Overview
Professional editor with more than 20 years in-house and freelance experience. Available for fiction, non-fiction, and games. LGBTQ works of all kinds are particularly welcome.
I am available for developmental / structural edits, editorial assessments, copy editing, and proofreading, with or without the Oxford comma. My fiction editing portfolio is heavier on the romance at the moment, but I also welcome historical and modern fiction and women's fiction, LitRPG, mystery, horror, sci-fi, and fantasy of all word counts.
I have a background in TTRPGs, having worked on over 100 core books and supplements in a variety of capacities, including acquisitions, story development, developmental editing, playtesting, copy editing, and proofreading. The majority of this work was for Dream Pod 9 and the Silhouette system, but I have also worked on indie games, and have player experience with a wide range of systems including - but certainly not limited to - D&D (various editions), Storyteller, and Unisystem. I would be happy to discuss rates for editing and/or playtesting games and supplements.
On the non-fiction side, I welcome humanities and social sciences monographs, articles, and chapters, whether they're being reworked for submission or polished for a major university press. My Ph.D is Interdisciplinary (humanities), and I have specific expertise in Atlantic history, material culture studies, dress studies, and archaeology. My most recent book, 'Fashioning Acadians,' was short-listed for the 2024 Governor General's Award for 'Best Scholarly Book in Canadian History.'
My rates range between 0.7 - 3 cents / word USD, depending on the service(s) requested and the state of the text. I do offer package discounts for multiple services on the same manuscript.
I have been called "intimidatingly thorough," and I choose to take that as a compliment. I can edit with a lighter touch when that's requested, however, and I always keep a sense of humour. My job is to be the invisible partner who makes your text the best it can possibly be. The gallery includes a small representative sample of books and genres I've worked on in the past and would be happy to work on again.
Please note that, as a Canadian small business, I am required to collect GST and provincial sales taxes from Canadian clients.
Services
Fiction
Non-Fiction
Languages
Awards
- 2002 Origins Award for Best Game Aid or Accessory - "Gamemastering Secrets"
- 2024 Shortlist for Governor General's Award for 'Best Scholarly Book in Canadian History.'
Certifications
- Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary: History, Archaeology, Dress Studies)
- Master of Arts (Early Modern History)
- Diploma (Costume Studies)
- Bachelor of Arts (Anthropology)
Work experience
Sourcebooks
Performing first-round developmental and line edits for new fiction in the Casablanca and Landmark imprints. Depending on project, focus was either developmental (structure, pacing) or a combination of developmental and copy-edit (structural and grammatical corrections, fact-checking, ensuring consistency of content and authorial voice).
Self-employed
Taking on clients as an editor involved at all stages of production - assessments, developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading.
Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) Program, Dalhousie University
Assisted CEBS course developers with general and specialized tasks connected to curriculum development, exam development, program research and materials preparation. Duties included content research, course materials review, proofreading and fact-checking course and exam materials.
Dalhousie University
Teaching courses as a part-time academic at the Fountain School for Performing Arts, Dalhousie University.
Dream Pod 9
Responsible for determining the direction, content and authorship for books published for the Tribe 8 and Jovian Chronicles roleplaying game lines. Supervised single and multiple-author teams through publishing process from proposal to final draft; collaborated with layout team and artists to determine book appearance; performed copy editing and final proofing on books for Tribe 8, Jovian Chronicles, Gear Krieg and Heavy Gear game lines. Wrote ad copy for hard and soft-copy catalogues, designed and implemented contests, web promotions and public demonstrations of product lines.
Portfolio
Hilary has 48 reviews
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