On this page, you’ll find a few extra details about my editing services.

If you’ve still got unanswered questions, do drop me a line, and I’ll get back to you as soon as is humanly possible.

Do you work in UK or US English?

As a Brit, I obviously favour UK English, but I’m equally comfortable working in either, according to your needs.

Before beginning a job, I’ll also check with you whether you have particular spelling conventions or style guidelines (Chicago Manual of Style, APA, MHRA, and so on) that you’d like me to adhere to.

Which document formats do you accept?

I am able to work with texts in any of the following formats for both editing and translation:

• Microsoft Word (.docx/.doc), Excel (.xlsx/.xls) or PowerPoint (.pptx/.ppt)
• Open Document Format, as used by LibreOffice and Google Docs (.odt/.ods/.odp)
• PDF
• plain text (.txt)
• LaTeX (.tex) or Markdown (.md/.mdown/.markdown) – this will be slightly more complicated, and will be charged as one hour’s extra work

How quickly can you return my edited text?

In general, I aim to return texts within 3 working days. I’ll be able to give a more precise estimate after taking a look at the text, and will agree a return date with you when I confirm the job.

If you need a text returned sooner, feel free to ask, and I may be able to offer you a rush service at a slightly higher rate.

How does your editing process work?

For most editing jobs, I work in Microsoft Word or LibreOffice using the track changes feature. My edits, along with any additional comments, are displayed in the margins of the document, and you can review each one before approving it.

For PDFs, I insert my changes as comments, which can then be viewed in most PDF readers (Adobe, Foxit and so on). If a more extensive edit is required, I may convert the PDF to Microsoft Word format (.docx/.doc) and use track changes, as above, and then return the edited Word file to you. I will consult with you before doing this, however.

For presentations produced in Microsoft PowerPoint (which does not have the track changes functionality), I make changes and add comments directly on the slides; when you receive the edited presentation, you can use PowerPoint’s ‘compare and merge’ feature to review and incorporate my edits.

Last, for documents written in LaTeX or Markdown, I can do one of two things, as you prefer:

1. I can convert the document to Microsoft Word format and use track changes, as above. After you have received the file and approved the edits, you can either convert the file back to LaTeX or Markdown yourself, or send it back to me to convert it.

2. If you already use the LyX editor, I can edit the file in that program and use its own track changes feature.

Which payment methods do you prefer?

In general, I accept payment via bank transfer (preferred) or PayPal. I am happy to consider other payment methods, depending on their value and convenience for both of us, so feel free to ask.

Which currencies do you accept?

I am able to accept payment in pounds sterling (GBP), Euros (EUR), US dollars (USD) or Canadian dollars (CAD). I will always invoice you in GBP, however; if you wish to pay in another currency, it will be your responsibility to ensure that you send the correct amount.