Originally Posted by rhadin
1. I edit a lot of education material written by teachers -- active and retired -- for teachers, not for the consumer, and it is the rare teacher who has adequate skills to be a competent editor. Most have very rudimentary grammar and spelling skills today, and their prose reflects the Twitter effect, not the skills of a grammarian.
2. Most professional editors do not work in plush Manhattan offices; I haven't for 26 years. Most do work out of their homes in dedicated office spaces. Editorial services are professional services and cost money. It is no different than going to a doctor who has his/her office in his/her home rather than in the medical high-rise down the street. You pay for the doctor's expertise, skill, and knowledge, not for the location of the office. Similarly, a writer pays for editorial services, not for the location of the office.
3. I assume then that you think the editors who work on James Patterson's books should be paid millions of dollars for their services because Patterson earns millions of dollars as an author. Somehow I don't think Patterson -- or any other author -- would agree, believing that their success is largely a result of their creativity.
I wonder if you tell your auto mechanic that you refuse to pay his/her hourly rate because it is higher than yours?
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