Martin Ainsley – Editor

I have six years of experience as a freelance copyeditor and proofreader, on top of four years as production editor for Goose Lane Editions, an independent literary press. I am currently a PhD candidate in English and creative writing, and I teach a for-credit university course in editing skills. I also hold master's degrees in English and History and a BFA (writing). Several of my edited books have been nominated for or won significant awards.

I am versatile and curious and willing to edit almost anything, but I specialize in poetry and academic non-fiction in the humanities (citations are my jam! I am fluent in Chicago and MLA style), and I would like to branch out into more fiction copyediting. I have only one published book of fiction to my credit, the novel Some Hellish by Nicholas Herring, but it won the prestigious Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize (2022); not bad for a first time out!

When I copyedit, regardless of the genre, I focus on the author's voice and the intended audience and work towards making the most of that connection. In addition to fixing mechanical problems and ensuring adherence to a particular style guide, I will help you untangle sentences, sharpen diction, avoid unwanted repetition, and look out for problems with logic and continuity. Whatever you've written, I will edit it with empathy, humo(u)r, and care to make your work the best it can be.