Before I start an editing project, I like to have a clear understanding about it: the type of material (such as a book, a conference paper, a journal article), the intended audience, the type of editing requested, milestones and deadlines, and any special details that I need to keep in mind as I work.

I will accommodate reasonable changes to a project, such as the schedule, level of editing, or content. The sooner I know about large amounts of material being added, deleted, or reorganized, or a potential modification of the schedule, the better chance I have of ensuring that the final product will still meet or exceed expectations.