I like editing fiction almost as much as I like writing it. And I'm not talking about proofreading either: actual line editing and developmental editing. Getting into the story structure, strengthening sentences, cutting waste, and helping writers crystallize their vision.
With Scholar and Scribe joining Hive as a token-enabled writing community, we've been brainstorming on ways to create utility within the two eponymous currencies: SCHOLAR and SCRIBE.
Below is some of my thinking on pricing and process for offering any Hive writer editing and feedback services.
Three core services (ENG only)
- 🏎️ Quick review. I write at least 250 words expressing high level opinions on strengths and weaknesses of your piece.
- 📜 Line critique. No word limit here—I go through and make remarks, quoting 'in line' so you can see exactly where issues or excellencies lie. You'll get contextual links to awesome Hive resources, such as specific posts within The Ink Well's tip catalogue.
- ✒️ "Red pen" edit. Not only do we do a line edit, but I'm also rewriting and actively fixing stuff here. Your choice to accept or reject the edits.
Three "spice" levels
- 🌶️ Mild. I focus on the positive and what I enjoy. Critical feedback is tempered with encouragement. NOTE: "Red Pen" Edit does not have a mild option.
- 🌶️🌶️ Medium. I balance the good with the bad, and don't bother sugar coating any criticism.
- 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Spicy. I channel the attitude of an annoyed and time-strained New York editor who sees a thousand crappy submissions a week. I'm pointing an unapologetic laser beam at what's wrong and what you need to fix.
🕵️♀️ Private editing option
I assume that all this editing will be done on stuff that's already published and on-chain. So my potentially scathing review/edits will also be public. This may not be what some people want, so for a price premium I can work off-chain (Google docs, or Peakd shared draft).
Pricing
This is the real trick! What's this worth to folks? Below are my thoughts on preliminary, "test" pricing.
| Service | First 500 words | Every 500 thereafter |
|---|---|---|
| 🏎️ Quick review | 10 SCHOLAR | 5 SCHOLAR |
| 📜 Line critique | 20 SCHOLAR | 10 SCHOLAR |
| ✒️ "Red pen" edit | 30 SCHOLAR | 15 SCHOLAR |
- Huge discount (80%+) on typical market prices (for now)
- "Soft peg" 1 SCHOLAR to 0.10 HBD (see below)
- Spice level does not impact price (only writer's soul)
- Private option is 2X these costs (editor gets exposure benefit on-chain)
- "First 500 words" means just that. 501 words = next tier of cost
Pricing option: Pay in HBD
If you don't have SCHOLAR, and can't (or don't want to) find it on the market, I can accept HBD or SWAP.HBD.
| Service | First 500 words | Every 500 thereafter |
|---|---|---|
| 🏎️ Quick review | 1 HBD | 0.5 HBD |
| 📜 Line critique | 2 HBD | 1.0 HBD |
| ✒️ "Red pen" edit | 3 HBD | 1.5 HBD |
If people pay in HBD, I'll convert it to SWAP.HIVE and place a buy order for the corresponding amount in SCHOLAR at 0.10 SWAP.HIVE. This will be a first step in experimenting with a "soft peg" for SCHOLAR.
📈 Updating pricing
These prices are not actually sustainable for any editor. They're roughly 80% below market freelance rates. If this experiment yields enough demand, price will be revisited and likely increased. However, for on-chain editing, the editor does get some extra upside in potential votes and exposure.
Process for requesting editing
Here's what I'm thinking:
- For public editing, leave a comment in yet-to-be-made post. In this comment you specify the service, spice level, and the on-chain piece you want edited.
- I'll respond with an estimate of when I can complete the request (or reject it for whatever reason).
- Requester sends payment up front
- I do the service and paste proof of editing in the initial request comment
- For private requests, I can ask people to ping me on Discord or send details in an encrypted memo
- 🔑 For the Scholar & Scribe soft launch—follow the above process and leave your request comments in this post
🛡️ Protecting buyers
This is obviously not a trustless transaction. Buyers have to trust I just wont run away with their tokens. One idea may be to have this service backed by the Scholar and Scribe community. If I were to fail to make a refund for whatever reason, the community would reimburse the buyer.
For any off-chain editing, none of that would apply. It'd be pure "buyer beware."
Feedback?
These are preliminary thoughts. I'll probably not be offering this stuff for at least a few weeks, or maybe not until later in June. Between now and then, input from the wider Hive community would be much appreciated! Some big topics include:
- The soft peg approach. Part of me wants to peg to HIVE vs HBD
- Widening the process so that other people can offer editing as well
- Flexibility for nonfic pieces? I can certainly do nonfic (this is part of the day job in many respects)
- How / when / if to increase prices
- Retainers for developmental editing (e.g. someone wants editorial support through something much longer than a few thousand words).
- Expanding to other languages
About the Scholar and Scribe Community
Scholar and Scribe is a new creative writing community founded in the forges of Hive's passionate Pizza Guild. It sets itself part from some of the other writing groups on Hive with its unique dual-token system.
Thank you for reading. I own the license to all images in this post, except for the Scholar and Scribe icons, which were designed by 