Services

I do a lot of different things relating to the process of writing and publishing, and I am always open to discuss your project and and scope of the assistance you are looking for.

Proofreading is generally regarded as the very last step before an article or book goes to press. At this point, you're already happy — or at least satisfied — with your prose, and all I'd do is read it and correct typos, word uses (like their, they're and there) and other minor cosmetic issues.

Editing, from basic to extensive, and I will take on pretty much the entire range.

Editing tends to be extensively misunderstood — even by writers — because the term "editor" can mean so many different things: Editors of newspapers and magazines, as opposed to book editors, as opposed to copy editors, as opposed to film editors and beyond.

In most cases. my job is to look at your manuscript — whether book, article, business proposal or white paper — keep your tone, voice and expertise and make you look as good as possible. 90% of the editing I do involves taking a manuscript and simply "polishing it up."

What does that mean?

Most likely, I will correct typos, remove unwanted ambiguity, check your grammar and punctuation, move some words around, change a few words, make sure verb tenses agree, make sure (in the case of non-fiction) that you don't contradict yourself, and I may also do some cosmetic formatting to "make it LOOK pretty."

In traditional lingo, that means my primary function is that of copy editor.

My editing style tends to be creative, and I am not a slave to strictly following style guides. I am more concerned with the reader's experience than with editorial accuracy and correctness... unless that happens to be what we agree is most important. Let's face it, the poet e.e.cummings would never have been published had his publisher insisted on "correct formatting."

Whereas I will do limited research as needed, I will most likely not take on projects that require me to do extensive research and fact checking to substantiate your manuscript. I expect you to be the expert!

Ghostwriting (or "Ghosting") is something I will only take on to a limited degree, and then only within the self-help, spirituality and psychology genres.

It's unlikely that I will agree to write your book simply from "your brilliant ideas you scribbled down on some napkins at that one bar, that one night, some years ago."

I'd much rather you write your own book.

I am more likely to agree to work with you in a consulting and cooperative capacity as you create the bones of your book and I help you fill in the details and we make it read well, together.

In editing lingo, that means I'd rather be a "Developmental Editor" with you, than a ghostwriter for you.

The major exception would be if you are under contract to create a monthly/weekly piece of content for a web site, blog or magazine, and you're too busy to translate your general ideas and notes to a polished article, on schedule. The reason I take on such gigs is that we can get to know each other's styles and develop a working over time.

Scope of projects I take on:

I will take on everything from business letters, to sales materials, to articles... all the way to lengthy book manuscripts.

On the "short" end, I have been the editor for a monthly free-lance columnist under contract with a spiritual magazine — she always had me give her articles a "once over" before submitting them — on the "long" end, I recently worked on a 100,000+ word manuscript of religious criticism by a first-time author.

I spent a number of years creating advertising copy for print media and writing/editing scripts for radio commercials and I am willing to consult in that field, but it is not my greatest strength.

Yes, I will edit online content, such as writing-intense web sites, intranets and online help systems. However, I do not code web pages! If you need someone to build a web site, don't hire a writer/editor, hire a web developer!

Did I mention that I do not code web pages?

Areas of Expertise:

My specialty is non-fiction, particularly in the fields of self-help, psychology, spirituality, New Age and similar. I also have an extensive background in business, as well as in artistic and creative fields.

I will copy edit and proofread fiction, but do so without offering opinions as to whether your ideas are "good" or not.

I believe you are always better off working with someone who's highly familiar with the subject matter of your writing.

Things I generally don't take on:

Movie scripts and plays. I'm not familiar enough with formatting requirements and industry standards, and you're better off hiring an expert rather than fund my learning!

Highly technical subjects, particularly in the sciences. In all fairness, I will not know whether your treatise on theoretical particle physics is accurate or appropriate. Again, you're better off hiring an academic expert.

I will not answer questions like "Will my book be successful?" nor will I consult in such a capacity. Why? In most cases, success is more contingent on marketing and publicity than on the actual caliber of your writing. Besides, I probably will most likely not be familiar with the trends and whims of your particular genre.