You’re here because you’ve already written something, but you’re not sure if it’s good enough. Or you’re stuck and can’t seem to get the structure, argument, or tone just right. Let me help!

I offer developmental, stylistic, and copy editing for academic manuscripts of all sorts. I recently edited a book manuscript on Indigenous knowledge production in Mexico, an article manuscript about contagion in the Decameron, and a dissertation on maternal grief in Black and Latinx families. I also provide editing for career advancement.

I have ten years’ experience working with faculty, independent scholars, and PhD students on a variety of academic projects. My clients come from a range of fields in the humanities and qualitative social sciences.

Previously, I spent nearly six years as head of a higher ed initiative, where I supported PhD candidates and recent PhDs from minoritized groups to apply and interview for tenure-track positions at liberal arts colleges.

Unsure of which type of editing you need? Just ask!

I offer a free, 30-minute consult to assess if we’re a good fit for each other—and if I can meet your needs.

 

  • This type of editing focuses on the big-picture elements of your manuscript. It assesses the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses, with particular attention to argument, organization, evidence, and tone. It responds directly to your concerns to help you “develop” your ideas into a manuscript that resonates with the target readers.

    In our work together, I might write a manuscript assessment and leave you to make the recommended edits (e.g., move paragraphs, use a different hook, or hone analysis). Or I can dive in and support you in restructuring the manuscript.

    Some scholars hire me just prior to submitting their manuscript to a press or journal. Others invite me to work with them earlier, once they have completed their very first rough draft. Sometimes it is a rejection or a “revise and resubmit” that prompts a scholar to reach out to me.

    But regardless of when I do a developmental edit, I am always less interested in typos or grammatical errors than the broad contours of your text.

  • Also known as line editing, stylistic editing “smooths out” your writing at the sentence level. It clarifies meaning, improves flow, and ensures coherence.

    I focus on issues such as abrupt transitions between paragraphs, awkward phrasings, word repetition, ableist language, and the rhythm of your prose.

    This stage of editing occurs once you have a well-organized manuscript and a clear argument. But it takes place before the copy editing stage, when the focus is on punctuation and grammar.

    Scholars often seek stylistic editing when they want the writing to be more concise, the tone appropriate for the journal or the press, and each line to flow easily to the next. It ensures that your reader can understand and follow the story you’re telling!

  • Whether you’re applying for a job, seeking a promotion, or vying for a fellowship, you need another set of eyes on your materials!

    I edit fellowship and grant proposals; graduate school applications; cover letters, CVs, and other job documents; and tenure and promotion files. In some of these cases, I provide you with models or templates to follow.

    In all cases, I let you know the things you’re doing well as well as the areas you need to improve.

    I am particularly successful at editing grant and fellowship applications; in the past five years, my clients have been awarded >$1.6M in fellowships, including postdocs.