Frequently Asked Questions

Say you’ve written something - it could be as big as a whole novel, or as small as a short story. An editor will check your grammar and spelling, look at the structure, characterisation, dialogue, pace and point of view, and consider if there is more or less you can say to get your message across. It’s a bit like invisible mending.

The Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) has developed pay rates to provide guidance to clients looking for editing work. The hourly pay rates represent what a professional self-employed editor in Australia charges to ensure a sustainable, long-term business.

Editors may have different ways of presenting prices, such as a price per word or 1,000 words, per page or per job.

According to IPEd, ‘some clients may offer a total price for an editing job. Editors may consider, based on the work required, whether the client’s budget is appropriate, and accept it, or negotiate the scope of work and/or budget’. A professional editor may charge between $60 and $110 an hour. More information on IPEd pay rates can be found here.

Copyediting is when the editor is looking for clarity and consistency and that your work meets the expectations of the genre. Most of my work is with romance fiction.

Proofreading involves checking that the document is ready to be submitted or published. It includes checking that all the elements are present and updated, layout is error-free, the document meets any particular requirements and that all spelling or punctuation errors have been corrected. I no longer offer proofreading services.