Overview
I'm an experienced copy editor specializing in working with indie authors, especially within the genres of fantasy, dystopian, paranormal, and speculative fiction.
Eliminate distractions
You don’t want your readers to get distracted by errors in your book. So don’t let your readers find any errors—let me find them instead.
Understand genre conventions
You want an editor who understands the conventions of your genre. I specialize in fantasy, dystopian, paranormal, and speculative fiction.
Keep your voice intact
You want an editor who doesn’t try to rewrite the book in her own voice. My goal is always to retain the author’s voice—just to make it a cleaner version of that voice.
Understand the flexibility of fiction
I have a solid background in grammar. I know the rules. I understand the rules. I also know how and when to break them. I’m not going to be pedantic and insist on a change just for the sake of correctness if it is going to cause a problem with readability. Fiction is flexible—sometimes sentence fragments are useful, for example.
What copy editing is
As a copy editor, I am focused on the details of the story—the sentence-level concerns. Although I do check for consistency (making sure Sally doesn’t suddenly change eye color, for example), I don’t make global comments about your book. I’m not going to give you a list of plot problems or places where characters/scenes should be more developed. That’s the job of a developmental editor (and something that should be done before sending the manuscript to me). If there’s something that really jumps out at me, I sometimes make a comment about it, but I’m not reading your book at that level. If that’s the kind of feedback you are looking for, please work with a developmental editor first. Then come back and let me clean things up at the sentence level.
Note on developmental editing and editorial assessment
I provide line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. If you are looking for a developmental edit or editorial assessment, that comes before the copy editing stage and is not a service I provide. Check out Reedsy's description of the different types of editors: https://blog.reedsy.com/types-of-editing/.
Services
Fiction
Languages
Certifications
- UC San Diego Extension Copyediting Certificate
Work experience
UC San Diego Extended Studies
Instructor teaching online classes through the UC San Diego Extended Studies program: Copyediting for Fiction and Copyediting II
PLY Magazine
Managing editor and copy editor for PLY Magazine, a quarterly magazine for spinning fiber.
Self-employed
Although I have freelanced since 1997, I focused full-time on freelancing starting in August 2012. I have copy edited everything from websites to cookbooks but my preferred focus is fantasy and speculative fiction.
INDIE Books Gone Wild
Part of the editing team at INDIE Books Gone Wild.
Ivy Tech Community College, Lafayette, Indiana
Taught freshman composition and literature courses.
Arthuriana (academic journal)
Copy edited and proofread articles; laid out articles for journal
AgIT Department, Purdue University
Wrote documentation supporting in-house computer programs and other programs and revised existing documentation.
Purdue University
Taught courses in composition, literature, and Latin. Was a graduate student during this time and earned a PhD in English.
Texas A&M University
Taught courses in composition, literature, and technical writing.
Blinn College
Tutored students in one-on-one writing sessions
Blinn College
Worked with students in computer lab during developmental reading and writing courses as a teacher's aide.
Cancer Information Group
Edited and proofread articles for four oncology journals
Arthur Andersen
Edited financial documents
Texas A&M University Press
Proofread manuscripts
Portfolio
Karen has 38 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness
Ariel C.
Oct, 2023
Pinned
Katie P.
Sep, 2023
Pinned
Daniel B.
Apr, 2023
Pinned
Rel C.
Nov, 2024
Marina R.
Oct, 2024
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