within my capabilities or not. Remember, I don’t want to do a bad job for you!
Is there any job too big or too small?
Absolutely not.
Why can’t I just self-edit?
You can. In fact, you should. When your manuscript or document gets to me, it should have gone through at least one self-edit. So why do you need me? It’s near impossible to pick up on everything in your own work—especially if it’s a labour of love. You need someone from the outside, someone who can see the things that you can’t.
Do you guarantee to pick up every single mistake, typo, or error?
No. Firstly, I’m only human. To guarantee I’ll never make a mistake or miss an error would not only be foolish, but it would also be a lie. Secondly, in traditional publishing, manuscripts go through several rounds of edits and usually, these edits are done by different people (so one person will do a developmental edit, another will copy-edit, yet another will proofread, and so on). Why? Because different people will pick up on different kinds of errors.
That said, I will do my very best to ensure your manuscript is returned to you as error-free as possible. Regardless of what level of editing you require, I will go through your document a minimum of three times, sometimes more. If you feel that it could do with a further readthrough, just message me—I’m happy to make extra alterations or check up on things again.
I don’t agree with an editorial decision you made. What should I do?
That’s your prerogative. Your manuscript is your baby. I’m only here to give advice based on my education and experience. If you choose to ignore that advice, that’s your call. If there are alterations that you don’t agree with, ask me about them—I’ll either explain why I made that edit, or I’ll hold me hands up and admit, hey, yeah, sorry, I made a mistake.
Grammar rules objectively state that…
Actually, no they don’t, because there’s no such thing as an objective grammar rule. Despite common opinion, grammar rules vary from country to country, place to place, even from university to university. That’s why there are so many different guidelines, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, the Oxford Style Guide, and so on. These exist to make judgement calls on different grammatical functions and punctuation marks. Unless you specifically state otherwise, I will adhere to the Chicago Manual of Style, as this is by far the most prolific. However, I do have experience using other style guides and have copies of all the major ones, so if you have a preference, just let me know.
So how do you feel about the Oxford comma?
I am a fierce advocate of the Oxford comma. I even wrote a blog post about it, which you can find here. That said, I know this is a contentious issue in the grammar world, and if you don’t like the Oxford comma, that’s okay, we can leave them out of your manuscript.Blog
Do you edit in British English only?
No. I have experience in working with British, US, Australian, and Canadian English, all of which have slightly nuanced differences. It’s not just about spelling either—phrasing is often different. Where the Americans say ‘driver’s licence,’ the Brits say ‘driving licence,’ for example. Part of working with another version of English is picking up on words and phrases that wouldn’t be found in that culture.
Will you help me sell my book once it’s published?
Absolutely! I’ll help promote it on social media and eventually, I’ll even sell it in the Positive Points shop.
I have a question that’s not answered here. What do I do?
Contact me. I’ve almost always got my phone in hand, so I’m normally quick to reply.Contact Me