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When people ask me what I do for a living and I tell them I’m a freelance editor, they often ask, “So you just sit around reading books all day, right?”

Sure.

My first thought is, “That would be great!” But if being an editor means sitting around and reading books all day, then anyone who has been to first grade can do it. And who would need to hire an editor, since there are plenty of people out there who have been to first grade, can read—and would be happy to do it all day?

If you’re a publisher or writer, you already know you need an editor. And you know you need someone who can do more than read books all day. The problem is finding the right editor who can help you reach your goals.

An ancient proverb in the Bible says that “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” As an editor, I believe a word fitly written is a thing of beauty that sparkles and shines like gold and silver. I would love to work with you to help you achieve fitly written words, sentences, and paragraphs that clearly communicate your message. That’s what an editor does.

Annette Gysen, freelance editor

About Me

I have more than twenty years of experience in both in-house and freelance publishing. My wide range of work experiences includes the following:

Acquisitions
Author correspondence
Copyediting
Creating compilation books from previously published materials
Developmental editing
Hiring and managing freelance editors and proofreaders
Project management—seeing a manuscript through from acquisition to published book and working with other members of the publishing team, such as marketers, sales staff, typesetters, designers, and printers, to ensure a high-quality finished product
Proofreading
Writing copy for book jackets and publisher’s descriptions

My experience includes working on textbook and educational materials, trade books, academic books, children’s books, and magazine articles, with a specialization in Christian book (Christian living, devotionals, Bible study books, theological studies) and magazine publishing.

Services

Copyediting

As a copyeditor, I will be looking for and correcting mechanical errors and inconsistencies; errors of grammar, usage, and syntax; and errors or inconsistencies in content. Copyediting includes the following tasks as well:

Working with your preferred style guide—for example, The Chicago Manual of Style, Turabian’s Manual for Writers, The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style, or an in-house style guide—to produce a polished manuscript that reflects your preferences
Making sure elements in the text, such as cross-references; numbering of footnotes, endnotes, tables, and illustrations; the table of contents; and footnotes/endnotes and bibliographies are internally consistent
Correcting (or pointing them out so you can correct them) errors or lapses in grammar, syntax, usage, and diction
Calling your attention to any internal inconsistencies or discrepancies in content, as well as structural and organizational problems, so that you may resolve them or so that you can direct me to resolve them by heavy editing or rewriting

Developmental Editing

As a developmental editor, I will help you structure or restructure your manuscript before it enters the publication process. This includes the following:

Helping an author develop a “big picture” for a manuscript and then coaching him or her with organizing content to make sure this vision is executed successfully
Rewriting or suggesting rewrites at the chapter, section, paragraph, and sentence levels

Proofreading

As a proofreader, I will read your typeset proofs to find errors and mark them for correction, including the following:

Using standard proofreading marks to accurately and clearly indicate errors
Using your preferred dictionary to correct misspellings
Reading and following the copyeditor’s style sheet to guarantee consistency
Checking formatting, including items such as folios, running heads, indents, word and line spacings, coordination of the contents page with the chapters—and other design elements

Rates

I charge an hourly rate. The Chicago Manual of Style suggests that a 100,000-word book manuscript, edited by an experienced editor, might take seventy-five to one hundred hours of work before being sent to the author for his or her review, and ten to twenty additional hours after the author’s review. I’m happy to edit a small sample to provide the basis for an estimate and to give you an opportunity to see my work.

- Basic copyediting $35/hr
- Academic copyediting $40/hr
- Basic proofreading $30/hr
- Academic book proofreading $35/hr

Recommendations

“I highly recommend Annette, both for her editorial skill and for her understanding of publishing. She manages process and scheduling detail well. She also works well with authors during the developmental stages of a manuscript as well as in the line editing of completed manuscripts.”

—Judith Markham, former managing editor, Discovery House Publishers

“Annette has edited and proofread seven of my ten biographies for children. Her editing is accurate and her suggestions are always insightful and respectful of my opinions and style. Our communication has been a pleasure. She replies in a timely manner and provides sincere encouragement and support. I am always looking forward to working with Annette, and I recommend her services wholeheartedly.”

—Simonetta Carr, author of the Christian Biographies for Young Readers series, translator, Italian instructor

“Competent, conscientious, and congenial—Annette Gysen is a delight to work with in bringing a book to life. Her exacting eye and concern for cogent communication result in a product satisfying to both the reader and the author.”

—Stanley D. Gale, author of A Vine-Ripened Life and Finding Forgiveness

Contact

Thank you for visiting my website and considering me for your editorial needs. If you have any questions about my services or would like to discuss how we can work together to meet your publishing goals, please contact me so we can discuss what you need and how I can best serve you.

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