Editing
For my day job, I work as a full-time editor for an educational not-for-profit provider of professional qualifications in the UK. Amongst many duties, I edit and tag written copy for layout in our print textbooks and guides as well as the online copy for learning materials published on our virtual learning environment in Moodle.
I feel that editing is where my main talents lie. Many people can write but not everyone can edit. Writing takes research, reading widely, and looking at the big picture; then, you have to synthesise that material into something that's easy to digest and easy to read, especially for digital environments. However, not all writers can produce clean copy. Who can blame them? Writing is essentially a creative skill; whereas editing is a very technical skill. It requires hours of patience and combing through text for layout changes and consistency, variations in pattern, clarity, mistakes, overall quality and understanding, and much more. Many creatives just don't have the resignation to both write and edit seamlessly (usually their talents lie in one or the other).
With me, you have both a writer and an editor. I can comb through your text and pick out mistakes; I can comment as a reader (reader-response style or even academic-style); and I can help you generate ideas and provide suggestions for improvement. (I love using semicolons as a 'super comma'. Check out one of my favourite Grammar-nerd comics, The Oatmeal's Matthew Inman, on the subject: How to use a semicolon. And here's another funny one from Ali Brosh at Hyperbole and a Half about the 'Alot monster'; she's another much-admired favourite of mine.)
Get in touch if you'd like to work with me.
What I can do for you
Here's a list of the most common content I have edited.
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Website copy
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Manuscripts
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Creative fiction and non-fiction, including plays and novels
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Educational materials for print and online publication
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Bachelor's and Master's degree dissertations and theses (a throwback to my academic tutoring days)
Want to see my past writing work or other service offerings?
Read through my portfolio or see my other services below.