What I Offer.

How I think of editing:

“My job is to lay my hands on that piece of writing and make it … better. Cleaner. Clearer. More efficient. Not to rewrite it … but to burnish and polish it and make it the best possible version of itself that it can be.” Benjamin Dreyer, Dreyer’s English

I offer a range of editing services, which you can explore in the dropdown menu.

Note: The Editorial Freelancers Association annual editorial rate chart informs my hourly and by-the-word rates.

  • Rate: $65/hour or $.04-.06/ word

    This is the most common type of edit I perform. This is a substantive edit: every line, every sentence, every paragraph, every section, every chapter gets a thorough examination!

    I will offer suggestions about clarifying and foregrounding the thesis and argument, including possible organizational changes.

    I will edit substantively for clarity, coherency and concision, offering rephrases, transition options, word substitutions, and grammar and mechanics corrections. I will ask questions about accuracy, suggest areas for further development, and work to ensure a consistent style/tone throughout the manuscript.

  • Rate: $55/hour or $.035-.055/word

    This should happen after a thorough line edit.

    I consider the overall quality and effectiveness of the writing. I check for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and that content is appropriate to the argument of the manuscript.

    I will check adherence to a style guide (APA, Chicago author-date, MLA) at this stage.

  • Rate: $50/hour or $0.03/word

    This is the most “superficial” of all edits. It should occur immediately before press, when your piece is in the “proof” stage, meaning all content is fixed and formatted in a pdf.

    A proofread looks for bad word breaks and hyphenations, ensures consistency in page numbers, headers and footers, table of contents, etc.

  • Rate: $65/hour or $.04-.06/ word

    Developmental editing is intense. It involves the creation and implementation of a vision for the project as well as a long-term timeline for development before the edits even begin. There is a higher degree of collaboration between author and editor at this stage than during other forms of editing.

    Cuts, changes, and rewrites may be considerable at this stage of the writing process.

  • Rate: $70/hour

    I am happy to workshop your academic book proposal with you!

    These are a tricky genre because they need to be more accessible than a typical academic deliverable (article, the book itself) and incredibly concise. We will strategize from a book proposal “template” to pull out your thesis and key concepts, foreground your intervention (and innovative contribution to the field), and pitch towards a specific press and reader market.

What Clients are Saying.

“I love having Aaren as my editor! She never fails to keep my voice in my writings or to provide me with feedback before the deadline. Aaren would always make sure she understands what I’m trying to convey before giving me a detailed message with the reasons for her suggested edits. The language of my work not only flows better, but is also more concise after passing through her hands! In addition, as someone whose first language isn’t English, I feel very comfortable communicating with her because she understands the difficulties ESL learners have, and she is always patient with everyone. All in all, I highly recommend Aaren to be your private editor.”

Tina Chen, Penn State 2020

“I had wonderful experiences with her because of her pleasant processing. Aaren provided constructive feedback on my work and delivered editing services promptly. I was able to acquire an edited version of what I was striving for after enough consultation. I'm pleased with the result!”

Dr. Sung Ryung Lu, Associate Professor, American University