Barbara J. Rutledge, PhD, ELS

I am an author's editor for medical doctors and scientists who wish to publish original research articles, letters, review articles, case reports, etc. in peer-reviewed journals.

For more information, please e-mail me at editing@concise-com.com

What does an author's editor do? How is an author's editor different from a journal editor?

An author's editor reviews and edits text before it is submitted for publication. The editing usually involves more than just a superficial review to correct mistakes in grammar or spelling. An author's editor does "substantive editing" to improve the organization, style, and flow of the manuscript and to make sure that the meaning is clear.

Each journal has specific requirements, outlined in the Instructions to Authors. As an author's editor, I make sure that the manuscript is formatted correctly for the target journal. Often that includes editing the manuscript to reduce the word count, without sacrificing essential content.

Why might I need an author's editor? My manuscript should be judged based on the quality of the research, not based on the writing style.

As an author, you want the journal editor and the anonymous reviewers to understand and appreciate the content of your manuscript, without being distracted by poor organization, grammatical errors, and confusing or ambiguous text. If a manuscript is poorly written, it may be rejected outright or delayed in a lengthy review process, despite the scientific merits of the research.

Many scientists and doctors find writing to be a very difficult and unpleasant chore. Once a manuscript is finally written, the author may be quite impatient to submit the manuscript to a journal. That's not always the best approach—the manuscript may be poorly written or have glaring omissions, but the author is by now so deeply involved that he or she can't see the flaws. Colleagues or other laboratory members who review the manuscript may not be able (or willing) to offer constructive criticisms.

As a professional editor and as someone who is not already familiar with your research, I can look at the manuscript with "fresh eyes" and review it from a different perspective.

Sending me your manuscript to edit will delay your submission date slightly. However, if editing the manuscript before submission results in a more favorable review and faster turn-around, that time will have been well spent.

What are your qualifications for editing my manuscript?

First, I am a scientist by training. I have a PhD in molecular genetics from the University of Georgia, and I have postdoctoral research training at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. As a scientist, I have conducted research and published my findings in peer-reviewed journals. I have also worked in clinical research and drug development for the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry, both as a clinical research associate ("monitor") and as a regulatory writer. I am a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

My editing career dates back to graduate school, when I was occasionally hired by departmental faculty members to edit grant proposals and manuscripts. I began working full-time as a freelance writer and editor more than 10 years ago, working for pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies and medical newsmagazines as well as for individual clients ("author's editor"). For several years I was a contract writer at GlaxoWellcome/GlaxoSmithKline, working primarily for the virology department (HIV, CMV, HBV).

I am a past president of the Carolinas chapter of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). I earned an AMWA Advanced Writing Curriculum certificate and AMWA Core Curriculum certificates in editing/writing and pharmaceutical specialties. I am also certified as an Editor in the Life Sciences (ELS) by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences.

Finally, I have taught writing workshops to scientists and medical doctors, including a 5-day course in medical writing at the University of Trieste in Italy.

What other types of documents do you edit?

I also edit book chapters and research proposals for submission to granting agencies.

How long does it take to edit the manuscript?

I can usually begin editing the manuscript within a few days of receiving it, but please realize that editing is an interactive process. The length of time needed for the entire editing process depends in large part on how quickly the author reviews the edited text and returns a revised manuscript to me.

What are your rates, and how can I arrange payment?

My standard rate is 30 Euros per page of double-spaced text, font size 12. When I calculate the page charges, I don't include the title page, references, figure legends, tables, etc., although I review those pages also. A typical manuscript might be 8 pages, or 240 Euros.

When the editing work is complete, I will e-mail you an invoice. For European and Asian clients, payment is made by direct transfer to my account in a Spanish bank. The necessary information (IBAN/BAC, account number, etc.) is included on the invoice.

Clients within the US are charged equivalent rates in US$ and can pay by check sent to my North Carolina address. I do not accept credit cards.