If you’re looking to hire a professional editor, writer, or indexer, I’d love to work with you. This page has information on my skills, my rates, and how to contact me if you’re interested in my services.
professional bio
I have a BA in professional writing, editing and publishing from Michigan State University and a master’s degree (MFA) in fiction writing from Eastern Washington University. I have worked as an editor for three literary magazines. I have written and edited content for Michigan’s standardized tests, including MEAP, MEAP-Access, MI-Access, and MME. I have experience writing and editing for a wide range of clients, from individuals to small businesses to governmental offices. In 2018 I published a book on small towns in Michigan. I currently teach writing and editing courses at Michigan State University.
editing
types: novels, short stories, essays, standardized tests (items and passages), resumes, websites, blogs, articles, governmental reports, citations, scholarly papers, ESL authors
subjects: fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, arts and humanities, English language arts, literature, women’s studies, business writing, social sciences, scholarly
rates for copyediting general text: $.03 to $.07 per word
rates for copyediting citation material: $1.50 to $2.00 per citation
rates for developmental editing: $10 to $20 per page
writing
types: ghostwriting, standardized test content, blog posts, website content, articles, essays, reviews, resumes
subjects: fiction, memoir, arts and humanities, English language arts, literature, women’s studies, business writing, travel writing
rates for writing: $35 to $70 per hour
indexing
types: scholarly, business, textbook, academic
subjects: fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, arts and humanities, English language arts, literature, women’s studies, business writing, social sciences, scholarly
rates for creating an index: $5 to $10 per indexable page
rates for editing an index: varies, based on project, timeline, and index format
consulting
Consulting is a new service I offer after recently receiving a request. I charge $50/hour for writing consulting, either over the phone, video conferencing, or in-person. For in-person meetings, I also charge for travel time from my place of residence.
why hire a professional editor?
Professional editors are not hobbyists. Professional editors understand that improving a piece of writing is about more than making sure all the commas are in the right place and all the words are spelled correctly. We correct matters of spelling and grammar, yes, but we also look at, among other things, syntax, clarity, organization, consistency, style, suitability for audience, and ethical and legal issues. We understand that our role is to improve what is already on the page, not create text as we might wish it to be. Our job is to serve the writer, the text, and the reader—never ourselves. We strive to improve your writing in invisible ways. We have skills and training, and we are constantly learning about the market and looking for ways to improve. You can’t get all of this from your mom or your spouse or even your best friend—not unless your mom or your spouse or your best friend is a professional editor, too.
contact me
If it seems my skill set would be a good match with the work you need done, please shoot me an email at kathryn (dot) houghton (at) gmail (dot) com.