theDARKcorner

It’s always a good idea to have another pair of eyes read over your important report or project proposal before it leaves the office.

This sample illustrates the level of review you should expect from a technical editor.

The typical review may include any or all of the following:

• check spelling, word usage, punctuation and grammar, and consistency of style and formatting, including title and subtitle consistency, typeface and type style (bold, italic, underline) consistency, and parallel construction in lists and headings;

• provide fact-checking for what should be commonly understood information;

• cross-check text with references, figures, and tables;

• check continuity and logic and question the author about apparent gaps, contradictions, or issues left unaddressed, but do not substantively change content;

• make minor changes and recommend what to delete, rearrange, reword, or rephrase to clarify, tighten, and polish and to eliminate confusion, wordiness, triteness, and jargon;

• fine-tune the contributions of multiple authors to achieve a consistent tone.

Expect to pay in the range of $35/hour to $85/hour, equivalent to about three-to-five pages per hour, depending on the level of technical detail and the quality of the original author’s work. Excessive problems with writing style and formatting may increase the time required to complete a review. Your technical editor may be able to provide a lump-sum fee after seeing the document to be reviewed.

If you’d like, send me a letter or several pages out of a document on which you are currently working and I will provide a courtesy review. All work is strictly confidential.