Editing Services
Helping you bring quality writing to fruition.
I am a professional freelance editor and a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association, experienced in various types of editing and various genres of writing. Because the term “editor” has so many specific denotations, I’ve put together a quick guide to the type of editing I do. For information about copy editing in particular, check out the “Editing Workflow” below. For more information, this website has extremely valuable information which I recommend reading before you hire any editor!
What is copy editing?
What kinds of things do I edit?
What are some examples of my projects?
A copy editor combs through a text looking for any and all errors in grammar, stylistic formatting, spelling, etc. Besides making a clean copy, the goal is to make the text easy to read (for example, to suggest improved phrasing) and to avoid errors (to point out inconsistencies in style or embarrassing factual mistakes).
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Academic – journal submissions, dissertations, seminar papers
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Literature – novels, memoirs, non-fiction, children’s books
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Industry – white papers, social media content, websites, press releases, business marketing material, strategic grant plans
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International Dialogues in Education (ISSN:2198-5944) – journal articles
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Eva Garland Consulting – strategic plans for grant applications
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Post Hill Press – non-fiction books
Editing Workflow
Copywriting is the process of producing the “copy,” or the text, of whatever project you might have, be it website content, a novel manuscript, a white paper, or any other piece of text that will go through a professional editing process.
Developmental editing is the next step, where the content itself is checked to make sure it adheres to the author’s intent, is consistent, is appropriate for the audience’s needs, and is complete, not skipping around or missing important information. This is “big picture” editing.
Copy editing is the next stage of editing and what people generally think of as “editing.” Copy editing may also include light fact checking and smoothing over minor inconsistencies, but mainly it deals with punctuation, grammar, syntax, adherence to style such as APA or Chicago if the copy requires one, and sometimes formatting. It’s about aesthetics more than content.
Proofreading is commonly confused with copy editing, but technically it’s different. The “proof” is the final version of the copy before it goes to print, so a proofreader should be the last person to check the text over to make sure everything is perfect for publication.
If you are interested in my services, please reach out to me via email to discuss your project, my timeline, and my rates. (The Editorial Freelancers Association publishes comparable rates to give an idea). I do offer discounted rates for students. I generally offer a quick turnaround (1-2 weeks depending on project length). See my about page for contact information.
My Credentials & Experience
Sarah edited a leadership training book we wrote and did an incredible job. Her perspective and attention to detail helped our team put out something high quality and professional. We loved working with her!
Sarah has excellent writing and literary skills. She helped me get a major writing project back on schedule. She was not too expensive and was able to meet the tight deadline that I had. We will use her again.
Sarah is amazing with outstanding writing skills. She helped our company with major writing projects from grant proposals to our business marketing materials and helped us meet tight deadlines with high-quality content. We loved working with her, and we always look forward to continuing working with her.
Sarah was an excellent communicator, professional, and has outstanding writing skills. She asked clarifying questions, attended to details, and completed the work on time. Her suggestions improved my dissertation while maintaining my content and context. She was a pleasure to work with; I am grateful to have found her!
