Cox Editing Services and Fees

What is Copyediting?

Copyediting involves identifying and correcting errors related to spelling and grammatical issues, tone and style inconsistencies, awkward syntax, and poor word choices. We strive to enhance readability and purpose while maintaining the integrity of the author’s voice.

How Do We Edit What You’ve Written?

All copyediting assignments, whether large or small, pass through two editors. Our editing process includes the following:

  1. Find and correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
  2. Enhance readability for your audience.
  3. Find and correct spacing errors and dropped words.
  4. Apply correct headings (if applicable).
  5. Resolve verb tense issues.
  6. Revise “run-on” sentences.
  7. Resolve sentence fragments.
  8. Break “sprawling” paragraphs
  1. Eliminate unnecessary words.
  2. Correct errors in word usage (e.g., advise/advice, effect/affect, there/their/they’re, etc.).
  3. Remove redundant words and phrases.
  4. Preserve and amplify your “voice.”
  5. Apply SEO standards to the written content of blog articles and website content.
  6. All copyediting work includes proofreading by a separate editor.

How Do We Deliver Copyediting Services?

Our goals in this process are to objectively correct grammar and other text problems and improve readability without altering your voice.

Our editing process concludes with a final proofread to search for any problems or mistakes we may have missed. In our practice, the proofreader is always a different editor than the one completing the initial project.

When we finish our work, the client receives two Microsoft Word versions.

The first is a “markup” version that gives the client the final decision to accept or reject any edits we’ve made. The client must make this final decision because he/she is ultimately responsible for their finished work.

The second is the complete “edited” version. This version lets the client read the finished work with all suggestions accepted.

What Do We Charge for Copyediting Services?

We charge $41.00 per hour for copyediting services and invoice clients at the end of the month or upon project completion. Payment is due in 30 days. Furthermore, we will invoice for additional fees1 if applicable.

The most significant factor in giving an estimate for a copyediting project is the length of the document.

If you are interested in our copyediting services, please use our contact form or call us at (217) 827-4427. We’ll gladly discuss the scope of your project and provide an estimated cost for completion.

What is Proofreading?

Proofreading is the final step in the editing process before a written work moves on to publication.

Accordingly, proofreaders are the “last line of defense” against surface-level typos and on-page formatting inconsistencies. They’re responsible for performing the final scan for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors without further revisions to the text.

What Do We Charge for Proofreading Services?

We charge $41.00 per hour for proofreading services and invoice clients at the end of the month or upon project completion. Payment is due in 30 days. Furthermore, we will invoice for additional fees1 if applicable.

The most significant factor in giving an estimate for a proofreading project is the length of the document. These projects don’t require the same amount of detailed work as copyediting. Subsequently, they don’t require as much time.

If you are interested in our proofreading services, please use our contact form or call us at (217) 827-4427. We’ll gladly discuss the scope of your project and provide an estimated cost for completion.

What Types of Assignments Do We Accept?

We are experienced in copyediting and proofreading many types of print and online content, including but not limited to the following:

  1. Book manuscripts (nonfiction)
  2. Blog articles and posts
  3. Feature articles
  4. Magazine articles
  5. Grant narratives
  1. Newsletters (online and print)
  2. PowerPoint presentations
  3. Website content
  4. Business narratives
  5. Sales materials

SEO Standards (Blog Articles and Online Content)

Our objective is to support you in meeting Google’s SEO (search engine optimization) and user readability standards. Doing so helps search engines “connect” individuals making queries to your website.

Specifically, SEO standards apply to client websites and blogs. This service involves basic copyediting and applying SEO standards to your online content.

SEO is vital to you because, as of March 2023, Internet users on desktops launch approximately 84% of all search queries worldwide on Google. In the U.S., Google Search handles 60% of all searches.

Furthermore, current statistics show that search engines drive 93% of all web traffic. In other words, you want your website content to attract the attention of Google Search – and applying SEO to your blog and website content can help you accomplish this objective.

What Do We Charge for Standalone SEO Copyediting?

Our flat rate for SEO copyediting services is $41.00 per hour.

We invoice clients at the end of the month or upon project completion, with payment due in 30 days. Furthermore, we will invoice for additional fees1 if applicable.

If you are interested in our SEO copyediting service, please use our contact form or call us at (217) 827-4427. We’ll gladly discuss your SEO copyediting project’s scope and provide an estimate of its completion cost.

1Additional Fees

We charge additional client fees for communications (phone calls, chats, video conferencing, emails, etc.). Likewise, we charge for the time involved in meetings or conference calls.

The rate for time spent in these activities is $41.00 per hour (prorated per minute). We will invoice these charges at the end of the month or upon completion of the project/engagement.