When I wrote about where to find a good editor, I alluded to $500 for copyediting of a 100,000-word epic fantasy novel being a low-ball budget. So what is the going rate for copyediting or other such services? In their book APE: Author Publisher Entrepreneur, Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch cite $1,050 as a reasonable …
Tag: Copyediting
Q&A: When to hire an editor
Q: I took your Elements of Fiction seminar and read the blog posts and I’ve gone through the checklist. Now what? How do I know when to hire an editor or writing coach? A: When you feel stuck, or when you’re ready to go. If you’ve worked through the checklist and you still feel …
When to use who or whom
English is complicated and can confuse the best of us. Many editors have dog-eared grammar manuals and style books with Post-It notes on the sections we have to double-check every time. One fine point that even experienced editors find hard to memorize is the distinction between who and whom. The short answer to the who …
Comma rules, condensed
Misplaced commas are the most common punctuation error I see. We all need help with commas at one time or another. Even experienced writers place them where they’re not needed and omit them where they are.
English is hard. I’m here to help.
English is a beautiful but complex language. Because it borrows words from pretty much every other language on the planet, it has a massive vocabulary. Syntax can be intricate. Word formation is often illogical; for example, flammable and inflammable both mean “easy to burn.” Rules for punctuation are almost inscrutable. The Chicago Manual of Style’s …