Copywriting and Editing

Copywriting and Editing

What Service Do I Offer?

During my years as a professional translator, an increasing number of clients have given me texts written in English by non-native speakers. Often their staff have different native languages and communicate with each other in English, so they naturally write content together in English. They know I can help them correct and improve these texts too, because an important part of my work as a translator is to write well and effectively in English. So these clients have asked me to:

  • Proofread their texts (check them to eliminate grammatical and punctuation errors, terminology errors, and intelligibility issues).
  • Edit their texts (rewrite them more extensively with the client’s end purpose in mind).
  • Some clients have asked me to do copywriting (writing a text for them, following specific guidelines, in a certain subject area and topic).
  • In addition, clients have asked me for other kinds of help in English, such as with localizing and checking user interfaces, rating AI responses, and so on.

All of this I call “monolingual” work, since doesn’t involve any translations from another source language, just work in English alone.

What Will It Cost?

That will depend on the specific requirements of your project. But if you want at least a rough idea of what to expect: This kind of work is harder to estimate based on a wordcount, so I normally I charge by the hour, around $50/hour or €45/hour. To get a quote for your project, just send me a message.

What Options Do You Have for Getting Your Text Written or Edited?

Some people like to have an AI tool edit or write a text—such as ChatGPT or Gemini. This can be fast and even fun, but you have to keep in mind that it might make unwanted changes to your text, or use false information in “writing” a text, or plagiarize information found online. Also, if you want text that will perform well for search-engine optimization, AI is not a good choice because it will output texts that resemble others already out there. It will not stand out as unique, so it will not work well for SEO.

For these reasons, if your text is important, you should hire a human to edit or write it.

How Do You Pay for the Work?

You can pay me by bank transfer (including SEPA and ACH), Zelle, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. (If you would like to mail me a check, I add a $14 deposit fee to the invoice for that, on orders of less than $1000.) Other payment methods are also possible, so if you have a different preference, let me know.

What Was That About Localization?

Localization means adapting your product or service in order to make it linguistically and culturally appropriate to the target locale (country/region and language) where it will be used or sold. The objective is to make the user feel that the product was developed specifically for them, with their interests and needs in mind. Localization entails customization related to: numbers (date, time, address, phone-number format), local currencies and measurement systems, keyboard usage, symbols, icons, colors, graphics, and legal requirements.

How Do We Proceed From Here?

If you’d like me to edit or write a text for you, here is how the process will go:
1. You send me all the files to work on, and any related files for reference.
2. You send me a 50% prepayment for the project.
3. I do the work, and if necessary I ask you questions to ensure that I can give you a quality final product that meets your needs.
4. I send you the completed files, and you look it over to make sure it’s what you need. If you have any questions, you can ask me.
5. You pay me the remainder for the project.

What Benefits Do I Offer You?

  • Your text is in a clear and natural style in English. English speakers strongly prefer a straightforward, uncomplicated style that conveys more information in fewer words. Writing in other languages, such as German and Russian, is often not like this.
  • You avoid embarrassing errors. I’m a native speaker of American English, with outstanding spelling and grammar. I give meticulous attention to detail.
  • I respect you and your needs. You have a good reason for wanting your text written or edited. Your success is my success. Your proprietary information is safe with me.

To get started, contact me here for a price quote.