The services I provide are listed below. Depending on the particulars of your project, your document may require a combination of substantive, stylistic, and copy-editing to get it polished and publication-ready. I also provide a free 15-minute phone consultation so that we can discuss your project, deadline, and budget in more detail.
Copy-Editing & Proofreading
If you need someone to help you with the mechanics of your language—grammar, syntax, punctuation, formatting (APA, Chicago, etc.), and so forth—then you want copy-editing. Often, people think they want a document proofread when they actually want it copy-edited. Typically, proofreading occurs after copy-editing: when proofing a document, I review a hard copy for any minor errors I might have missed during my final copy sweep, and also verify the visual and typographical features of your document, like pagination and line spacing. When copy-editing a document, I typically finish with a round of proofreading, unless otherwise specified—for example, if the document is being submitted for multiple rounds of feedback before publication or submission.
When copy-editing, I typically mark up your document using the tracked changes feature in Microsoft Word, but if you require an alternate method, I am happy to discuss other options.
Stylistic & Substantive Editing
If you need someone to help you clarify and reorganize your content, you want substantive editing. This often includes suggesting or making changes to the overall structure and the internal paragraph structures of your document. When substantively editing your project, I keep the overall cohesion of your argument in mind, and ensure the structure of your document is thoughtfully organized.
If you want me to help ensure your prose is smooth, readable, and clear, you want stylistic editing. This includes editing for clarity and concision, consistent tone, and—the ever elusive—flow. When stylistically editing your project, I ensure your voice is clear and your phrasing is clean.
Coaching
If you are in the preliminary stages of a project and can't seem to figure out what you're trying to say, how to organize your thoughts, or how to get to the crux of your argument, you want a writing coach.
Coaching is different from editing. Coaching is also different from teaching—to use an analogy, coaching writers is similar to coaching athletes. Coaches don't teach people to write or play a sport, they help writers and athletes hone their practice and perfect their outputs. If sports metaphors aren't your thing, think of me as an "idea doula": I guide you through the process of birthing your own ideas. When acting as a writing coach, I rarely touch your document directly. Instead, we have an hour-long discussion (or a series of discussions) in which I encourage you to thoroughly examine your own ideas—which often involves me poking you in places you might not want to be poked, ideologically speaking—and help you feel invigorated and excited about the writing process. I am a practiced, active sounding board who gently guides you through the quagmire of your own thinking.