Overview
I love working with the minutiae of words and seeing a manuscript bloom into its full potential as a book right before my eyes.
I am a freelance proofreader and copyeditor with five years of experience and specializing in literary fiction, nonfiction, picture books, short-story collections, and magazines. I have worked on over thirty-five projects, ranging from McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, The Believer, Illustoria, and novels from McSweeneys, a novel from Astra House, ten Penguin Random House picture books, and more. I've also previously edited world-renowned authors such as Margaret Atwood, George Saunders, Percival Everett, and Lemony Snicket on the 270 Reasons project (270reasons.com). While I have mainly worked on literary fiction, nonfiction, and children's books, I am ready and flexible to accommodate any genre or writing style.
When collaborating with you on a project, I promise to always bring a sharp attention to detail, immediately reply to your questions or queries, and preserve the voice and heart of your story no matter what.
Testimonials:
"Emily, This is truly heroic work. You caught so many things. Invaluable! Thank you." —Amanda Uhle, editorial director of McSweeney's
“Thanks for your diligent and creative work to make it so powerful and beautiful.” —Amanda Uhle, editorial director of McSweeney's
"I was really pleased with Emily's work, and happy to be reminded how much better things read after a professional has put the polish on it." —Foster Winans, author
"Emily, you are an absolute godsend!!!! I really can't thank you enough. These all look great so far." —Annie Dills, design assistant at McSweeney's
“This is lifesaving! Earth-shattering, amazing saves on that missing text (at the end of the book, no less!). Thank you SO MUCH for catching that.” —Claire Boyle, managing editor at McSweeney’s
“Emily, You did a great job on this! I will be raising a lot of your queries to editorial and design on the next round. Thank you for your attention to detail.” —Helen Macdonald, senior production editor at WaterBrook and Multnomah (an imprint of Penguin Random House)
"Wow! Your feedback was absolutely spot-on. You’re an incredible editor—thoughtful, thorough, and detailed! I feel truly honored to be working with you, and your insights genuinely made my day." —Andreea Habash, author
"Thanks for your sharp eye catching lots of errors in the layout. You're an excellent proofreader. Thank you very much for noticing where repetition occurred. Many many good catches. You've had great training! —Gail Spilsbury, author
"I just want to give you another shout-out for the excellent and very comprehensive copyediting job you did. You have really given me an invaluable education on some of the finer points of drafting." —Edward R. McMahon, author
Services
Non-Fiction
Fiction
Languages
Awards
- Bookbuilders of Boston First-Place Scholarship
Certifications
- BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College
- MA in Publishing from Emerson College
Work experience
Penguin Random House
• Manage copyediting and proofreading projects with precision and efficiency, completing ten projects to date.
• Demonstrate an aptitude for the editorial process and a dedication to children’s literature by upholding a commitment to creating professional, polished work.
Self-employed
• Operate as a freelance proofreader and copyeditor on independent projects.
So far, I have proofread Natalie and Antonella in Rome by G. D. Spilsbury, copyedited The Tyranny of Now by Greg Petro, and copyedited Wisdom and the Baobab Tree by Edward McMahon.
Harvard Alumni Association
• Fact-check, proofread, and edit copy for style, clarity, structure, and grammar in alumni submissions.
• Adhere to an in-house style guide and the Chicago Manual of Style.
• Correspond with alumni and resolve queries regarding necessary, last-minute edits.
McSweeney's
• Oversee proofreading and copyediting for all of McSweeney’s publications, where I comb through the text identifying any errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation according to their style guide.
• Evaluate and write reader’s reports for manuscripts from their submission manager.
Portfolio
