Welcome.
Clear, succinct language is the key to effective communication. Another set of eyes is essential to polished copy.
With 20 years of experience in publishing and academia,
I can help you refine your writing and highlight your ideas.
Olsen Editing
COPYEDITING & PROOFREADING
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SERVICES OFFERED
For Publishers
Copyediting and proofreading of manuscripts, to include (as needed) refining language, grammatical and stylistic editing, confirming consistency of style and content across manuscripts, minor fact-checking, and formatting of citations and bibliographies. I am proficient with Chicago and MLA stylebooks and can easily familiarize myself with specialized style guides as required by particular disciplines or publishers. I can provide style sheets and running heads for manuscripts and include coding in manuscripts for your production department.
For Academic Writers
Reviewing style and prose to eliminate errors and polish language, as well as formatting citations and bibliographies, in theses, dissertations, conference papers, or articles. I am proficient with Chicago and MLA styling, and can help arrange your work to meet submission guidelines and adhere to particular style guides for all kinds of academic disciplines.
For Businesses
Copyediting and proofreading business materials, including reports, web materials, training documents, and other publications, to eliminate errors, clarify prose, minimize jargon, and check for stylistic consistency across multiple documents. Simplifying language and removing mistakes can increase the professionalism and credibility of your work product.
For Independent Authors
Reviewing work for submission to agents or publishers, as well as preparing work for self-publishing, to eliminate errors and polish language. Don't give your readers an easy reason to reject your writing; clean copy can help get your foot in the door.
RATES AND SERVICES LIST
Proofreading
Standard: $2.50/page
Rush: $5/page for 24-hour turnaround
Applies to documents that have been previously copyedited. Check for typos, misplaced punctuation, and other minor errors, as well as stylistic consistency throughout the document.
Copyediting
Standard: $4/page
Rush: $8/page for 24-hour turnaround
Basic read-through to correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax, and highlight other issues needing attention, such as obvious factual errors or stylistic inconsistencies. Style sheet available upon request.
More in-depth work with your language and content, including rewriting to clarify meaning, improve the general flow of the text, eliminate awkward phrasing, and rework structure as needed. Minor fact-checking available in certain subject areas.
Substantive Editing
Standard: $6/page
Rush: $12/page for 24-hour turnaround
Manuscript Formatting
Standard: $2/page
Rush: $4/page for 24-hour turnaround
Americanizing Text
Standard: $3/page
Rush: $6/page for 24-hour turnaround
Formatting book manuscripts, theses, dissertations, conference papers, and articles to adhere to mandated style guidelines. Includes structuring citations and bibliographies, margins, headings, page numbers, tables and figures, and tables of contents.
Reformatting texts prepared in British English or translated from other languages, including elimination of awkward translations and improvement of flow, exchange of British English terminology for its American English alternative, and highlighting of other possible alterations (such as conversion or clarification of metric measurements).
Other Pricing Details
$20 minimum fee for all projects applies.
24-hour turnaround is available for projects under 30 pages only. Rush times for longer projects will vary according to page length.
A 250-word document is considered 1 page.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
​When submitting a query about possible work, please include the details of your project, the page length of the document or manuscript (based on the 250-word page guideline), and your deadline. I will respond with a quote for your project within 24 hours. On rush jobs, please indicate rush in your subject line and attach the document to your email for a quick response. If you are considering hiring for ongoing work, I can edit a short sample submission free of charge. If you accept my quote for your project, I will send an editorial agreement specifying rate, type of editing, and delivery details for your signature. I typically do my editing in Microsoft Word using the Track Changes function, so please submit your documents in Word format if possible. I can also work with other file types such as PDFs or PowerPoint presentations, but editing changes in these files will be more complicated. Paper editing is available if you prefer, but mailing will increase turnaround time. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions.
EXPERTISE
Extensive reading in humanities and social sciences, including history, political science, international relations, sociology, literature, and literary criticism
Particular knowledge of American history, women's history, and southern history
Proficient in Chicago and MLA styling
Proficient in French and Spanish
CREDENTIALS
20 years of publishing experience
BA, History and French, Agnes Scott College, 1998
MA & PhD, History, Rice University, 2008
Assistant Acquisitions Editor, University of Georgia Press,
1998–2001
Editorial Assistant & Assistant Editor, Journal of Southern History,
2001–2005
Member, Editorial Freelancers Association and American Copy Editors Society
Marketing & Acquisitions Assistant, Southern Publishers Group, 1994–1995
Clients include the University of Tennessee Press, journals such as EDUCAUSE Review and Theological Studies, Turtle Point Press, and many scholars and independent authors
PAYMENT INFORMATION
BILLING
For individual projects, I bill when the project is completed. Payments are due within 30 days.
MONTHLY BILLING ACCOUNTS
For services on a continuing basis, I can submit a monthly bill based on completed page counts for each month. Minimum charges will not apply to monthly continuing accounts.
ACCEPTED FORMS OF PAYMENT
Payments can be made by check, money order, or by credit card through PayPal. Charges are in US dollars. Checks should be made out to Margaret Olsen.
ABOUT YOUR EDITOR
