Laura Marshallsay, M.A
COPYEDITOR | PROOFREADER | ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINER
I’ve led a varied and somewhat crazy life. But what a life it’s been!
I started my professional life as a soldier/administrator in the U.S. Army, and over the years I have been a secretary, mom, and even a tour guide. Then, when I was in my forties, I headed to university to study my two passions: history and writing.
A few years ago, we moved to Frankfurt, Germany, and now I help people around the world – both native and non-native speakers – improve their written and spoken English.
Professional Credentials
Professional experience
- Copyeditor specializing in academic work and the Chicago Manual of Style. Clients include the journal Theological Studies and academics preparing articles for submission.
- More than five years’ experience as a Business English trainer in Frankfurt. Clients include top executives at Deka Bank, Helaba, Interxion, Logicor, and Jones Lang LaSalle.
- Interpretive historian at the U.S. National Park Service, contract work for the Museum of American History (Smithsonian), as well as smaller community museums in Dorset, UK
Certificates and training
- CELTA Certification (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), Cambridge Assessment, Cambridge University
- Copyediting 1 & 2, Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
- Introduction to Fiction Editing, Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
- Fundamentals of Editing, ACES/Poynter
- The Art and Science of Editing, ACES/Poynter
- Editing Fiction at Sentence Level, Louise Harnby
Skills
- Experience using a variety of style guides including Chicago, APA, New Hart’s Rules, as well as university and publishers’ house style. I also prepare a style sheet for each edit.
- Localization of British, American, and translated texts.
- More than four years as an ESL teacher in Germany has made me sensitive to those for whom English is a second language and those writing in International English for a global market.
Education
- Master’s degree, Historical Studies, Public History track; graduated summa cum laude (4.0 GPA)
- Bachelor’s degree, History with a minor in Writing; graduated magna cum laude (3.87 GPA)
Professional Memberships
- Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreaders (CIEP)
- ACES: The Society for Editing
- Editorial Freelancers Association
- IATEFL (International Association Teachers of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language)
- ELTAF (English Language Teachers Association Frankfurt)
- NCPH (National Council on Public History
Proud member of
