Frequently Asked Questions

What is substantive editing?

• Substantive editing is restructuring and rewriting to improve the organization, clarity, and flow of language.
• The usual substantive editing rate is about 2-3 pages per hour, for double-spaced copy (about 250 words per page). The rate can vary, depending on the extent of editing required. 
• Substantive editing must be done in a file that allows the editor to make changes, such as Microsoft Word. It is not practical to do restructuring or major rewriting in a file that cannot be changed, such as a PDF.

What is copy editing?

• Copy editing is small editorial changes, sometimes including light rewriting, to ensure that the copy follows recognized style guidelines.
• The usual copy editing rate is about 6 pages per hour, for double-spaced copy (about 250 words per page). The rate can vary, depending on the quality of the writing submitted. 
• Copy editing typically is done in a file that allows the editor to make changes, such as Microsoft Word. If it must be done in a file that cannot be changed, such as a PDF, the process will take roughly twice as long.

What is proofreading?

• Proofreading is checking for grammar, spelling, and typographical errors.
• The usual proofreading rate is about 8-10 pages per hour, for double-spaced copy (about 250 words per page).
• Proofreading typically is done in a file that allows the editor to make changes, such as Microsoft Word. If it must be done in a file that cannot be changed, such as a PDF, the process will take roughly twice as long.

How do writing coach services work?

Coaching sessions usually are 1.5–2 hours long and can be for individuals or groups. During COVID-19, all sessions are conducted virtually. We can tailor our services to your needs.

What types of creative writing have you edited previously?

Memoirs/autobiographies, poetry, and a novel.

Can you edit in a PDF?

Yes, editing can be done in a PDF, but the process will take roughly twice as long as editing in a file that allows the editor to make changes, such as Microsoft Word.

What are your rates?

Email info@bestwritersandeditors.com and we will contact you to discuss.

Katherine Hutt Scott, Founder of Best Writers and Editors, loves all forms of clear, beautiful writing. She worked for two decades as a journalist, including for major media organizations The Associated Press and Gannett, covering Venezuela, the Caribbean, and official Washington, DC. Since 2009, she has worked as a writer and editor focused on international issues. Katherine has researched, written, and edited all types of content, including annual reports, blog posts, e-books, promotional brochures, speeches, and website copy. She has broad experience translating technical material into simpler language, refining texts on topics from federal student financial aid in the United States, to micro leasing in Rwanda, to the impact of tourism on the natural resources of the Philippines.

Katherine has coached economists at the World Bank Group and top managers at the Inter-American Development Bank in good writing practices, and taught webinars on effective writing to entrepreneurs for the SBA’s Small Business Development Center in Washington, DC.

In addition, Katherine is a creative writer. She edited a book of poetry, helped a retiree with cognitive difficulties write his memoir on surviving brain cancer, and taught creative writing at a retirement community. She won 3rd place in the 2018 Bethesda Urban Partnership poetry contest.

Katherine has a Master’s degree in Journalism with Honors from Columbia Journalism School, a Master’s degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University. She is fluent in Spanish.

Katherine launched Best Writers and Editors in 2018 to provide sophisticated writing, editing, and marketing services for a variety of clients.

Our team of former journalists produces a full range of content, from blog posts to newsletters, speeches, and website copy. We collaborate with clients to convey ideas in lucid prose. Some examples of our work: We research, report, and write website articles, including stories for Georgetown Law about an international tax dispute and a looming sovereign debt crisis. We craft paid content, such as write-ups about graduate education in international affairs for Foreign Policy’s FP Guide. We translate technical descriptions into engaging website copy for the United Nations Foundation and others. We also coach individuals and organizations that seek to improve the clarity, sophistication, and vibrancy of their own writing. Our services include:

• Opinion pieces (blog posts and op-eds)
• Corporate reports (annual reports, press releases, and more)
• E-Books
• Ghostwriting
• Marketing materials (collateral, email newsletters, and more)
• Speechwriting
• Video scripts
• Website copywriting
• Writing coaching

Experience: More than two decades of writing and editing experience for major international organizations. Main clients: World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, US Agency for International Development, International Monetary Fund, and International Labour Organisation.

Skills: Copy editing and proofreading working papers, discussion papers, articles, monographs, and books. Writing summaries of discussions and conference proceedings.

Subject matter expertise: Economics, finance, behavioral sciences, social sciences, environment, technology, innovation, and social inclusion.

Languages: Fluent in Spanish, Italian, and French. Translates from Spanish to English.

Education: Master’s degree in International Relations from The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Master of Social Work from The Catholic University of America. Bachelor’s degree in Italian Literature from Bryn Mawr College.

Experience: Almost three decades of experience as a reporter, editor, and media executive. Worked as Washington correspondent for The New York Times and for Bloomberg News. Served as Editor of Congress Daily (now NJ Daily) and Senior Vice President for Product Execution at CQ Roll Call, in charge of product roadmapping and strategy. Launched, ran, and sold a small media company.

Skills: Writing and editing of all kinds, with an emphasis on content marketing and digital communication. Developing e-books, white papers, and reports; advanced sales and marketing collateral; blogs, email briefings, and video scripts; webinar and presentation decks; and social media on all major channels, including light graphics and video. Creating and managing podcasts.

Subject matter expertise: Advocacy and US national politics. Covered two presidential campaigns, the White House, Congress, and the Pentagon.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California. Graduate work in business administration at Tulane University.

Experience: Two decades reporting from Washington to Mexico City to Moscow and six years as a communications writer and editor. As Pentagon Correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, covered the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Five years as Mexico City Bureau Chief for Knight Ridder Newspapers, covering Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, and two years as Latin American Affairs Correspondent for the Times. Honors include Overseas Press Club Award and Associated Press Fairbanks Award for Public Policy. Since 2015, writer and editor for major clients, including Southern Poverty Law Center, Ford Foundation, World Bank, and Natural Resources Defense Council.

Skills: Writing and editing of speeches, op-eds, promotional features, press releases, grant proposals, annual reports, and blog posts. Interviewing and researching across the globe and synthesizing complex information into agile copy.

Subject matter expertise: US-Latin American relations, national and international health care, national security, trade, Eastern Europe, and environment.

Languages: Fluent in Spanish. Translates from Spanish to English.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in History from Dartmouth College.

Our collection of writers has more than a decade of combined experience in content marketing and strategy. We create content that generates inbound leads and accelerates sales pipelines. Our marketing supports large companies, nonprofits, associations, professional services firms, and more. We create collateral pieces large and small, e-books, guides, white papers, and blog and social media posts. Our services include:

• Mapping content to every phase of the marketing funnel
• Content development and creation
• Email newsletters
• Podcasting
• Video scripts

Our seasoned editors offer proven experience in perfecting documents, from 500-word blog posts to 100+-page annual reports. We select key ideas to sharpen your messaging and communicate your meaning in direct, clear prose. Some examples of our work: We refine annual reports, such as the two most recent ones published by the African Export-Import Bank, which we delivered on tight deadlines. We polish policy papers, including documents by the research and analytics firm IMPAQ on national issues such as the opioid crisis and formal apprenticeship programs, and local crises such as hunger in Colorado among Native Americans, seniors, and other vulnerable populations. We fine-tune research papers, such as key reports by the Brookings Institution about forced early marriage in Nigeria and improving girls’ education in Peru. Our services include:

• Substantive Editing to restructure and rewrite
• Copy Editing to follow recognized style guidelines
• Proofreading to check for grammar and spelling errors
• Message Development to highlight your key ideas