I love copyediting fiction: absorbing and then maintaining the author’s voice and ideas while acting as the story’s first reader. I will identify places where the scene skips ahead too quickly or where a character’s actions are confusing. I also apply all the standard tasks of copy editing: correcting spelling, grammar, and punctuation; tightening wordy passages to enhance clarity; identifying inconsistencies; and improving diction and syntax. I often include comments explaining my edits, with the goal of helping authors improve their writing craft. I would love to help polish your book and prepare it for readers, whether via submission to agents or self-publishing.

As a writer, I know how hard it is to hear feedback. I’ll point out areas that seem problematic, and I’ll suggest a fix, but I invite you to question my suggestions. It may be that I’ve misunderstood your intention, or that a different solution exists. Together, we can get to the root of the problem, to work it out in the way that’s best for your story.

I have self-published four of my own books, and I’m happy to discuss the process. I’ve also published them as ebooks both on Kindle and on my own website and can share my experience. (I’ve typed up some guides, which you can download for free, here.)

I began my editing career with a focus on academic papers and science research reports. This was excellent training for maintaining consistency throughout a long manuscript and for honing my editing skills. My initial experience with fiction came during classes at the Editorial Freelancers Association, where my teacher gave positive feedback on my work, and since then I’ve worked on a few book-length projects. I don’t have a large portfolio of edited fiction work, which is why I’m happy to edit a sample of your manuscript for free, to show you what I can do and to see if I am a good fit for your project.