If you have a query that you think would benefit other writers, please drop us a line and we’ll look to include it.
Why don’t you show your rates?
Good question. It’s frustrating, no doubt, to see a website devoid of pricing. The short answer is that every single project is different and therefore every rate is different.
We’re not going to charge someone who has a 30,000 word novella the same as someone with a 120,000 word novel. A corporation who wants 10 pages of a report edited will have a different rate to someone who needs their web content checked.
Every project is different. Every project gets individual treatment. We quote on sight. We are reasonable. We are most certainly competitive. We don’t bite. Feel free to drop us a line to discuss your needs.
Are your payment terms flexible?
For long-form work, yes. If you’re writing a novel you can expect a larger bill than someone who needs a blog post edited. You can pay in installments or on invoice. We don’t care if it’s $10 a week or upfront. We may ask for a deposit for a big project. Your words are what matter. Short-form work (assessments, articles, blogs, reports, etc.) are to be paid on delivery/invoice.
How long does editing take?
It varies from project to project. To edit a novel you’re looking at 3-6 weeks, depending on our schedule and how much work is required. Small jobs, such as articles and other content editing can be turned around quickly. Manuscript assessments are usually done within 3 weeks. We’ll always keep you updated on progress and delivery dates.
Can I get a sample edit?
Yep. Send us up to 5 pages and we’ll do a sample edit for you. A sample edit is a great way for you to try out our services and see if how we operate works for you.
What style guides and dictionaries do you use?
We edit in accordance with IPEd’s Australian standards for editing practice (2nd ed.).
We employ the Snooks & Co. style guide (6th ed.), known simply as Style Manual, the standard style guide for Australia, along with the Chicago Manual of Style and the Cambridge Handbook for Editors, Copy-editors and Proofreaders (also known as the ‘Butcher’s’). We also reference the AP Stylebook for media-related content.
Our dictionaries are the Macquarie Dictionary (6th ed.) for Australian works, and the Oxford and Merriam-Webster for overseas markets.
Um … What’s a style guide?
A style guide is a set of standards that is either set by a publisher or is generally accepted as the most efficient and common way to lay out documents and manuscripts. It attempts to standardise communication through consistency, and can be relevant to one country or many. Think of it like the Holy Grail for grammar Nazis.
Different industries use different style guides (such as the APA Style for psychology/social sciences and the Bluebook and AGLC3 for law), and publishers will often have their own in-house style preferences. Style guides look at typography, regional grammar, etc. As a quick example, Australia will use the suffix ‘-ise’ and America will use ‘-ize’. So, ‘recognise’ and ‘recognize’.
The main aim of a style guide is to ensure the consistency of a document from beginning to end. If your readership is predominantly Australian or the work is by an Australian author, then we use the Style Manual as our primary style guide. If you want to approach American markets and focus on that readership alone, we’ll use the Chicago. Feel free to track down these guides. They’re useful references, but be warned. They are heavy, expensive and technical tomes.
Do you use any program other than Word?
Sorry, no. Although we love writing in Scrivener, we edit only in Word. It makes things tricky, we know, but Word is the industry standard (especially if you’re looking to submit to a traditional publisher).
Can you put me in touch with a publisher?
Sorry, no. We don’t work as an agent. We’ll always give you a direction and try to put you on the right path, but we don’t make contact on your behalf. You can find most publishers online these days. Go to their websites, check their submission requirements and take it from there. Most publishers have a free submission day for unsolicited works, so do some research and start preparing submissions.
Click here for a link to the Australian Literary Agents Association if you’re interested in agent, or here if you’re looking for American representation. Consider checking out a great reference for the local Australian market like the Australian Writer’s Marketplace here.
Where do you work? Can we meet?
We work on Australian shores, but publishing is a global industry. It doesn’t matter where you’re based – there’s a good chance we can help. If you want to meet we can certainly do that, but you can also find us on Skype, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. You’ll often find us at the SWF, MWF and BWF, and wandering anywhere in between. We also visit regional centres. At the moment, you’ll probably find us Melbourne, Australia.
I find it difficult to share my work … can you be gentle?
We know that you’ve been nurturing your project for a long time, and we’re sure it won’t surprise you to know that you’re not the only one who worries so. Every writer feels what you feel. It takes guts to show your work to someone else; a courage that others don’t really understand. It’s like a baring of the soul. We try to be as gentle, tactful and diplomatic as possible, but know this: We will never lie to you. That could be good or bad, depending on your point of view.
You see, we will always give you your dues and we will always offer constructive advice, but we will never, ever lie to you about the quality of your work. Consulting an editor can be hard sometimes. We often find things that you might have missed, potential issues that can lead to rewrites and other lengthy delays. We know that it’s difficult hear opinions and receive suggestions when you’ve worked so hard.
We do you a disservice when we don’t offer you a professional, thorough and impartial service. We are industry professionals, committed to excellence. We don’t want to hurt your feelings or savage your book – we want you to produce the best book within your capabilities. The bond between editor and writer is one to be nurtured, and when we hit the right point of connection, your book will flourish. It is our hope that when your book is complete, you’ll feel a more polished and accomplished writer.
Just remember, editors and publishers are often kinder than readers.
Do you work after hours?
Not really. We have to clean the house and do laundry too. Monday to Thursday is your best bet.