my services
Developmental editing requires two main skills: an ability to focus on the “big picture” and careful attention to detail. These are my strengths, and I look forward to collaborating with you to present your ideas in the most compelling, persuasive, and engaging way possible.
Developmental editing is a good choice when you have a draft of a manuscript for an article, book, book proposal, or even a tenure document or grant proposal. My job as a developmental editor is to
help you clarify your argument and identify your most significant contribution to your field
evaluate whether the evidence presented is relevant to and supports that argument
attend to the structure of the piece: does the organization make sense? are there aspects that might be eliminated? do the parts of the text work together to build towards a convincing conclusion?
ensure that the style and tone are appropriate to the text’s purpose and audience
After reviewing your manuscript, I will provide you a detailed summary and analysis with suggestions for revisions and next steps. We will then meet to discuss those recommendations and come up with a plan for you to move forward on your project.
While this is the most common scenario, I can also consult earlier on a project to help you solidify your ideas, work through an outline, or begin to create an organizational framework or a research strategy.
Academic coaching provides ongoing support to help you meet your career goals. Whether you are in search of more effective writing habits and techniques, would like some guidance on putting together and implementing a plan for promotion, or just want somebody who will keep you accountable and provide regular feedback, the long-term attention afforded by an academic coach can help you navigate some of the pressures you face.
As a retired Professor of History and Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies with a proven record of mentoring graduate students, assistant and associate professors and academic staff, I can help you to identify the tools you need to complete a specific project or to strategize a publishing trajectory. Coaching consists of regular meetings, scheduled at an interval convenient to you, in which we can brainstorm ways forward. Coaching also includes review of up to fifty pages from your writing-in-progress each month.
Line editing focuses on words. A line editor proceeds sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, to help you communicate your ideas as effectively as possible. The purpose of line editing is to ensure that your text is readable for your intended audience, that it flows well, and that the prose is precise and engaging. In short, a line editor can assist you in crafting work that is a pleasure to read. (Line editing is not to be confused with copy-editing or proofreading, which require different sorts of skills.)
I offer line-editing to clients who have already been through the developmental editing process. I will provide you with a copy of your manuscript that reflects my recommendations using the Track Changes function in Word. You can then decide what changes to implement. I will also identify recurrent practices that tend to obscure your meaning or make your writing less effective.