Hire Me

Photo of Hazel Hart


Hire me as your editor

My editorial mission: To perfect your message while preserving your unique author voice.

Questions and Answers

Question: Why should I hire you? After all, your blog posts and books tell me how to organize my work and avoid sentence and punctuation errors. Why hire an editor?

Answer: We all need an editor—or at least a proofreader—including me. We write with passion and a vision of the finished work. When we read what we have written, we often see what we intended, not what is actually there. It takes an objective reader with the ability to spot errors and correct them to perfect our message. That is what my work here at Write to Fit is all about.

Question: So why should I worry about making errors if you are going to find and fix them all?

Answer: Time is money. The more time it takes me to edit your work, the more you pay for my services. If you learn the basics of good writing and put them in practice, you will save on editing fees.

Question: Okay, I’m convinced. What does it cost to get my short story, article, or book edited?

Answer: As I mentioned above, the cost depends on the amount and kind of work that needs to be done. See the proofreading/editing levels below for more information.

Question: How do I contact you about my project?

Answer: You may get in touch with me by using the contact form or by sending me an email at hihart at prodigy.net. Tell me about your project in a one-paragraph summary. Then answer the following questions:

  • Is the project fiction or nonfiction?
  • How long is it?
  • Which editing level below best describes the current state of the manuscript?

Question: What if I am unsure of the editing level?

Answer: You may attach the first 1,000 words (approximately 4 double-spaced pages) of your manuscript, and I will evaluate the level and report my assessment to you. The assessment is free of charge.

Question: How do I submit files to be edited?

Answer: Submit your work in a Microsoft Word .doc or .docx file. I will use the comment and track changes features in Word to edit your work and indicate needed changes.

Three editing/proofreading levels with fees:

Basic proofreading: Your manuscript has been edited and reworked. It needs only a final reading to locate and correct surface errors such as incorrect spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation. I will use Microsoft Word’s track changes feature to indicate needed corrections.
Basic proofreading fee: $5.00 per 1,000 words.

Copy editing: Your manuscript is complete. You may have revised it more than once and are certain you have said what you wanted to say. However, you want to be sure the ideas flow naturally from one to another, the sentences are clear, redundant words and ideas are eliminated, and the manuscript is correctly formatted. I will comments in the margins to explain suggested changes. These comments will be in addition to the surface errors corrected with the track changes feature.
Copy Editing fee: $10.00 per 1,000 words.

Content editing:  You have completed the first draft, but it needs a great deal of work before it becomes a polished manuscript. If you have written a nonfiction article or book, you may wonder if the information is presented in the best order, enough supporting evidence is given for each of your major points, and whether the contents will appeal to the intended audience. If you have written fiction, you may need help with character development, dialogue, plot, scene and sequel structuring, and/or setting. With content editing, I will give a summary of items that need to be reworked as well as comments in the margin. I will use track changes to mark some surface errors that are repeated and explain how to avoid them. Revisions will bring new surface errors, so I highlight only those that are repetitive. If you later hire me to proofread the revised work, I will give you a discounted rate for the proofreading.
Content Editing fee: $20.00 per 1,000 words.

Coaching: You want to write something. It may be a novel, a short story, or memoir. You have ideas and notes, but you don’t know where to start. I can help. Coaching may be done with Skype or telephone.
Contact me with a description of your project. We will then arrange for a free 15-minute Skype or telephone session to discuss your writing goals and how I might help you meet them.
Subsequent sessions are $30.00 per hour, with a one-hour minimum.

Question: What is the turnaround time? How long will it take for your to edit my work?

Answer: The turnaround time depends on the length of your manuscript and the level of editing needed. I will reply to your original contact/request for information within three business days. If you decide to hire me, we will work out the details of turnaround time and fees together.

Please contact me if you have questions about anything I haven’t covered above or if you would like to discuss your project with me. I look forward to working with you.