What qualifies you to be a professional editor?

Proper education and training are key. I have a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with an emphasis in print journalism. I specialized in editing in undergrad and loved every minute of it. It’s crucial to keep learning, so I also finished a respected university-level editing certificate program and have taken additional continuing-education editing courses since then. As well, in 2020 I completed my master’s degree in publishing with an editorial emphasis.

At the beginning of my career, I gained experience in publishing and journalism. Additionally, I worked as a technical editor in the oil and gas field for a few years, and then I started Editor Amy in 2013. I’ve since edited numerous books and other documents of every type and have also worked as an editor and proofreader for multiple independent publishers. Furthermore, I have technical-editing experience in the IT and learning-consulting fields, as well as medical-editing experience. All in all, I’ve worked as a professional editor and proofreader for over fifteen years. I’m also an award-winning author myself, so I know what it’s like to be on both sides during the editing process.

Finally, I’m a member of the American Copy Editors Society (ACES), Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), International Society of Managing and Technical Editors, Writers’ League of Texas, and Houston Writers Guild, and I’m a coordinator of the EFA Houston chapter.

I already looked over my work and used spell check (or a relative). Why do I need an editor?

It’s certainly important to check your own work; you want to be sure you covered everything you set out to. Unfortunately, you’re very likely to overlook errors that a professional (key word!) third party would catch, as you’re too close to the content. You know what you meant to say, so you’re going to read it as if it’s there, even if you actually left out a crucial word or used the wrong form of one. (Spell checks only catch obvious spelling errors, not accidents like typing “through” instead of “thorough.”) It’s like reading with blinders on.

Plus, there are many, many rules and guidelines a knowledgeable editor will consider when editing. Proper editing goes far beyond the grammar rules taught in English classes. A great editor also has an ear for language and can hear weak and awkward spots in sentences—and know how to repair them.

On another note, a great editor is a lover of words and a master of mechanics, and that editor should always help make sure a writer’s work can be easily understood and that the writer’s voice remains intact. My promise: I will only enhance and never take away from your work. (See my Testimonials page for reviews.)

What will you edit, and how is it processed?

(To view the editorial services I offer, check out my Services page.)

What: Really, almost anything, though books make up the bulk of my work. (I’ve worked in many genres, including adult literary fiction, traditional nonfiction, young adult [YA], children’s literature, fantasy, science fiction, romance, mystery, crime, historical fiction, etc.) Common examples of what I edit include novels/books, short stories, query letters, medical literature (STEM), technical documents, journal articles, chapters to be sent to literary agents, websites, résumés, newsletters, and so on. Just ask!

How: I can edit a Microsoft Word document and turn on Track Changes beforehand to let you see all of my proposed changes and then accept them yourself, plus make revisions as necessary (strongly recommended), or I can send you back a clean Word doc with the corrections already integrated. Also, I send all my clients who opt for the first option a short guide I made about using Track Changes and incorporating my recommended settings, so even if you’re not already familiar with it, you’re covered.

What do you charge?

To start with, it depends on the service(s) and the project.

• Books/documents at and over 30,000 words generally cost 1.13 to 3.5 cents per word, depending on the type of editing requested (e.g., developmental editing, copyediting, proofreading), word count, writing condition (for me to determine), deadline, and whether a discount applies. (STEM rates may differ some, so please inquire about those.) Books/documents under 30,000 words are priced hourly, at $42 to $52, depending on the type of editing. (Again, STEM rates may differ some.)
  • Note: I offer a discount for combining multiple services!
  • Please be aware that this is only an approximate representation of rates I use. Trying to calculate a project’s cost yourself will not give you an accurate price. Please contact me to receive an actual price quote.
• Manuscript evaluation costs vary, depending on book length.
• Query letter coaching is $52 per hour.
• Finally, my writing rate is $52 to $64 per hour, depending on the type of writing (e.g., PR, STEM).

Rest assured that all my rates are fair, competitive, and recommended for independent editorial professionals!

Follow the instructions on my Contact Me page to receive your own price estimate. Additionally, ask about my new-client discount (can be combined with the combo-services discount) and a free sample copyedit!