Editorial Services Overview

U Write Now provides the following editorial services, personalized for your needs:

• ​Copyediting​

  • grammar and punctuation

  • punctuation for lists and quotes

  • spelling, abbreviations, number usage, statistical and mathematical presentation, other mechanics

• Line editing

  • sentence style for clarity and readability

  • ​paragraph and document flow

  • appropriate tone for purpose

  • word count or page reduction

• Developmental editing

  • gaps or repetition identification

  • content suggestions

• Proofreading

  • typos, close/open space, font/line adjustment, final copyediting

  • ​picture perfect copy.

• If English is not the author's first language, U Write Now performs copyediting and line editing to promote greater clarity and readability in English.

• International authors are welcome to request editorial services. Please make sure the document you send is in English. 

• U Write Now provides editing services for the nonfiction categories listed on the Home Page. Click on the list for more information on each category.​​

 

Additional Services

​In addition to text editing, U Write Now offers the following services:

• Formatting services

  • document layout

  • text citations and the reference list (any style)

  • visual elements (tables and figures)

• Administrative services

  • file storage and retrieval (description)

  • survey of potential journals

  • cover letter for journal article submission

  • third party journal article electronic submission (if allowed)

  • third party communications (e.g., contacting a journal's editorial office)

• Library research

  • reference list verification

  • research for developmental editing, suggest new citations (up to 15% of the reference list –journal article only)​

• Resubmission assistance (journal article only)

  • create the critique/response letter or table

  • split revision tasks with the author

  • third party resubmission (if allowed).

U Write Now offers a general information service, ​Ask a Question.

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Services Not Provided

• U Write Now does not provide content writing or other content creation.

• U Write Now does not provide translation services.

• U Write Now does not provide services for memoir or creative writing.

• U Write Now does not engage in media editing for film or video. However, I do edit PowerPoint. ​

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Arranging and Paying for Service

It's as easy as 1 – 2 – 3 – 4!

1. Send me your document via beth@uwritenow.com and indicate the service you need.

   • Files larger than 25mb will transfer via Google Drive. ​

   • You may send separate attachments for chapters of a text document, PowerPoint sections, figures, and tables.

   • Please do not send datasets. I edit and format tables and figures, but I do not create them.

   • I am the only user on the Google workspace account, ensuring privacy and security.

   • I store customer files on my personal computer. After I complete the service, I will delete these files at your request. 

2. Review my response, sent by email within 24 hours.

   • I may decline your initial request for one of the following reasons: (a) your draft appears incomplete, (b) your draft appears plagiarized, (c) my work schedule is full, (d) I'm unable to work for personal reasons, or (e) we cannot agree on the service needed.

   • Barring the above circumstances, my first or a subsequent response will include (a) my assessment of the needs of your document, (b) a half page sample of editorial service (copy editing, line editing, or proofreading), (c) a quote for cost, (d) my approximate work hours, and (e) a proposed contract. (example)

     • If the project is long term (more than 16 intermittent hours), I will send a renewable contract that we modify each week.

     • Examples of long-term projects include academic writing and professional or workplace writing many pages or slides in length and including multiple components.

3. We can negotiate the terms outlined in the assessment. Once we reach agreement, I'll send a new quote for cost, my approximate work hours, and a proposed contract.

4. Return the electronically signed contract and send me a payment of 25% of the proposed total cost via PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, or personal check. I will send a link to the payment app.

   • For short-term assignments (turnaround of seven to ten calendar days), the balance of the total cost must be paid in full before I return the edited work.

   • Long-term assignments are paid weekly or biweekly according to contract terms. ​

   • Customers may end the contract of a long-term assignment at any time upon payment of balance due that week.​

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Rates

• I charge rates per word count for editorial services. My word count rates are based on tables published by the Editorial Freelancers Association. My rates are lower than the average for every nonfiction editing service reported in the tables.​ I apply the same rate for both academic writing and professional and workplace writing. 

  • copy editing, 3.4 cents per word

  • line editing, 3.75 cents per word

  • developmental editing (journal articles), 3.85 cents per word

  • proofreading, 2.2 cents per word

• My pages per hour speed is slower than the ranges in the EFA tables. ​However, your editorial services fee is dependent on the word count of the document you send and not on pages per hour. 

• For most additional services, I charge a flat rate of $21 per hour, except for services involving citations and the reference list and for library research. 

  • formatting citations (including style change), $26 p/h

  • formatting the reference list (including style change), $26 p/h

  • reference list verification, $26 p/h

  • researching content for developmental editing, $26 p/h

• Please understand that some services overlap. Examples are below.​

  • If a table contains text, I charge the copy editing ​or proofreading rate in addition to the formatting rate per hour.

  • If a document needs extensive line editing (e.g., word count or page reduction), I charge the line editing rate for the entire document. Otherwise, I may charge the copy editing rate for some sections and the line editing rate for other sections.

  • I charge the developmental editing rate only for those sections of the journal article that need this service.

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Work Methods​

• U Write Now does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to perform editorial tasks. I rely on resources such as style manuals, dictionaries, and the editing tools of document-producing software.

• I do not forward editorial or administrative tasks to other companies. Currently, I do not have assistants.

• I return your files with tracked changes and comments to display my editing work. 

• I do not use reference management software to make formatting changes to your citations or reference list. Read why.

• I prefer to work alone on your document, but upon request, I may edit within a file sharing platform such as Google Drive. Feel free to suggest the file sharing program you would like to use.

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​Disclaimer

​I work hard to help you achieve your professional and academic goals. However, U Write Now does not at any time guarantee your writing will be accepted for publication, help you meet qualifications for a degree, receive a target score or grade, help you enter an academic program, help you obtain funds, or produce a desired effect among readers. Your external circumstances are beyond my control.

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Acknowledgement Policy

Acknowledging my contributions as an editor of your published work is completely at your discretion. If you choose not to acknowledge me, I am fine with that. Journals may now require acknowledgement of editorial support or third-party submission assistance. A simple statement is appropriate: “We wish to acknowledge the editorial contributions of Elizabeth Spada” or “We wish to acknowledge the administrative support of Elizabeth Spada for submitting this manuscript on our behalf.”