Arden Services

INDEX: (click underlined topic for quick reference)

1. What is an Editorial Service?

2. How do we work on-line?

3. How much does it cost?

4. Can you handle a rush job?

5. Software programs and formats

6. Method of payment

7. Travel

8. References and guides

Q. What is an Editorial Service?

A. Arden Services, an Editorial Service, will edit, write, re-write, proofread, design, and produce a Web site or coordinate layout and production of printed matter for any writing project. Or we will provide any one or a combination of these steps depending on the client's needs and desires.

Edit: You may have already written your document but wish to have it professionally checked for punctuation, grammar, consistency of style, redundancies, case disagreements, and so forth. This is an essential step because you, as the author, are too close to your subject; you know it so well and have thought about it so much that you may not see unusual statements, comments or references that are not understood by an uninformed reader.

Write or Re-write: You have a product or service and need promotional, informational or technical Web pages or printed items, or a combination of these. You may not have the slightest notion where or how to start writing your materials. In this case, Arden Services will discuss your plans with you, review your product or service, and write your documents from scratch. If you have written, by hand, typewriter or word processor, roughly what you want, but it needs to be polished, completed and organized, Arden Services will listen to your plans and develop the documents from your notes and ideas.

Proofread: Your document is finished and has been edited, but you want to be sure that no errors were overlooked, so you request one final look before printing or publishing.

Design: After writing has been completed (sometimes before and sometimes during writing) one or more design suggestions are proposed for the final product. The design proposal can range from a roughed out sketch to an actual sample product.

Coordination of Layout and Production: Arden Services will coordinate production of the approved design proposal with the appropriate vendor, and provide instructions for the layout to ensure completion in accordance with the agreed-upon design. For printed materials, we can provide the camera-ready art to and discuss with an appropriate printer the actual printing of the product. For production of a Web site, Arden Services can do that for you.

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Q. How do we work together? You're hundreds of miles away!

A. It does not make any difference where we are located. Most documents can quickly and easily be transferred as attachments to e-mail messages. Although this service is primarily intended for the on-line world, editing "the old fashioned way" will be considered, too. In such cases, express mail delivery can be employed. Large, e-mailed documents, can be compressed at one end for quicker delivery and uncompressed at the other end and remain completely formatted. Transfer protocols are generally automatic to preclude the sender/receiver from having to be a computer guru, but special situations can be accommodated.

Two documents, when editing via e-mail, are returned for your review: One is your original document, clearly showing suggested deletions, insertions and other changes; the second is a copy with all changes made. Depending on your own software, one version may be used and revisions may be displayed or hidden at the click of the mouse.

When necessary or desirable, we can discuss aspects of the project over the telephone.

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Q. How much do you charge?

A. Our maximum fee is based on an hourly rate plus certain out-of-pocket expenses. However, stating an hourly rate is very misleading. The specific project and the level of service and skill required will determine the overall cost for the project. For example, a 5-page document could run from $45.00 to several hundred dollars, depending on whether you wanted the document edited for just punctuation and minor grammatical errors, or written from scratch.

From a description of the project, we can provide an estimate of the cost. To receive a firm proposal, we would require that the entire project be submitted for advance consideration.

We can also establish a retainer agreement and, for a deposit on short-term projects or advance monthly payments on long-term projects, we will reduce our hourly rate AND reserve a specified number of hours exclusively for you each month. Terms are negotiable. "Piece work" is normally charged at a flat hourly rate.

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Q. My job is urgent; can you handle it?

A. We can try. Sometimes we have flexibility in our schedule and can fit rush jobs in. Other times, we may be able to shuffle our schedule. In either case, a surcharge would be assessed. We may have other pressing deadlines and, if we cannot fit your project in, will let you know promptly. We may be able to provide a referral, if we are unable to accept your assignment.

Normally, we would like to receive your project, determine your deadlines and priorities, prepare a proposal, and set up a reasonable production schedule for completion.

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Q. What program formats are available?

A. Windows®XP: We use Microsoft® Word 2002 for word-processed documents. We have the capability of importing and saving in a variety of popular formats, including Word Perfect. We use FileMaker Pro 3.0 for database files, and can convert to or from Dbase, and other popular file formats. We also use Microsoft Works Suite 2002. Most of these programs have both IBM-compatible and Mac-compatible importing and exporting abilities for spreadsheets, databases and word processing.

DOS: Ask, maybe we can help here, too, as we have many older DOS-based programs available.

Photos may be scanned by us, or clients may submit digital photos. We can edit, crop and resize photos to incorporate into your presentation. Icons, banners and other graphics can be produced. Photos should be in JPEG and graphics in GIF formats for Web use.

We can use most any e-mail transfer protocol, and have FTP transfer capability. We create Web pages in HTML, and may add XML or SGML, or both capabilities, in the future to provide editing for clients who are producing multimedia-capable documents. Any other format will be considered, e.g., for audio and video presentations.

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Q. How do I pay you?

A. We accept payments by check, VISA/MasterCard, or through PayPal. The timing of payments varies depending on the client, the service being performed, and the length of time the project will run.

For businesses and organizations: All work is performed under the terms specified in a written agreement, signed by both your organization and Arden Services. The terms will include timing of payments. Sometimes partial payment will be required at the beginning of an assignment, possibly with interim payments at various stages of completion. In other circumstances, payment is required at the completion of each portion of the project, and in others (with or without a monthly retainer) payment is due at the end of each month based on an itemized statement for services performed during the month. We are flexible and can work with you on an agreeable payment schedule.

For individuals: All or part of the payment is required before any work is performed. For short assignments, such as a resume, a brief letter agreement will be prepared and agreed upon by both parties. For more complex personal assignments, an agreement may be required, such as for businesses and organizations.

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Q. Will you come to my office?

A. Yes, under the following circumstances. Effective in 2005, we will only go to your office if you are located in Kane, PA. This is due to several factors, including cost of fuel, time spent in traveling, and the fact that face-to-face meetings are rarely necessary.

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Q. Which references and styles do you use?

A. Arden Services has access to virtually any reference in the world through the Internet. On computer, we have Encarta®96, 97 and 2000, Microsoft's electronic encyclopaedia, and Bookshelf®'95, Microsoft's electronic dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, almanac, quotations, and more. In book form we use Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin's The Word Book II, Roget's Thesaurus, and many specialty reference books.

We like to be flexible and creative and, when specific styles need not be rigidly adhered to, attempt to create a unique product for our clients. Stylistic resolutions are generally based on the U.S. News & World Report Stylebook for Writers and Editors for articles and smaller publications.

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