Hire me someday?
Before I landed a full-time job, I offered freelance services for editing and translating (Chinese to English and vice versa). Currently, I’m no longer available for freelance editing and translation jobs, but feel free to look at my rates in case I find myself unemployed again (Knocks on wood).
Editing Rates
Developmental Edit
For stories fresh out of NaNoWriMo or a frenzied writing session. In Gen Z terms, this is a vibe check for your manuscript but not a line-by-line critique. Vibes checked include readability, overarching plot, character dynamics, all that stuff.
I receive:
200 USD (First 50,000 words)
10 USD (Every subsequent 5000 words)
You receive:
A 1-page summary of your manuscript’s vibes with in-line comments.
Line Editing
For stories that need a full autopsy. This is where I check for grammar, spelling, punctuation etc. and catch errors that might turn prospective agents/editors off. I’ll also take a closer look at sentence flow, dialogue and more.
I receive:
5 USD—10 USD/500 words (Rounded to the nearest 500)
You receive:
A barrage of comments in your manuscript for up to 3 rounds of minor-to-substantial rewriting.
Proofreading
For stories that need the manuscript equivalent of Botox. I trust that you’ve already edited your work as best as you can, and I focus only on the little mistakes that you (or some other editor) didn’t catch the first time around.
I receive:
3 USD—6 USD/500 words (Rounded to the nearest 500)
You receive:
Comments on grammar, spelling and punctuation sprinkled throughout your manuscript.
Translation Rates
Chinese to English
Fiction: USD 5/1000 Chinese characters
Nonfiction: USD 6—USD 12/1000 Chinese characters
Game Localization: USD 10—USD 13/1000 Chinese characters
English to Chinese
Fiction: USD 4/1000 words
Nonfiction: USD 5—USD 11/1000 words
Game Localization: USD 9—USD 12/1000 words