Providing Scientific Writing and Editing Services to Chinese Researchers. Part II: Strategies for Fruitful Collaboration

Strategies for Building Fruitful Author-Editor Collaboration

Enhancing education

Education is the best strategy for professional editors to convince Chinese researchers to accept the editors’ regular rates. If you are a professional editor and your service rates are challenged by Chinese researchers, talk to them and let them know what professional writing and editing are about, inform them what you can provide, and stress the value your service can add to the researchers’ career advancement.   

If your potential client truly cannot afford your full service (eg, students) and you are not willing to reduce your rate, consider breaking down your service into smaller pieces (eg, providing overall comments and suggestions, correcting grammar errors, improving the logic, etc) and let the authors choose the service(s) they need and want the most.

Building alternative collaboration channels

• Forming a free exchange forum. In my opinion, it’s the best if the researchers and editors can directly work together — saving time and money for both parties. An online forum where Chinese researchers and western editors can freely seek collaboration opportunities would benefit both parties. 

• Practicing “direct-to-consumer” adverting. As I mentioned earlier, many Chinese researchers do not know where to seek professional writing or editing assistance. So it’s necessary for professional writers and editors to advertise their services directly to Chinese researchers. This is actually an area where AMWA could do some great work. For example, the AMWA’s marketing team could promote AMWA and AMWA’s freelance database at professional meetings attended by Chinese and other ESL researchers.

• Teaching at Chinese universities. Experienced English teachers are needed in almost every single Chinese university. Teaching at Chinese universities can help editors establish their credibility among Chinese students and faculty members, and it’s a great way for the editors to turn the faculty members into longtime clients.