Carla Benton – Editor

I spent the first 8 years of my publishing career working at major publishers in New York City before relocating to Chicago in May 2016 and making the switch to becoming a full-time freelance copy editor and proofreader.

As an undergraduate at New York University, I had the advantage of being able to participate in publishing internships during the full academic year rather than just summers. As a college student, I was an intern at Scholastic, Penguin Group (now Penguin Random House), Routledge, and McGraw-Hill. I went on to work in production editorial/managing editorial departments at Penguin Group, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster. At this time I also began taking freelance copy editing and proofreading projects from fellow production editors at major publishers.

In a basic copy edit, I ensure spelling, grammar, and punctuation are correct and consistent and the text is clear and accurate. If it is needed and requested, I also tighten and rewrite. In a basic proofread, I look for and correct remaining editorial errors and flag production and design problems. The standard resources of the publishing industry are the The Chicago Manual of Style, 16 and 17; Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11; and Words into Type, 3; these are the primary resources I use as well.

In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, cooking, and baking, and I am an avid long-distance runner who enjoys competing in events ranging from the mile to the marathon.