Please contact me with any questions you may have or for more information.
E-mail: tracyhiattgrice@gmail.com
Experience and Method
I have worked as a freelance editor since 2001. My clients include writers from Capella University, Walden University, Saint Mary University, Minneapolis, and University of St. Thomas, St. Paul.
I offer full service dissertation support, working with you from the initial approvals, a chapter at a time if necessary, through revisions and adjustments, until you have completed the process and published your work. I also provide formatting, proofreading, and copy editing, as described below.
Besides dissertations, I edit journal articles, tenure review packets, résumés, and book manuscripts.
International students are welcome. I have extensive experience editing for non-native writers of English and can advise on grammar and idiom.
Deferrals can occur at any stage of the review process—from mentors, committees, schools, and deans, as well as from publication teams. Writers are being asked for more changes than ever before in my experience. As a result, I have to advise you to expect deferrals after any submission. Having your work edited does not guarantee approval, any more than a mentor’s approval guarantees committee or school approval. I have compiled a list of tasks I have seen listed as reasons for deferrals, and I will address them in my first edit. However, each person who reads your work may add tasks or require revisions that are hard to predict. I will be available to help make the changes the reviewers request, but I will neither claim credit for approvals nor accept blame for deferrals.
Frequent and clear communication is key to a happy editing relationship. I will contact you promptly with any questions or problems I encounter.
(Examples of estimates based on page count of approximately 125 pages.)
Formatting. Includes correcting page formatting (spacing, page numbering, margins) and formatting of elements within the text (tables, figures, headings). Also includes APA-6 formatting: proofreading of in-text citations, reference list, and cross-checking citations with reference entries. [Rough estimate: 5-8 hours, 2-3 days turnaround. Total estimate $300-$480, deposit of $200.]
Proofreading. Includes all services listed in Formatting and the following: Reading the entire text, correcting misspellings and punctuation and grammatical errors. [Rough estimate: 12-15 hours, 3-5 days turnaround. Total estimate $720-$900, deposit of $350.]
Copy editing. This most in-depth edit includes all services listed in Formatting and Proofreading and the following: Reading the entire text, correcting grammatical issues, and making suggestions on your writing's scholarly tone, smoothness, clarity, and conciseness and on the manuscript’s overall organization, logic, and development. [Rough estimate: 20-30 hours, 7-9 days turnaround. Total estimate $1200-$1800, deposit of $500.]
Payment
I charge $60 per hour (rush jobs strictly on a case-by-case basis: $75 per hour). I prefer payment by PayPal, and I will accept personal checks or money orders.
- I ask that you pay a deposit of half the estimated cost up front to hold your spot in the queue. The deposit is due one week after we have agreed upon a start date. I will not hold a spot open beyond that deadline without a deposit.
- I will let you know the remainder due when I deliver the finished work. I will refund any overpayment.
- I will charge only for the hours I actually work; that is, if the work doesn’t take as long as I estimated, you pay less. Also, though it is rare, sometimes the work takes longer than I anticipated; however, I will not exceed the estimate without your prior approval.
I will let you know the date I am available to start work on your editing and the date I expect to be able to return the finished work to you. Please understand I fill my editing queue on a first-come, first-served basis, so sometimes open spots don’t last long. I cannot hold a date without a firm commitment and deposit. I understand that sometimes work is urgent; if you’ll let me know your deadlines, I will let you know whether or not I can meet them. I will keep you posted as work progresses.
Follow-up Work
The original estimate and payments cover only the first edit of your document. Unless I’ve made a mistake or overlooked something, any additional work you ask me to do costs more.
