Copyediting, proofreading, and writing help
Copyediting and proofreading
It’s always a good idea to have another pair of eyes look at your work. The first thing you need to do is determine which level of service you need: line editing, copyediting, or proofreading.
Line editing and copyediting
Line editing and copyediting services are similar; however, whereas copyediting addresses the more technical issues (grammar, punctuation, word usage, syntax, and format), line editing addresses the flow of paragraphs and sentences. I will always include some line edits when editing a text. But if the line edits are extensive, I will suggest two rounds of revisions: one to eliminate the more significant issues and a second to focus on catching mistakes and formatting.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final step after a text has already been thoroughly copyedited. Here, the proofreader simply looks for mistakes that may have been missed in previous edits.
I edit
- Manuscripts
- Journal articles
- Dissertations and theses (see FAQs)
- Business materials: reports, documents, press releases
- Museum panels and other interpretive texts
Writing help
Just like copyediting, I offer two options for help with writing: developmental and technical.
Developmental consultation
Often when doing research, you have so much information it’s difficult to see how to tell the story. That’s where I come in. I’ll work with you to help you determine which story you want to tell from the information you have and how best to present that information.
Technical writing help
This is a step beyond copyediting and is specifically for people who may be wonderful researchers, but who are not great writers, are grammatically challenged, or for whom English as a second language. Instead of simply copyediting, I will work with you (and your text) to help you understand the more technical aspects of the English language.
Please note: these are consultation services only. I am not a ghostwriter.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Experience editing journal submissions for academics and PhD candidates, as well as articles for journals such as Theological Studies
- Training courses through the Chartered Institute for Editors and Proofreaders (CIEP) and ACES/Poynter
- Member of the CIEP, the Editorial Freelancers Association, ACES: the Society for Editing, and the National Council on Public History
- BA in history and writing and an MA in history.
- More than five years experience as an English language trainer for corporate executives in Frankfurt, Germany
My prices are based on the length of a document, the amount of work needed, and how quickly you need it back. That said, my prices are within the guidelines of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA). You can find base rates at www.the-efa.org/rates.
I can. However, you must check your university’s policy on proofreading and get a signed statement from your advisor/supervisor approving the use of a proofreading service. I can provide this statement if your university doesn’t already have one.
Once I get that authorization, I can edit your paper in compliance with the rules of your university, which usually involves checking grammar, spelling, punctuation, and citation format.
I edit subjects within the social sciences and humanities.
- History
- Geography
- Economics
- Anthropology
- Political Science
- Languages and linguistics
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Archaeology
- Art and art history
- Religion and theology
Unfortunately, I do not proofread/edit scientific work of any kind. If your subject is within the social sciences/humanities and not listed above, please feel free to contact me.
I specialize in the Chicago Manual of Style; however, I can use whichever style guide you require.
I do! I check for errors and formatting as part of the basic proofreading/editing service. However, I can also do this as a separate service if needed.
I have basic knowledge of indexing; however, I don’t offer it as a service.
That depends on the type of document needed. For article submissions and business documents, I am always happy to give suggestions on how something can be rewritten. However, I cannot rewrite anything being submitted for an academic qualification. I can only correct grammatical or formatting errors.
What others say about Marshallsay English
Laura’s superior command of the English language, meticulous attention to detail, and exceptional editing not only helped me get an article accepted for publication but also reduced the amount of time I had to spend on revisions after it passed through the peer review. I will use Marshallsay English for all my future editing needs.
James Risk, PhD
University of South Carolina
