ndeed, Chaucer had it right in his quote of 1385, except that he was off the mark by almost a thousand years. With the whirlwind pace of technological change, words become obsolete almost faster than we become accustomed to them. Yet the same advancements in technology are enabling writers to have their words recognized without the impediments of traditional methods of publication.

You may have some initial reservations about working via e-mail and the Internet with a freelance editor whom you don’t know and are unlikely ever to meet. After all, only a brief decade ago this kind of professional exchange was virtually unheard of, except perhaps if you happened to be connected with a big research university or laboratory.

Well, it’s long past the era when scientists and academics dominated Internet for publishing purposes. In the twenty-first century, the Web is every writer’s domain, and the online editorial and publication process is often faster, more hassle-free and economical than the traditional route. After all, you’re in complete control at every stage of the process, and the scope of the Web allows you to freely compare prices, quality, suitability, turnaround time and other variables, and make an informed decision accordingly.

Internet ethics
From an ethical standpoint, I can assure you of unsurpassable integrity, a deep work ethic and my commitment to a final product of the highest quality, whether working locally or via the Internet. You are welcome to contact any of my authors, publishers or colleagues for references. Equally high are my standards in every business transaction I undertake.

Editing options—long distance style
From a practical aspect, depending on your budget and comfort level with technology, I offer several methods of working through the editorial process. After our initial contact and a free estimate, you can select the kind of editing procedure that suits you best. After you’ve delivered your manuscript to me via e-mail, post or in person, you choose from the following options:

• Edit using the "track changes" feature in Word. I will edit on paper, then transfer the edits to your electronic MS Word document, using the track changes feature. When I’m done, I’ll return the edited document to you via e-mail, with the track changes showing. You’ll be able to view all my changes along with the time, date and any comments or suggestions I’ve made, and accept or reject the changes. With comments of a more extensive nature, I’ll send a separate e-mail with queries.

• Edit manually (on paper only). I can simply print out your document and edit it manually (by making the changes on the hard copy). I’ll then return the marked-up manuscript, leaving you to transfer the changes and corrections to your electronic document. This will cost you less, because 1) manual editing takes less time than on-screen editing, and 2) you will be inputting the changes yourself.

• Edit the old-fashioned way. If the previous two options don’t suit you, you can simply deliver the hard copy of your manuscript to me, and I’ll edit it manually in the traditional way (on paper). I’ll then mail it back to you, and you’ll be free to make the changes using your preferred method.

• Any combination of the above.

A professional result
In each case, you’ll have a completely edited document with my comments and suggestions. In the case of a combination edit/proofread, you’ll accept (or reject) my changes, and I’ll do a final comparison with the original manuscript to make sure every alteration has been captured. When we’re both satisfied that we’ve caught every detail, you may be assured you’ll have a professional finished product that you’ll be proud to see in print!