Services

Developmental Editing

As a developmental editor, I perform the thorough commenting that even the most generous press and journal editors may not have time to provide. I attend closely to the language on the page to see where a piece seems to be going. By identifying where the argument emerges most compellingly and how evidence works to support it, I propose ways to build on strengths. I also look for ways you might expand on the significance of your observations and consider whether modifying the structure might ease readers' progress. Throughout, I occupy the place of a reader who is interested in your subject and poised to learn from your research. My editorial letter and inline notes offer comments that are actionable but not prescriptive. There often isn’t only one promising way to proceed, and I provide clear options where I see them to open pathways for the writer.

Line Editing

This service suits a project that is relatively far along. Perhaps the argument and the structure are in place, but over time it’s grown hard to read your own prose with a clear eye. Working with the manuscript at the sentence level, I smooth out transitions, vary structure, and clarify syntax and diction. I may pose questions to address clarity but won’t suggest dramatic changes. My aim in revising sentences is not to alter the way your voice sounds, but rather to bring out the characteristics that make your writing memorable. 

Coaching

Some writers especially benefit from dialogue with a careful listener. I am glad to arrange sessions to, for example, help with accountability, find language to express a key argument, talk through notes to form a working outline, or make a plan for addressing reader reports. I offer weekly, biweekly, and one-off sessions. For each hour, I'll read up to 40 pages of material.

I describe these services separately to convey the range of work I do, but they are related! Many authors have sought a combination of them, and it is generally possible to tailor a plan.