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Clarity, Elegance and Persuasion.

Clarity starts with the idea that every project is a collaboration. An editor can make good guesses, but only the author knows for sure what they want the reader to understand. Together, we find the best combination of clarity, consistency, style, meaning and voice. My Edit–Consult–Re-edit process can be completed in two weeks or less for chapter-length work. It yields a dramatically superior result to the usual once-through editing approach and costs only DKK0.60 per word. This quick description raises many questions including those addressed below. If the following does not addressed your question, please contact us.

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Price and quality are both important considerations. To evaluate my ability to do an excellent job on your manuscript, send a few pages…

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HOW IT WORKS

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Years of Editorial Experience

I founded Clarity Editorial Services in 2015. I have more than 30 years of editorial experience, including posts at Asian Survey and NIAS Press, where I currently am Desk Editor. Trained as a political scientist (Ph.D., Berkeley, 2001), I have published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and Oxford University Press. I have a decade of university teaching experience and have guided dozens of students through the research, writing and publication process. I have edited dozens of books and hundreds of articles by scholars from around the world, including pioneering work by leaders in their field.

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David Stuligross, founder and Senior Language Editor


Send your manuscript

Your manuscript will be evaluated immediately and I will contact you with a proposed work schedule and a price quote.

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The Edit–Consult–Re-edit Process

Edit – Consult – Edit: what does this mean?

  • Initial edit
    1. I dive deeply into your manuscript and look at everything.
    2. grammar rules and norms;
    3. consistency in spelling, number presentation, spelling, commas, and more;
    4. clarity and deeper communication issues: finding just the right words, phrases and organization. I also delve into the argument itself:
      1. is the logic consistent throughout?
      2. Is the information presented in an organized fashion?
      3. Does the evidence support the argument in the way you claim?
        1. (This dive into the logic enables us to locate typographical errors in tables, which otherwise are virtually impossible to notice.)
        2. This dive allows us to do more than just check grammar and typographical errors, it ensures that the paper is readable and supports the purpose of the paper (supporting a thesis, clearly articulates thoughts)
    5. Sometimes, I guess. (I am a good guesser!)
    6. Other times, I ask.
  • Consultation
    1. Usually by zoom, these meetings help both of us understand the questions raised by Initial Edit
      1. You might be confused about why I made a specific suggestion.
      2. I might have been confused about how you wished to emphasize the ideas in a section.
      3. Hence, dialogue helps both of us.
    2. Helps you to engage with my suggestions and frame revisions that make sense.
      1. Sometimes, my clarifications will have been good, they captured the intended logic and thought
      2. Sometimes, my clarifications will have been bad, I did not understand what you were trying to convey, so a complete revision of the section is required
    3. is used to clarify responses to questions I raised during initial editing, as well as any other puzzles you may have.
    4. Zoom is the usual format
    5. you take the lead.
    6. Most consultations last 30–60 minutes; some authors prefer to skip this step and others continue for hours.
    7. This consultation is really intended to be the author editing my thoughts and proposed revisions, not with the detailed writing, but in the messaging of a section.
  • Re-edit
    1. Re-editing goes relatively quickly, because I focus almost exclusively on ‘technical’ questions of grammar and stylistic consistency, as well as clarity in newly revised sections. These are easier to see after the text is in generally good shape.
    2. Most editors stop after the first round. Indeed, most editors do even less in their one and only round; I give myself permission to be bolder than most editors because I know that we will have a consultation and a re-edit – that is, because I know you will have a reasonable chance to reject my suggestions.

How long does the entire editing process take?

  1. I work at a basic pace of 20 pages per day, but this might be juggled among many projects.
  2. For article length manuscripts, once the process is begun, the full process is normally completed in about two weeks:
    1. one week for Clarity’s initial editing round,
    2. a few days for consultations and author revisions, and
    3. a few days for re-editing, focused almost entirely on technical language issues.
    4. –> Monographs, including dissertations, normally proceed chapter-by-chapter, but I am open to discussing other options
  3. These are basic parameters. I have always managed to accommodate tight deadlines and I am grateful to know when time is not pressing – so that I can accommodate other clients without slowing you down.

How are your services different from the feedback I receive during peer review or from a mentor?

  1. At first glance, my substantive nudges might appear to be similar to those of a peer reviewer or a mentor. However, these people approach your text with a deep background in the subject matter, and they use their background to urge you to consider new and important ideas.
  2. By contrast, I position myself as an uninformed but intelligent person who is very good at reading. You are my starting point.
    1. You provide the background for my engagement with your argument.
    2. My job is not to help you ’situate’ your argument in the state of the art, or to broaden your argument, or to change your argument.
    3. My job is to ensure that your argument is internally consistent, well-organized, and reads well, maximizing the work product, and making your mentor’s job easier and enhancing your academic or publishing prospects.

When, in my own writing process, should I begin working with you?

  1. My three-step process is intended to begin with a manuscript that you believe is quite polished and nearly ready to submit.
  2. However, I am open to engaging in a more long-term, ’developmental editing’ collaboration.
  3. We can discuss what this means and how much it costs, as developmental editing can vary dramatically from one project to the next.

Pricing questions

How much does the process cost?

  1. DKK0.80 per editable word* of the longest version** of the manuscript. In nearly all cases, sales tax does not apply. Where it does apply, sales tax is an additional 25%.
    1. *Editable word. Some manuscripts are filled with huge tables. Some have bibliographies that do not require the same kind of attentive eye that I apply to the substantive portions of the manuscript. Please include everything when you send the manuscript (context from tables/figures helps me to understand the text; the bibliography helps me to check spelling of in-text references). To determine the number of editable words, I will delete the bibliography, tables, and figures. The Microsoft word count (bottom-left of the screen) is the official word count.
    2. **Longest version. The manuscript first submitted is almost always the longest version. General editing tends to tighten the prose. However, revisions based on substantive queries occasionally lead to a large increase in word count. This is a good thing! The manuscript has improved! But the revisions become a part of the pricing algorithm.

Are discounts available?

  1. Yes, and discounts are encouraged!
  2. I offer a 20% recruiting discount for each person you recruit who agrees to use my services for a comparable project.
    1. That is, if you are writing a dissertation and recruit another dissertation-writer, you receive a 20% discount on your current or future project, whatever makes sense.
    2. If you are writing an article and recruit another article writer, you receive a 20% discount.
    3. If you’re writing a long piece and recruit a short-piece writer (or vice versa), then we negotiate a reasonable discount.
  3. After your first project, all subsequent work receives a 20% loyalty discount.

What if I want to do a second round? Is the process the same? Is the price the same?

  1. Our collaboration can dramatically improve the quality of an article being prepared for initial submission, or of a draft dissertation. However, the most common journal response is ’revise and resubmit’ and many scholars intend to transform their dissertations into publishable books. So, a second round can make sense.
  2. The second-round process is exactly the same as the first round: Edit – Consult – Re-edit.
  3. The price for second-(or third-) round editing is DKK0.30 per editable word.

‘Fit’ questions

What are your credentials?

I founded Clarity Editorial Services in 2015. I have more than 30 years of editorial experience, including posts at Asian Survey and NIAS Press, where I currently am Desk Editor. Trained as a political scientist (Ph.d., Berkeley 2001), I have published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and Oxford University Press. I have a decade of university teaching experience and have guided dozens of students through the research, writing and publication process.

What kinds of clients have you worked with?

  1. I have edited dozens of books and hundreds of articles by scholars from around the world, including pioneering work by leaders in their field. I have also edited dozens of dissertations and hundreds of articles by junior scholars in all disciplines.
  2. My ’inside-out’ editing method enables me to engage with work in any discipline. Most of my clients have returned to collaborate on second, third and fourth projects. Repeat clients include a stem-cell researcher, a criminologist, and most of Biology department at Copenhagen University, in additional to the expected political scientists, economists and sociologists.

Where has edited work appeared?

  1. This is more a tribute to the authors than to me, yet I note that edited work has been published in Science magazine, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and many other A-list publishers.

Are you right for me?

  1. See for yourself what I can do! The best way to find out how I approach your work is by letting me edit your work. Send me a few pages and I will return them quickly (usually within a day). This gift to you comes with no obligation.

SERVICES

What We Offer


Referral discount: 20%

Save 20% on a current or future project after a person you refer agrees to work with me on a comparably sized project.






20% Loyalty discount

After your first project, you receive a 20% discount for life. (May be combined with referral discounts.)






Student discount: 40%

Students receive a 40% discount all editorial projects with Clarity Editorial Services. May be combined with referral discounts.






Logical consistency

We dive  into your logic and argumentation. Our interest is in helping you communicate ideas; grammar barely scratches the surface.






The Best Recommendation

More than 70% of customers return with second (third, fourth…) projects.






It’s not just what you say;

it’s why you say it. An editor cannot suggest how an idea might be formulated without understanding its purpose.





Why Choose Us

There are quite so many reasons that make us one of the best editorial services in the market…


Unique three-step system delivers results

Edit–consult–re-edit enables both author and editor to engage with the text in new and profound ways. The system makes the difference.



Brilliant track record

70% repeat clients says it all. Clients return because they are pleased with the product.



Try for free!

The best way to find out how I approach your work is by letting me edit your work. Send me a few pages and I will return them quickly (usually within a day). This gift to you comes with no obligation.


Free Consultation

I have edited dozens of books and hundreds of articles by scholars from around the world. Join the club by sending me your project.












We dive deeply into your manuscript and look at everything.

This dive allows us to do more than just correct grammatical and typographical errors; it ensures that the paper is readable, consistent, and purposive.


 Can Clarity put my article in the style required by x journal?

Yes. Before I begin work, I will ask you to fill out a style sheet that attends to most regional variations. The sheet also asks you to identify your target journal, if any.



Will the language be perfect when the process is finished?

To date, no article that I have edited has been rejected because it failed to meet a publisher’s language fluency requirements. Reasonable people can disagree about what the ‘perfect’ word or phrase might be in any given context.



Can Clarity edit my bibliography? Make an index? Cut down the word count?

Yes, yes, and yes. These tasks are all separate from my basic, meaning-centered process. Pricing can be discussed. A manuscript typically becomes sharper and shorter during the editorial process; on the other hand, substantive queries can lead to paragraphs and even pages of new material.



David Stuligross

I founded Clarity Editorial Services in 2015. I have more than 30 years of editorial experience, including posts at Asian Survey and NIAS Press, where I currently am Desk Editor. Trained as a political scientist (Ph.D., Berkeley 2001), I have published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and Oxford University Press. I have a decade of university teaching experience and have guided dozens of students through the research, writing and publication process.

TESTIMONIALS

What Clients Say

David has an excellent editorial eyes.

Peter

Professor

I thought my paper was nearly perfect, but Clarity Basic found a lot !

Senna

Student

My friend could not read my proofread paper, so I went to Clarity Editorial.

Tomas

Student

As a non-native English speaker, this service is a great value.

Romali

Professor


Good to Know

Is Clarity right for me?

Mar 28, 2018 admin 570 Views

Try for free! The best way to find out how I approach your work is by letting me edit your work. Send me a few pages and

How much does it cost?

Mar 28, 2018 admin 474 Views

DKK0.80 per editable word* of the longest version** of the manuscript. Sales tax (25%) is extra, but rarely applies. *Editable word (tables with numbers are not editable; many authors ask that I ignore their References section). **Normally, the submitted version is the longest. Sometimes, however, scholars add new paragraphs or even sections in response to my suggestions.

Confidentiality ensured!

Mar 28, 2018 admin 451 Views

We take confidentiality seriously. Unless you give express written permission, and even then only for specific purposes (such as testimonials), Clarity Editorial will not mention to anyone that you have worked with us.

How would you describe your clients?

Mar 28, 2018 admin 426 Views

I have edited dozens of books and hundreds of articles by scholars from around the world, including pioneering work by leaders in several disciplines.

Can you edit my bibliography?

Mar 28, 2018 admin 404 Views

Yes! This and other tasks like abridging and curating indexes are beyond ‘the process’, yet well within my competence. Pricing can be discussed for individual cases.

How long does it take?

Mar 27, 2018 admin 425 Views

I work at a basic pace of 20 pages per day, but this might be juggled among many projects. For article-length projects, a one-week turnaround is often possible — even faster in ’emergency’ situations. I have never missed a deadline.


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