Google the phrases Melbourne editing or editing Melbourne and you’ll get hundreds of search results. If you’re looking for Melbourne editing services, it can be challenging to sift through the websites and find the best editing service provider for your needs.

This blog post examines the market for freelance editing in Melbourne, and offers tips for selecting the right Melbourne editing service for your editing project.

Finding a Melbourne Editing Service

When looking for Melbourne editing services you can use a number of helpful sources. If you check the Yellow Pages, you’ll find nearly 30 companies providing editing services in Melbourne. These Melbourne editing providers are found in the CBD and throughout the suburbs.

Another good way to find Melbourne editing services is through the Society of Editors (Victoria). Each year, the Society of Editors publishes a freelance register that includes hundreds of editors and lists their areas of specialisation. If you’re looking for Melbourne editors who specialise in editing accounting textbooks, for example, you can find them in the Freelance Register. The publication is available in pdf format at www.socedvic.org.

Many freelance editors (including us) work across a wide range of areas. There are times, however, when you’ll want a specialist editor for your needs. If you have a complex medical publication, for example, you’ll want to use an editor who has studied the subject and has experience in this area. If you need editing for marketing publications for financial products, an editor who understands compliance issues can be more helpful than an editor with no background knowledge.

Although some editors will specialise in one area, many Melbourne editors will be comfortable editing all types of business documents and publications, such as brochures, proposals, letters, reports and websites.

Like us, many Melbourne editors provide their services Australia wide. With email and phone contact it’s simple to complete editing projects over long distances. We have provided editing to organisations in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin, Hobart, Adelaide and many locations in between.

Choosing the Right Melbourne Editing Service for Your Needs

Finding sources of Melbourne editors is the easy part. You’ll want to do some homework when it comes to finding the Melbourne editing service that meets your needs.

Here are a few questions you should ask when selecting a Melbourne editing service.

·        What areas do you specialise in? You might need an editor with special skills or knowledge. Ask editors if they have the educational background and experience to edit your material. Does the editor need to know certain computer programs besides Microsoft Word  – such as Quark, InDesign or Adobe Acrobat Pro.

·        What have you edited in the past, and for whom? Past projects and clients can tell you a lot about Melbourne editing service providers. It can help to see a client list and samples of editing work before you make a decision.

Sound knowledge of spelling and grammar is a prerequisite for good editing, but much more is required. We have found that long-time English teachers aren’t necessarily good editors. Without experience in editing they don’t know some of the basics of editing process. For example, some English teachers have approached us for freelance editing work, but they didn’t have essential knowledge – not even knowing what a style guide was or how to use the Track Changes function in Word.

What Type of Editing Do You Need?

It’s important to understand your needs when looking for editing in Melbourne. Many people ask us for proofreading when they really need editing. In one of our previous editing blog posts (Editing and Proofreading – What’s the Difference?) we explain the difference between substantive editing, copy editing and proofreading. If you ask for proofreading and really need copy editing, you might not get what you need. Read the editing blog post to learn how substantive editing, copy editing and proofreading differ.

Provide a Sample of Your Text When Enquiring about Editing

Finally, when you make an enquiry for editing in Melbourne, have a sample of your work ready. Seeing an example of the text that needs editing will help the editor understand what is required and quote for the project. We get many enquiries for editing quotations when we haven’t seen the document. Would you ask a mechanic for a quotation to fix your car when he hasn’t seen it? He’ll need to see your vehicle before he can tell you what needs to be repaired and the estimated time required. The amount of editing required will depend on the quality of the writing and many other factors. So it’s essential that an editor sees your work before providing an editing quotation.

You Can Find the Right Melbourne Editing Service

Finding the right Melbourne editing service for your needs doesn’t have to be challenging. By using the resources outlined in this editing blog post and asking the right  questions, you’ll be able to find the best Melbourne editing service for your needs.

We welcome your comments and questions.

Michael