Krista Zimonick
Independent Copyeditor and Proofreader

FAQs

Since Adobe doesn't provide users with the ability to track changes, I need to describe every edit I make using the markup tools and Comments feature. This takes significantly more time than using MS Word’s Track Changes feature. (It’s also much more work for you, the author, to incorporate those changes into your manuscript!)
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I am proficient in Chicago and APA styles. (If you are working on a doctoral dissertation and your school has its own unique or modified style guide or handbook, please send it to me.) I also use Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, but can consult a different dictionary if you prefer.
  
If you send me a Microsoft Word file, I’ll use the Track Changes and Comments features to provide you with a marked-up copy. (Take a look at this sample to get a sense of my workflow.) If you send a .pdf file, I’ll use the markup tools and Comments feature in Adobe Reader to provide feedback. Please note that it costs more to edit a .pdf. Contact me if your file is in a format other than .docx or .pdf.
  

  
What style guide and references do you use?
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How do you provide feedback on a document?
  

  
Why does it cost more for you to edit a .pdf?
 

You can pay via PayPal or Venmo. If you have questions about payment methods or schedules, please contact me.
  
I do provide copyediting and proofreading services for writers who aspire to publish their doctoral dissertations and for writers of academic articles. However, for ethical reasons, I will not edit papers, essays, or other assignments that will be submitted to a course for a grade, unless your instructor has given you permission in writing to have your work edited.
   
Not at this time. I work on completed drafts that need sentence-level edits for clarity, consistency, and correctness. If you'd like detailed feedback on your manuscript or require significant adding, deleting, or rewriting of content, please seek a developmental editor first. Take a look at my What Kind of Editor Do You Need? handout for more information. 
   

  
Will you edit my homework or assignment for a class?
  

  
Do you do beta reading, critiques, or developmental editing?
  

  
What payment methods do you accept?
  

I take my clients’ confidentiality very seriously. The reason that I do not offer samples of my previous work is to protect clients’ privacy. Having said that, I usually do not sign NDAs, nor will most fiction editors. Jane Friedman has written a helpful article on the topic that I encourage you to check out if you have concerns.
  
 

  
Will you sign my NDA?
  

Yes! If you're writing an easy reader or chapter book geared to young readers, it may need "leveling" in order for your target audience to read it independently. Leveling involves simplifying word choice, shortening sentences and paragraphs, and simplifying sentence structure. Take a look at my leveling sample, or contact me to learn more!
  
 

  
Can you help me simplify my story so it can be read by young children?