I can also check your spelling.
What is PUNCHY? It's that thing your audience wants.
Hint: it's not good grammar, but I'll take care of that too.
I believe in impact through simplicity. I'll help you show up in style, creating something memorable – for the right reasons.
communication for the savvy set
punchy
I can also check your spelling.
What is PUNCHY?
It's that thing your audience wants.
(Hint: it's not good grammar, but I'll take care of that too.)
I believe in impact through simplicity. I'll help you show up in style, creating something memorable – for the right reasons.
communication for the savvy set
»
Editing, explained
bit of nitty gritty
Structural editing looks at content from a broad perspective, that is, what you’re saying – your argument or stance. This edit looks at the organisation, order and flow of information. It aims to present content logically, and in a manner that's appropriate for your target audience.
STRUCTURAL EDITING
Copyediting looks at spelling, punctuation, expression, tone, consistency of tense (past, present), point of view (first, second, third person) and active or passive voice. It also looks to minimise wordiness, jargon, redundancies and repetition. Fact checking may also be involved.
COPYEDITING
Proofreading is a final check before publishing to pick up small errors. As well as correcting spelling, punctuation and grammar, proofreading looks for consistency across headings, capitalisation, and layout. If applicable, pagination, table of contents, indexes and references are also checked.
PROOFREADING
don't worry, YOU DON'T NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHICH KIND OF EDITING YOU NEED – each job usually involves a bit of this and that. But FYI, here are the editing services i offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How 'polished' should my writing be before I submit it for editing?
That's up to you. Sometimes I work with content that’s in good condition and nearly ready to be published. Other jobs need a heavy edit paired with cursing and a whisky chaser. Here's the thing: if you send me your best work and plenty of detail, this gives me a more solid foundation to build upon, letting me focus on lifting your work to the next level (better ingredients = a tastier cake). However, if you want to send me your waffley brain dump, that's fine too! Editors aren't just for novelists, they're for time-poor hustlers and people who loathe, or suck at, writing too.
I'm stuck writing my draft... any tips?!
Check out my blog post on writer's block! My best tips? Put the idea of writing aside and pretend you’re talking to someone about your topic. Literally talk out loud – then write down what you said. Another tactic is to stop trying to write anything decent, let go, and simply ‘brain dump’ onto the page – waffle first, fix later – or hire me to do the fixing ;)
What's an editorial style sheet?
A style sheet is a list of words and terms compiled by the editor as they work through your text; the list is used to achieve consistency throughout your writing. For example, if someone referred to their business as Cakes n Biscuits, Cakes and Biscuits and Cakes & Biscuits, the editor would note in the style sheet which version is to be used. The sheet will include choices of capitalisation and spelling, and any abbreviations or special terms unique to your topic. Again, the purpose is to ensure the whole document – as well as any future writing - is consistent. The style sheet will also note which general editing guidelines the editor follows (I use the Australian Style Manual). I can also use any in-house style guides provided by clients from their company, publisher, or university (for academic editing).
What's your turnaround time?
It depends on my schedule and your project. Contact me with an outline of what you need and the date you need it by, and I'll get back to you with a turnaround time.
I'm not sure I really need an editor... could you take a look and let me know?
Sure! Email me – I'm happy to give an honest opinion before you commit an edit. I'll also include a pressure-free quote so you can consider the investment. What are you waiting for?!
How do you calculate fee estimates and quotes?
For editing (including website text) I charge AU$70 per hour and can edit between 500 to 1,500 words per hour. In other words, if the text is in pretty good shape I'll be able to edit faster; if the text needs a lot of corrections, untangling and some re-writing, the pace will be slower. If you provide a sample of the writing this will enable me to give a more accurate fee estimate. For content writing I estimate the time involved based on the brief. For website reviews, I estimate time involved based on the complexity of your website.
Will the final fee be the same as the estimate or quote?
Fee estimates (for editing) aren't set in stone. I charge per hour, and the actual time required may be a bit less or more than the estimate. I keep a timesheet to track minutes spent working and use this to calculate the final fee. For content writing and website reviews I give quotes – these fees are fixed, meaning the final fee will be the same as the quoted amount. For academic editing I give set quotes based on the word count, allowing students to budget costs up front.
Will my edited document be ready to publish when I get it back from you?
What's the difference between copywriting and content writing?
Are your editing rates competitive?
It's unlikely; most edited documents will contain some comments (queries and suggestions) that you'll need to review before you're ready to publish.
Copywriting is more to do with marketing and advertising; the writing is generally short-form and the goal is to persuade. Copywriters usually write ads, slogans and taglines. Content writing, whilst still geared towards marketing, is more about informing, educating, instructing or entertaining. The writing is usually long-form and includes articles, blogs, social media, newsletters, reports and books. Although I do enjoy penning a punny tagline, content writing is more my thing.
With 12 years' experience I charge AU$70 per hour, which is a competitive rate based on the Institute of Professional Editors Limited (the professional association for Australian and New Zealand editors) guidelines for self-employed editors.
Does the editing process go back and forth, with multiple drafts?
In book publishing, a manuscript goes back and forth between the writer and editor multiple times before it's ready for print. For smaller pieces of writing, it depends. You may want me to only look at any new or substantial changes in your second draft; or you might be satisfied with just one round of editing. In general I think it's a good idea to get a second round of editing if you've made changes. When I send your initial edit I'll mention whether or not I think a second edit or proofread would be beneficial, but the choice is yours.
Do I have to accept your changes?
No; the writer is always responsible for the final piece, so you can accept or reject my suggested changes as you see fit. However, when I edit I often provide brief explanations so you understand the reasoning behind certain changes.
Don't worry, you don't need to figure out which kind of editing you need – each job usually involves a bit of this and that. But FYI, here are the editing services I offer.
Types of editing
bit of nitty gritty
proofreading
copyediting
Structural editing looks at content from a broad perspective, that is, what you’re saying – your argument or stance. This edit looks at the organisation, order and flow of information. It aims to present content logically, and in a manner that's appropriate for your target audience.
structural editing
proofreading
Copyediting looks at spelling, punctuation, expression, tone, consistency of tense (past, present), point of view (first, second, third person) and active or passive voice. It also looks to minimise wordiness, jargon, redundancies and repetition. Fact checking may also be involved.
copyediting
structural editing
Proofreading is a final check before publishing to pick up small errors. As well as correcting spelling, punctuation and grammar, proofreading looks for consistency across headings, capitalisation, and layout. If applicable, pagination, table of contents, indexes and references are also checked.
proofreading
copyediting
structural editing
-Richard Branson
“There is so much to be gained by keeping it simple.”
- Stephen King
“The scariest moment is always just before you start.”
questions
Frequently asked
It depends on my schedule and your project. Contact me with an outline of what you need and the date you need it by, and I'll get back to you with a turnaround time.
That's up to you. Sometimes I work with content that’s in good condition and nearly ready to be published. Other jobs need a heavy edit paired with cursing and a whisky chaser. Here's the thing: if you send me your best work and plenty of detail, this gives me a more solid foundation to build upon, letting me focus on lifting your work to the next level (better ingredients = a tastier cake). However, if you want to send me your waffley brain dump, that's fine too! Editors aren't just for novelists, they're for time-poor hustlers and people who loathe, or suck at, writing too.
It's unlikely; most edited documents will contain some comments (queries and suggestions) that you'll need to review before you're ready to publish.
In book publishing, a manuscript goes back and forth between the writer and editor multiple times before it's ready for print. For smaller pieces of writing, it depends. You may want me to only look at any new or substantial changes in your second draft; or you might be satisfied with just one round of editing. In general I think it's a good idea to get a second round of editing if you've made changes. When I send your initial edit I'll mention whether or not I think a second edit or proofread would be beneficial, but the choice is yours.
No; the writer is always responsible for the final piece, so you can accept or reject my suggested changes as you see fit. However, when I edit I often provide brief explanations so you understand the reasoning behind certain changes.
For editing (including website text) I charge AU$70 per hour and can edit between 500 to 1,500 words per hour. In other words, if the text is in pretty good shape I'll be able to edit faster; if the text needs a lot of corrections, untangling and some re-writing, the pace will be slower. If you provide a sample of the writing this will enable me to give a more accurate fee estimate. For content writing I estimate the time involved based on the brief. For website reviews, I estimate time involved based on the complexity of your website.
Fee estimates (for editing) aren't set in stone. I charge per hour, and the actual time required may be a bit less or more than the estimate. I keep a timesheet to track minutes spent working and use this to calculate the final fee. For content writing and website reviews I give quotes – these fees are fixed, meaning the final fee will be the same as the quoted amount. For academic editing I give set quotes based on the word count, allowing students to budget costs up front.
With 12 years' experience I charge AU$70 per hour, which is a competitive rate based on the Institute of Professional Editors Limited (the professional association for Australian and New Zealand editors) guidelines for self-employed editors.
A style sheet is a list of words and terms compiled by the editor as they work through your text; the list is used to achieve consistency throughout your writing. For example, if someone referred to their business as Cakes n Biscuits, Cakes and Biscuits and Cakes & Biscuits, the editor would note in the style sheet which version is to be used. The sheet will include choices of capitalisation and spelling, and any abbreviations or special terms unique to your topic. Again, the purpose is to ensure the whole document – as well as any future writing - is consistent. The style sheet will also note which general editing guidelines the editor follows (I use the Australian Style Manual). I can also use any in-house style guides provided by clients from their company, publisher, or university (for academic editing).
Copywriting is more to do with marketing and advertising; the writing is generally short-form and the goal is to persuade. Copywriters usually write ads, slogans and taglines. Content writing, whilst still geared towards marketing, is more about informing, educating, instructing or entertaining. The writing is usually long-form and includes articles, blogs, social media, newsletters, reports and books. Although I do enjoy penning a punny tagline, content writing is more my thing.
Check out my blog post on writer's block! My best tips? Put the idea of writing aside and pretend you’re talking to someone about your topic. Literally talk out loud – then write down what you said. Another tactic is to stop trying to write anything decent, let go, and simply ‘brain dump’ onto the page – waffle first, fix later – or hire me to do the fixing ;)
Sure! Email me – I'm happy to give an honest opinion before you commit an edit. I'll also include a pressure-free quote so you can consider the investment. What are you waiting for?!
-Richard Branson
“There is so much to be gained by keeping it simple.”
