Sticks and Stones Editorial Services in Baltimore: Copyediting and Fact-Checking for Local Publishers
Sticks and Stones is a two-person editorial firm specializing in copyediting, fact-checking, and developmental feedback for book publishers, magazine editors, and nonprofit communications teams across the Mid-Atlantic. Based in Canton, the operation handles projects ranging from 5,000-word features to full-length manuscripts, with a particular focus on narrative nonfiction, local history, and policy briefs where accuracy and clarity compete for space.
What Sticks and Stones actually is
The firm operates as a project-based service rather than a staffing agency or retainer relationship. One editor handles copyediting and style questions; the other specializes in fact-checking and source verification. Both have ten-plus years in publishing, including roles at University of Maryland Press and The Sun Magazine. The business is small enough that clients work directly with the same editor throughout a project, but large enough to handle simultaneous assignments without delay. The firm does not offer ghostwriting, developmental coaching, or marketing copywriting.
Services and pricing
Copyediting runs $65 per hour and typically costs between $800 and $2,500 for a 20,000-word manuscript, depending on the density of style questions and whether the text has been edited before. A preliminary estimate is free; clients receive a sample edit of 500 words so they can evaluate the approach before committing.
Fact-checking is priced at $75 per hour and takes longer than copyediting because it involves calling sources, checking public records, and verifying quotations against original materials. A 10,000-word article with moderate claim density usually runs $600 to $1,200. Clients can request full fact-checking (every claim verified against primary sources) or targeted fact-checking (verification of names, dates, statistics, and direct quotes only).
Rates are flat; rush projects do not carry a premium. Payment is due upon completion. Invoices are sent the day the work is returned.
How Sticks and Stones compares to other Baltimore editorial options
The Editing Company (Fells Point) offers similar services at $55 to $70 per hour but works on a retainer basis, which suits ongoing magazine needs better than one-off books. They handle copyediting and light fact-checking but do not employ a dedicated fact-checker, so deep source verification is outsourced.
Charm City Editorial (Federal Hill) charges $60 per hour for copyediting only and does not offer fact-checking in-house; they refer clients to freelance researchers. Their turnaround is slightly slower (10 business days standard; 5 days for rush work at time-and-a-half). Sticks and Stones typical turnaround is 5 business days at no premium.
A freelance copyeditor found through the Editorial Freelancers Association can cost $40 to $80 per hour but offers no fact-checking capability and requires more upfront communication about style preferences. Sticks and Stones provides both services under one roof, which reduces friction for clients who need both and eliminates the problem of the copyeditor and fact-checker working at cross purposes.
Choose Sticks and Stones if your manuscript requires thorough fact-checking and you want a single point of contact. Choose The Editing Company if you need ongoing monthly editing for an established publication. Choose freelancers if budget is the sole constraint and the text requires only light copyediting.
Who it suits and who it does not suit
The firm works well for publishers of narrative nonfiction, nonprofit annual reports, policy organizations releasing research, and magazine editors on deadline who need a second pair of eyes. It is especially useful for authors or editors unfamiliar with Chicago Manual of Style or AP Stylebook; the editors will recommend a house style and apply it consistently.
It does not suit clients who need emergency turnaround (same-day work), ghostwriting, or content creation. It is not a fit for fiction copyediting alone without developmental feedback; developmental editing is referred to specialists. It does not handle web copy, social media, or marketing materials.
What the first visit involves
Prospective clients email a sample of the text (300 to 1,000 words) along with a description of the project: length, deadline, target audience, and whether the text has been edited before. The firm responds within two business days with a sample edit of 500 words, a line-by-line explanation of changes, and an estimate. If the client approves the estimate, they send the full manuscript. Work begins within five business days.
Hours, location, and logistics
The firm operates by email and phone; there is no walk-in office. Files are exchanged via Google Drive or email attachment. Work is tracked in a shared spreadsheet so clients can see status at any time. Both editors are available Monday through Friday; weekend work is possible by arrangement but not standard.
The Canton location is not relevant to most clients since the work is remote, but local publishers sometimes request an in-person meeting to discuss a long-term project; those meetings take place at a nearby coffee shop.
Sticks and Stones fills a gap between freelance copyeditors and large editing firms, offering depth in fact-checking without the overhead costs that make boutique agencies unaffordable for single projects.
