What makes AMR Editorial different?
The breadth and depth of my experience. I’ve worked in the trade and academic world. I’ve worked in print and digital. And I’ve helped numerous self-published authors, perhaps the fastest-growing demographic in publishing at the moment. Most important, I have almost a decade and a half of editorial experience, including time spent with some of the English-speaking world’s most prestigious trade and academic publishers. Over the course of my career I’ve worked with academics, journalists, researchers, graduate students, freelance writers, and non-writers. I’m also a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association. For what it’s worth, I read grammar books—for fun.
Comprehensiveness. When it comes to offering feedback, I don’t stint. My edits are extremely thorough. If car metaphors still ruled, I’d say I’d offer Cadillac service—the works. I offer candid but respectful feedback on issues large and small. My feedback empowers writers to craft a tighter, punchier, more compelling work.
My philosophy. I’m in the editorial field to help people. If I can’t, I’m more than happy to recommend a colleague or other service provider who may be better able to. In fact, I turn down or refer out roughly a third of the potential clients who approach me. I love publishing, I love books and journalism, and I love assisting writers—and if I can’t, passing them on to someone who can.
Non-stuffiness. I’m well-trained in various style guides and grammar conventions, but I also know when it’s okay to break the rules. If it doesn’t match the author’s style or the work’s genre, “correct” formal English just may not be appropriate.
Empathy. I’m a writer myself (see my Writing Portfolio), so I’m well acquainted with the struggle. I’ve written book chapters, essays, magazine features, reported articles, blog posts, and website copy—and agonized, to varying degrees, through every last one of them. My experience makes me particularly attuned to the kinds of issues writers struggle with. It helps me intuit what an author means to say even if they haven’t said it, and it helps me ensure the writer’s unique voice remains intact.
How much will this cost?
My rates are determined by how much time I estimate a project will take. There are obviously lots of variables that can affect this, including the state of the manuscript/document, the author’s writing level, the complexity of the material, and the type of editing requested. Because of this, I almost always ask to see a work sample before I offer a quote. So if you’re interested in working together, please e-mail me for a customized quote. (Send a note to hello@adammrosen.com or through the Contact page.)
How long will an edit take?
As with cost, this depends on the length of the work, the type of editing requested, and the state of the work. A well polished manuscript by an experienced writer will obviously go much more quickly than a first draft from a new writer.
For your reference, here are some ballpark estimates (assuming the work is moderately well written):
Developmental edit of 70,000-word book: 3-4 weeks (first pass); 2-3 weeks (second pass)
Manuscript critique: 1-2 weeks
Line edit of 5,000-word article or chapter: 1 week