Frequently asked questions

​I’m new here. How do I order? And what happens next?

Have a look at our services. When you've chosen one (or more), send us an email with your document, and tell us what you need and when you need the work completed. If you're not sure, we'll be happy to help you choose – just get in touch at [email protected]. We'll discuss everything with you and confirm the price. If you decide to go ahead, we'll send you a deposit invoice and, once that's paid, we'll get started. Then, sit back and relax while we work on your document – we will complete the work by deadline we've agreed with you. 

​How long does it take?

We will always try to meet your deadline – if we can’t, we will let you know as soon as possible (this will almost always be before we accept the job). If you have no particular deadline, we can complete most work within two weeks, depending on the word count and type of work required.

Can you write my whole paper?

No, our focus at the moment is editing and translation, not writing (although we will be happy to write an abstract or cover letter from the draft manuscript you've written). If you need someone to write your paper you will need to find a medical writer, science writer, or a medical communications agency. If you need help finding one, feel free to ask us and we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

​My manuscript is an early draft. Can you help me finish writing it?

​Yes! Although we won’t do the writing for you, we can certainly give you pointers to help you write it – this is what’s known as a developmental edit. It will involve us checking multiple revisions of the document, so please contact us to discuss what you need, your timescale, and the fee.

​Can you rewrite my paper?

​This depends. Often we receive manuscripts that are written by authors who speak little English, meaning the manuscripts require so much editing that effectively we rewrite them sentence by sentence so that they read well. We are more than happy to do this – we have never returned an edit to an author for requiring too much work, and we're here to help you express your ideas as clearly as possible.

However, if there is another reason, for example the text has been taken from another source, or the paper was previously published elsewhere, we will be unlikely to accept that job on ethical grounds.

​I’m a native speaker of English. Do I need my work edited?

This depends. Some scientists are also excellent wordsmiths and write clearly, concisely and compellingly, successfully publishing paper after paper. If this is you, and you’re happy with the way your work is progressing, you might not find our services necessary.

However, we work with many native English speakers. Some simply don’t enjoy writing or revising manuscript drafts, preferring to get back in the lab or design the next study. Others might be so deeply involved in their field that they find it hard to express their arguments in a way that readers in other fields will understand. Professional editing will always improve a piece of writing, so why not send us a short article to see if you’d find it useful?

​My manuscript is in LaTeX – can you edit it?

Yes! We regularly edit papers in LaTeX.

How will I know the work has been edited?

Most documents we receive are in MS Word, so we use the Track Changes function, and we insert comments where significant changes have been made in order to ensure that the meaning of the edited sections has been preserved. You will have full control over which changes to accept or reject.

In other document types that do not have a change-tracking function (e.g. PowerPoint, LaTeX), we may add comments to notify you of the changes that have been made, but otherwise we will not track changes unless specifically asked (this may cost you more as it may take considerably longer). 

I’ve made changes to my document after editing. Can you check it again?

Yes! A free proofread is included for all documents, provided new text does not make up more than 5% of the original document (for example, 100 new words in a 2000-word manuscript). If more than 5% of the document is new, we will charge the standard per-word editing rate for the new sections (minimum £25). This proofread includes the reading of unchanged text around the new text to ensure all your changes read well in context.

Do you provide editing certificates?

We can do if you need one! It will be clear that your work has been edited, so we don't provide them as standard, but we will be happy to give you an editing certificate if you have been asked for one (or if you just prefer to have one).

How do I pay?

We will send you an invoice when it's time to pay. For new clients, a deposit of 25% of the quoted fee will need to be paid before we begin work, and the rest of the fee will be payable upon completion of the job. For existing clients, just pay in full once the job is complete. Full payment is due within 14 days of invoice.

All payment details are listed on our invoices. We accept credit cards, PayPal, and bank transfers in £ (GBP), € (EUR) and $ (USD).

​Do you give discounts?

Yes! If you are an existing client and you refer a colleague to us, you and your colleague will both receive 10% off your next order. Ask your colleague to mention your name when they contact us and we will apply the discount to their job, and we'll send you an email with details of how to use your own discount.

My question is not here!

We'd love to hear from you and there's no such thing as a silly question, so feel free to get in touch and ask us for advice. You will always get a personal and friendly service from us, with no obligation to go ahead with any service unless you're completely sure.