“I never could have done what I have done, without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one object at a time."
~Charles Dickens, David Copperfield
~Charles Dickens, David Copperfield
Why does your project need an editor?
In a nutshell . . . to make it better! In this age of information overload, what you write has to compete for the scarce time of your readership. Whether in books, web pages, press releases, business documents, proposals, newsletters, magazine articles, or annual reports, editors can give your words the clarity and zing to get your message across effectively.
Also, having your work professionally edited may well increase your chances of getting accepted by an agent, a publisher, or both. Even strong writers with impeccable self-editing skills can benefit from having a fresh perspective on their work. As John E. McIntyre said, "The best writers benefit from editing; the less accomplished require it." And Ken Atchity, as quoted in Marcia Meier's Navigating the Rough Waters of Today's Publishing World, states boldly: "In today's consolidated . . . publishing industry, little time and money is spent on editing. If a manuscript comes in that requires editing to any degree, it is usually rejected in favor of the hundreds that . . . are well-edited."
Proofreading refers to the process of reading written work for “surface errors.” These are errors involving spelling, punctuation, grammar and word choice.
Copyediting addresses all of the mechanical elements of writing: grammar, punctuation, spelling. It also pays attention to the "4 Cs" -- clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness -- in service of the cardinal C: communication. Passages of garbled or ambiguous syntax, inconsistent elements, and other obstacles in the way of the reader are either corrected or brought to your attention. Copy editing also deals with such elements as sentence and paragraph length, flow, style, and voice.
Who can benefit from our proofreading and copyediting services?
- Students
- Website Owners
- Business Owners
- Employees
- Publishers
- Authors
- Anyone who wants to deliver an error-free, professional message.
Why choose Alexis for your project?
I am a meticulous, results-oriented editor experienced in managing multiple tasks and meeting deadlines. I have superior editing and proofreading capabilities and I pride myself on successful completion of numerous concurrent projects. I am technically proficient in both Windows OS and Mac OS. I am proficient in MS Office Suite, Internet usage/research and email applications. I am familiar with postal procedures, common business practices, business communication, records maintenance, prioritizing, organization, and multi-tasking. I possess working knowledge of common formats and styles, including the Chicago Manual of Style, MLA, The Writer’s Digest Guide to Manuscript Formats, APA, and AMA.
Often, when you work with large publishing houses, your project is farmed out to an editor on their list. So you know nothing about the person working on your book – their experience, their calibre, their interest in your writing. I will work with you personally - you can get in touch with me at any time with questions or suggestions. Throughout the entire process, you can have direct contact with your editor.
But . . . most of all . . . I have been in love with words -- their meanings, sounds, spellings, grammatical forms, provenance, usage, how they interact -- for as long as I can remember. I care about language; I care that it be used with precision. Language used precisely can convey infinite meaning and nuance, and exert powerful influence.
