Services and Rates

Services

Copyediting

Writing isn't easy when you're using words that are tricky to spell or when you just can't think of the right word. Maybe it's been too many years since you've studied grammar, or the rules use a lot of jargon you aren't familiar with. You ask yourself if this noun should be capitalized, should this one be hyphenated, should I spell out this abbreviation or number, does a comma go here?

So, you run it through your writing software's spell and grammar checkers, but the results are confusing. Sometimes even wrong.

Unfortunately, automated programs cannot replace the well-versed human eye. A computer program cannot read context, so typos and grammatical errors can slip through. They won't flag homophones—such as there for their—or typos that result in inadvertent word choice errors—such as sturdy for study. And grammatical conundrums? Forget it!

As a professional, experienced copyeditor, I am trained to catch errors that even the most careful writers can overlook. I will smooth out the details for you and take the stress out of writing.

I don't just check spelling and grammar, though. Copyediting reviews your manuscript for:

spelling, capitalization, and hyphenation
abbreviations and acronyms
treatment of numbers and numerals
grammar, syntax, and usage
punctuation
word choice and wordiness
clarity and consistency
logic and organization
style guide adherence
general fact checking

I can also check the following materials for formatting and consistency:

footnotes, endnotes, bibliographies, and reference lists
tables, charts, graphs, lists, and illustrations
table of contents
headings

Please note: Copyediting does not include substantive, developmental, or structural editing; line editing; rewriting; extensive fact checking; or translation.

“I had the good fortune to work with Marveen Mizrachi in the production of my book Human Encounters. Marveen worked in the capacity of Chief Editor, where her true talents came to light. She proved to be tirelessly efficient and blessed with a fine imagination and no amount of work seemed too much for her, the book being a substantial 310 pages. I genuinely look forward to working with her again.”

—Mike Scheidemann
Author of Human Encounters and Fragments of an Australian Tale

Ready to edit? To find out how to get started, check my FAQs and Resources page or contact me today!

Proofreading

Do you need a final set of eyes to check over a previously edited document or manuscript before pressing send?

Do you have presentation materials, slides, or marketing material that you want a final OK on?

Do you have a typeset manuscript, pre-layout? Or maybe print-ready PDF files or page proofs? You would benefit from an independent review before you continue to the next step in the publishing process.

Proofreading is the last editorial stage in this process. It is not just a quick read-through—it is a fine-tooth comb that checks for:

indisputable punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors
typographical and formatting errors
consistency between the final edited copy and proofs
accuracy of all manuscript sections, headings, and page numbers against the table of contents
consistency with the preferred style guide or style sheet (if any)

Proofreading does not entail an exhaustive line-by-line copyedit of the text. Changes at this point are minimal and limited to egregious errors. This service is most appropriate for material that has already been professionally copyedited.

“It looks great to me [presentation slides]. Thanks again for your help. Thanks for every word!”

—Michal Saar Bleiweiss
MSB Art & Design

“Thank you, Marveen! Great work! Just what I
needed.”

—Adam Schreier Consulting, Ltd.

Ready to get started? To find out how, check my FAQs and Resources page or contact me.

Basic Manuscript Formatting

So, you've written and edited your book. Now what? Do you wish to publish it in a traditional print format?

The first step is hiring a typesetter to prepare your baby for the printer. This will ensure that your text is optimized for readability and presentation. To do this, the typesetter will set margination, pagination, font types, and spacing at the page, line, word, and letter levels. Your content should fit nicely on the page without any ugly or distracting type displays or gaps, such as orphans, widows, rivers, and the like.

However, to typeset your material, your Word document files need to be converted into a page layout program, such as Adobe InDesign. This process can strip out a lot of the hard work you or your editor have done—setting up headings, dashes, italics, excerpts, etc.—if not set up correctly beforehand.

This is where I come in!

I can prepare your MSWord manuscript for typesetting to ensure a smooth, efficient conversion. Formatting will prevent ugly paragraph and line breaks, so that your 3-point ellipses, or your nested quotation marks, are kept together on one line, or all your em dashes reverting to hyphens.

Formatting will also help your typesetter identify heading levels and other style choices to ensure that your preferences are not overlooked. From there, the typesetter will adjust as necessary to ensure a beautiful, final product. Think of formatting as a helping hand for your typesetter.

Basic formatting involves setting up the following:

character styles
paragraph styles
heading levels
punctuation and symbol styles
hidden characters (such as nonbreaking spaces)
paragraph and page breaks
styles for excerpts (such as poetry, block quotes, and other textual elements)

I will also prepare the following for the typesetter:

final Word files for body text and front matter
list of applied styles and other notes regarding any author requests

For an additional fee, I can also:

create or help you prepare front matter (such as table of contents, title page, foreword, etc.)

“Thank you for editing [and formatting] the text professionally! With respect,”

—Hisham Bader, Principal
Horfiesh Comprehensive School

Ready to set your style? To find out how to get started, check my FAQs and Resources page or contact me with your questions.

Rates

Rates and Fees

Rates are quoted on a case-by-case basis, determined by many factors, such as which service and the degree of editorial intervention requested or required. The word count, turnaround time, and the complexity and subject matter will also determine rates and fees (if any).

For short projects consisting of less than 40K words, full payment of the estimate is required before work begins. The minimum fee invoiced per project is USD 25.00.

For complex or larger projects, a 50% deposit, exclusive of any rush fees, is required upfront. The remaining balance may be broken down into regular interim payments if the project will extend beyond 60 days for completion. Final payment of the remaining balance due will be required before release of the edited files.

Requests for expedited delivery (faster turnaround times than normal) require prepayment of rush fees, starting at 20% of the original estimate, in addition to the deposit.

To establish a rate estimate for an editing or proofreading project, I will require a small sample from both the body of the text and any documentation (if any) for editing/proofreading. I offer a free, short sample edit of your copy, provided upon request.

Please see my FAQs and Resources page for more details.

Deposits

For short projects consisting of less than 40K words, full payment of the estimate is required before work begins.

For complex or larger projects, a 50% deposit, exclusive of any rush fees, is required before work begins. This prepaid deposit will guarantee that your project is confirmed on my calendar.

The amount of the deposit paid upfront will be deducted from the total remaining balance due. Final payment of the remaining balance will be required before release of the edited files.

Forms of Payment

I accept PayPal, bank transfers, and credit card payments with the PayBox and Bit apps.