I edit texts in history and related fields for nonnative and native speakers. I also translate such texts from German into English. To determine whether I might be an appropriate editor or translator for your project, please have a look at my testimonials and projects pages.

Editing

My base rate for editing is currently 65.00 USD or EUR per hour. Rush orders can cost more, depending on my availability.

The time it takes me to edit will depend on how well prepared the text is, how difficult it is, and how much you expect of me in terms of specialized formatting (citations, tables) and the like.

To obtain an estimate, please email me the text, and tell me about the intended audience or venue, the level of attention you expect the text will require, and by when you need it.

Translating

For translations from German to English, I follow the German practice of charging by the so-called standard line (Normzeile), which is 55 characters long, including spaces, in the German source text. This practice is meant to make your costs more predictable than is possible with an hourly rate.

My rate for a standard line is generally between 2.00 and 2.25 USD or EUR, depending on how challenging the text is and how fast you need it.

For a rate quote, please email me the text, and tell me about the intended audience or venue as well as the desired completion date.

Translation Caveats

• If you plan to hire me using public funds from Germany, my rate for a standard line might put me somewhat at odds with JVEG, which does not necessarily foresee the kind of dual competencies required for difficult historiographical and historical texts. In such cases, we might want to talk about an hourly rate, or even a flat fee for a clearly defined project.
• If you quote (not just cite) scholarship or other material that is already available in English, it might be best to quote that literature. In many cases, I will be able to get my hands on such material, but sometimes I will not, even in Washington, DC, because of my independent status and the pandemic of it all.

About Costs

Please keep in mind that freelance work includes overhead in terms of time, reference materials, and equipment. In particular, about 50 percent of the time I work cannot be billed to a specific client. The above rates are meant to reflect this circumstance at least in part.

Terms of Service

1. I will endeavor to answer all editing and translation requests within two business days. If the job is very big and requires a closer look, I’ll let the client know how much time I’ll need to send an editing cost estimate or translation price.
2. If the client can only send me a sample chapter for an editing estimate, please note that my estimate cannot account for issues in the chapters that I have not yet seen.
3. If the client can only send me a sample chapter for a translation quote, I will not be able to commit to the price I quote until I have seen the entire text, i.e., all the chapters and associated apparatus.
4. Upon the client’s acceptance of my offer, I will summarize our agreement, including the delivery and payment details, for the client to review and confirm.
5. Payment will be due in full upon receipt of the edited or translated text.
6. For bigger projects, such as books, I reserve the right to invoice the client after each chapter I deliver. For clients I don’t know either personally or by professional reputation, I might also request a deposit.
7. For clients in Europe, payment will generally be via bank transfer in EUR to the European account on my invoice.
8. Clients in the United States can transfer to the American USD account I include on the invoice.
9. Alternatively, clients can use Venmo, PayPal, or a comparable method by prior arrangement.
10. These terms are a work in progress. I reserve the right to update them as new questions arise.
    

Page last revised on September 14, 2022