Services, Pricing, & More

@pswediting

Contact Me / Booking Services / Testimonials

About New Projects

*Testimonials: Since I do a variety of things, I prefer not to fill my services page with a mixed bag of testimonials. As such, I provide testimonials upon request for the specific type of work you are looking to request from me--in some cases, with the agreement of past clients, I can also include the contact information of a person who has provided said testimonial.*

If you are interested in contacting me about a potential project for the near future, for a reference list of testimonials, or other services, you can email me at psw@peggysuewood.com. I will respond with 24 hours.

Services & Prices

Keep in mind that the rates below should be used only as a rough guideline. Rates may vary depending on the nature of the work, the time frame of the assignment, the degree of expertise required, and other factors. The industry standard for a manuscript page is a firm 250 words. My rates are negotiable. However, the base cost listed is comparative to the Editorial Freelance Association's listing of what is considered the standard for editorial rates. (Link: Editorial Freelance Association: Editorial Rates)

Editing Comics

To see a sample of my skills, request an edit test of up to 5 pages via email

  • Basic Copyediting + Proofreading of Manuscript: (15-40 ms pgs/hr) $20–40/hr

    • Estimated Return: 1 to 3 weeks

  • Manuscript Evaluations/General Permissions Check: (15-40 ms pgs/hr) $40-60/hr

    • Estimated Return: 1 to 4 weeks

  • Art Review/Planning and Bubble Placement Suggestions: $10/page

  • Editorial Schedule/Project Management Planning: (1-3/hrs) $35–60/hr

  • Consultation calls or in-person meetings: $25.00/hour (first consultation is free).

Editing Books

To see a sample of my skills, request an edit test of up to 10 pages via email

  • Content/Development Editing: (1–5 pgs/hr) $35–55/hr

    • Estimated Return: 3 weeks to 3 months depending on the project

  • Substantive/Line Editing: (1–6 ms pgs/hr) $35–60/hr

    • Estimated Return: 1 to 3 weeks

  • Basic Copyediting + Proofreading: (5–15 ms pgs/hr) $20–40/hr

    • Estimated Return: 1 to 3 weeks

  • Heavy Copyediting and/or Website Copyediting: (2–5 ms pgs/hr) $35–50/hr

    • Estimated Return: 2 to 4 weeks

  • Second Reading: $15.00/hour

  • Third Reading: $13.00/hour (California minimum wage)

  • Editorial Schedule/Project Management Planning: (1-3/hrs) $35–60/hr

  • Consultation calls or in-person meetings: $25.00/hour (first consultation is free).

Writing - Fiction/Non-fiction/Journalism

To see a sample of my skills, please see samples under the portfolio page of this website

  • Ghostwriting (Fiction or Nonfiction): $42–60/hr

    • Estimated Return: 1 to 3 months

  • Manuscript Evaluations/General Permissions Check: $40-60/hr

    • Estimated Return: 1 to 2 weeks

  • Researching: $45-60/hr

  • Consultation calls or in-person meetings: $25.00/hour (first consultation is free).

Social Media/Marketing

  • Press Release: (1-3 pgs/hr) $50-100/hr

    • Estimated Return: 24 hours

  • Marketing Copywriting (for emails, listings, Grants, Proposals, Sales Copy) $35–60/hr

    • Estimated Return: 3 to 4 hours or less

  • Newsletters (1–4 pgs/hr) $40–100/hr

  • Article Writing/Journalism: 20¢–50¢/word

  • Social Media Posting Across Platforms:

        • Full Social Media Package (I spend 10 hrs/week researching and developing your social media, posting across platforms, creating content, and developing an ongoing social media schedule): $150-400/week

        • Blog Posts: 20-40¢/word + $40-50 research costs

        • Twitter/Instagram Caption: $1-2 each

        • Other posting and pricing depend on the work and the platform.

  • Social Media Schedule/Project Management Planning: (1-3/hrs) $35–60/hr

  • Consultation calls or in-person meetings: $25.00/hour (first consultation is free).

Other

  • If you have another service in mind that you don't see listed above, simply email me with details for review and we can discuss the possibility of working together.

      • I have done tutoring, consulting on freelance work, and a variety of other jobs at the request of clients so feel free to reach out!

  • Consultation calls or in-person meetings: $25.00/hour (the first consultation is free).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is your process for working with an author?

Step 1: Tell me about your project! What genre is it? What is it about? What is your goal? How far are you in writing it? What is your publishing date? What type of services are you looking for with editing? Etc. If you have not fully written the manuscript yet, I will probably suggest that you write and provide me with an outline of the book. I'll provide a sample outline for you to review prior to help if you don't know where to start.

Step 2: From the information you provide me in Step 1, I'll draft an editorial schedule. We'll review and, if the dates work for you we'll discuss contracting and confirm costs.

Step 3: After that, it’s just a matter of making payments, editing the work provided, and keeping to deadlines! We got this.

What are your rates?

Please see above. Note, some costs may depend on the project and platform!

Do you provide free sample edits?

Yes. I provide 10 to 20 pages of sample editing per project and upon request. For comics, which often have a shorter script, I limit sample editing to 5 pages.

What is your timetable for pages?

I'm a speed reader and can type pretty fast when focused so I can average about 300 pages in a week if you're rushed to complete a project; however, I always like to have more time to makes sure the job is done right so please use the estimates above as your key reference.

What types of clients do you work with?

As a freelancer, I primarily work with self-publishing authors although I am very open to working with agencies and publishers too.

What types of writing do you edit?

Just about everything. Is your story a gruesome murder? Awesome! An epic romance you say? Sign me up! Weird sci-fi with medieval themes? Sounds interesting...

I really do mean just about anything as I love to read a variety of genres on a regular basis with very little discrimination between subjects (but be warned, that makes me extra critical at spotting cliches and potential plagiarism!) Comics are a favorite but I also enjoy autobiography, blog posts, doctoral theses, and anything else someone might need help editing. I'm a fan of many genres with many interests. In fact, sometimes I think I pursued a Master's degree just to read more books...

Do you provide publishing assistance?

Yes, some! Please see my services above or feel free to email me with specific questions. If I cannot answer your question, I will let you know and try to recommend a resource to look at in regards to your question. I've made some great contacts across publishing with a fair track record of connecting talent with other talent (particularly if you are looking for book cover artists). Email me if you have questions.

What advice would you give someone looking to hire a freelance editor?

First, you've come to the right place. Second, book today because scheduling can fill up quickly!

What advice would you give someone publishing for the first time?

Oh! Definitely check out my blog, pswediting.tumblr.com. I post advice there on editing, marketing, and more for authors and others who are new to publishing.