About Lynn
What's New
Communications Writing
Listen to my free teleseminar, "Do You Have What it Takes to be a
Professional Writer?"
(WAV audio file, 21.06 Mb,
46 minutes long)
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You can also listen to
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(641) 715-3429
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Click here for a list of my editing rates and submission guidelines.
Click here to view a FREE grammar guide, compiled from grammatical errors found in published works.
I want to help make you a better writer!
It's disturbing to think how many people today can't properly spell or write. I read the newspaper with a red pencil in my hand to circle the grammatical and spelling errors - and those articles are done by professional writers!
The truth is, everyone makes mistakes. Having another pair of eyes review your material is always a good idea. But choose the wrong pair of eyes, and even major errors could go unnoticed. Have you ever spent thousands of dollars to print something, only to find a typographical error in the finished product? Circulating business literature that contains spelling or grammatical errors doesn't present a very professional picture of your company. Hiring a good editor is money well spent.
I have edited publications and articles for a number of companies and non-profit groups. Some have won awards, all have won accolades from their readers. I've edited manuscripts for book authors, helping them polish their prose to get it published. I am the consummate grammarian and speller. If turnaround time is an issue, I can also work quickly to meet your needs, depending on my workload at the time. While I've edited many fiction works, children's books and even poetry, my specialty area is non-fiction. This is what I prefer to read, so it's only natural that I would be best at editing the same type of work.
Some publications need an editor with expertise in a particular area. I have experience in diverse subjects such as recycling, papermaking, music, movies, literature, sales, leadership, directory publishing and the corporate working environment. I've written for publications in the medical, real estate, and home improvement fields. I studied French for over six years, giving me the ability to spot spelling and grammar errors in common French phrases and quotes used in English-language documents. I've also edited manuscripts written in British English, so am aware of those differences in punctuation and spelling. My extensive network of contacts also gives me access to experts in many other fields and languages, if needed.
"I'm a good speller, and I use good grammar. My software has a 'spellcheck' function. What can an editor do for me?"
Editors check for a lot more than spelling and grammar! They can check for continuity, for instance, to make sure your characters keep the same names, hair colors and personalities throughout your novel. They can call your attention to questionable facts that may need checking in an article, or verify those facts for you. They can point out inconsistencies in your location's layout, based on how you've described its attributes. Or they can identify problems with the story's timeline, based on the information given in the manuscript. They can identify issues with your writing style that may cause confusion for readers. Or even note flaws in the logic or progression of your plot. An editor should be familiar with the publishing industry, and have some idea of what's currently selling. What an editor does is to make your manuscript the best it can be. While an editor can't guarantee publication, using an editor will make your work more marketable.
When you've looked at the same manuscript dozens and dozens of times, you become accustomed to seeing things the way you envision them. An editor's task is to make sure that what you envision is communicated to your readers through your words on the page. Even the best editors have someone else edit their own writing!
Click here for a list of my editing rates and submission guidelines.
Click here to view a FREE grammar guide, compiled from grammatical errors found in published works.
Click here for information on editing styles and a list of titles edited.
© 2005, Thompson Writing & Editing, Inc.
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