Tess J Given

editing rates:

• My base rate is $100/hour for asynchronous editing, and $120/hour for live videoconferencing sessions. This reflects my training and the level of investment I bring to your work.
  • Asynchronous Editing includes services where, after a consultation in which we discuss your goals, questions, challenges, etc. for a project, I read and substantially annotate your work. My annotations address content and form at full length, and will also include a fully articulated summary comment in response to our preliminary consult.
  • Videoconferencing Sessions occur over zoom and more closely approximate an office hours meeting. Using things like screen sharing, we spend an hour looking at all aspects of your work, responding and editing in real-time and in active conversation.
• If you’re working on a budget, I am happy to tailor my services to your constraints. Together, we can come up with a specific plan to make sure you get what you need at a price you can swing.
• If you are a contingent, adjunct, or freelance writer working on academic work, I offer reduced sliding scale rates. Asynchronous editing starts at $75/hour and video conferencing sessions start at $90/hour.
• I am happy to work with you on longer-term projects, and offer reduced hourly rates in consultation with you.
• Our preliminary meeting for either style of editing will be a video consultation to make sure that we’re a good fit for your project and goals. The consultation is $20, and if you choose to work with me it will be credited towards our first content-focused session.

other policies:

• I will never use generative AI (ChatGPT, gemini, etc.) in relation to your project in any way. In addition, I will never share your work outside of our sessions and regard it as your intellectual property.
• Turnaround time for projects will be determined by us, in conversation. In general, I require adequate preparation and reading time to offer you the quality of work that I promise, and so you should expect at least 5-7 days between our initial conversation and any deliverables. That being said, repeat clients and long-term projects can operate with more flexibility once we establish a working relationship. In general, I assume that you’re hiring me because of the level of craft and engagement I can provide, not because I am your quickest option.
• I do not offer copy editing services as a stand-alone service. I will, however, include minor copy edits in developmental editing work that I do for you.
• I do not work on any project that engages in hate speech or legitimization of it. Texts which are misogynist (including/especially transmisogynist), transphobic or homophobic, anti-Black, anti-Indigenous, otherwise white supremacist, etc. will be rejected. If your argument seems to be unintentionally contributing negatively to those discourses, I will be happy to discuss my reading of it with you in consultation. However, I reserve the right to withhold or terminate my services if a resolution cannot be reached.
• My expertise is in critical projects, not creative ones. If you are a creative writer interested in working with me, I am happy to discuss what that would look like and what it means for you.

if you’re interested in working together, please contact me! (link)