John Vias – Editor

Before you publish, let me polish. While retaining your voice, I will correct errors that distract readers from your message.

WHY HIRE ME?

I’m trained and have over 16 years of experience. I’m easy to work with, conscientious, communicative, and adhere to high ethical standards.

Here are just some of my areas of interest: art, art history, public health, psychology, self-help, Buddhism, meditation, computers, technology, culture, humanities, language, history, science, environmentalism, current events, politics, and humor.

WHO AM I?

I earned an English degree and later graduated from Sage Publications’ Copy Editor Outreach Program. I enjoy copyediting and proofreading. There is beauty in order, and I help bring that beauty to my clients’ work.

MY SERVICES

Here are the issues I address in my copyediting:

Language (grammar, usage, and diction)

Mechanics (spelling, capitalization, hyphenation, punctuation, numbers & dates, abbreviations, headings and lists, footnotes and endnotes)

Content (clarity, transitions and flow, biased language)

Correlation (illustrations, table of contents, captions)

Anything else that looks awry

You’ll be able to selectively incorporate my suggested edits, which are based on the Chicago Manual of Style and my own editorial judgment. My aim is to balance being too strict and too permissive, to maintain the flexibility that best serves your work.

My proofreading can catches errors such as these:

Any serious issues from the copyediting list above

Improper, inconsistent, doubled, or missing words, spaces, line spacing, indentation, punctuation marks, headers and footers

Incorrect page, chapter, illustration, and other references

Awkward line breaks and hyphenation

Anything else that looks awry

HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST?

Your manuscript is unique, so I will need to see it to provide your customized quote. I have spent many years honing my skills and furthering my professional education, and according to clients, I’m exceptional at what I do. I charge accordingly while providing excellent value. So if you’re on a tight budget, we’re likely not a good fit.

If your budget is tight, consider saving up for a high-quality copyedit, a professionally designed cover and interior, and a good book publicist. Treat your manuscript like the massive investment in time and effort it is!

TESTIMONIALS

“A masterful copyeditor.” —William Spear, bestselling author

“John is a meticulous editor with integrity. He has a rare gift of discernment. With simplicity and clarity, he creates precision without losing meaning and brings elegance and depth to the writing. He tended to my words with sensitivity and care, polishing my manuscript without hampering my voice. He is highly dependable and responsive. He has my highest recommendation.”

—Nozomi Hayase, author

“He was a pleasure to work with—courteous, professional, and fast. The subject matter of my book was quite particular, and I was astounded at the level of detail in John’s work. I could not recommend him more highly.”

—Eugene Ruffalo, author

Ready to start? Please contact me to begin our collaboration.