Copy Editing
Copy editing is my bread and butter: taking prose that is unclear, incorrect, or clunky, and polishing it so that it’s readable and smooth. Copy editing is also known as line editing in fiction circles, and it involves checking for grammatical, usage, and style errors, as well as sentence-level revisions for clarity, conciseness, and elegance, always making an effort to preserve your unique voice.
I generally edit according to the Chicago Manual of Style for most non-academic projects and the APA Style Guide for most academic projects. I have also used Blue Book and MLA styles. I am familiar with the differences between these style guides and am adaptable to your house style as needed. Turnaround is about a week per 20,000 words.
Fiction Editing
I can help you polish your query letter, synopsis, first chapters, or full manuscript. Note that copy editing is not the option you should choose if you’re hoping for help with bigger issues, such as plot or character development.
The genres I prefer to work on are varied, but I absolutely love middle grade and young adult science fiction, fantasy, contemporary, romance, and mystery. I do not edit erotica.
Academic Editing
I have many years’ experience in academic editing, including dissertations, theses, articles for academic journals, and more. I have edited in many different fields, including human rights law, chemistry, computer science, education, and social work. I am a wizard with tables (seriously! ask for samples), and I am great at reference lists, formatting front matter, ensuring your argument flows clearly, and APA adherence.
Corporate Editing
I also edit for corporations, including content for websites, marketing content, and proposals.