Rachel Lapidow

Rachel Lapidow – Editor

Need focused editing? I'm a copy editor and proofreader of sci-fi, fantasy, RPGs, and romance. I work with DC and indie game companies.

Overview

"Rachel has been a dream to work with—careful, diligent, and precise beyond professional. She absolutely made Upwind better. Can't recommend her highly enough.
—Jeff Barber, founder of Biohazard Games and creator of Blue Planet: Recontact and Upwind

I am a copy editor, proofreader, and developmental editor. My clients include DC Comics, independent tabletop roleplaying game companies, and indie authors. While I’ve worked on a range of titles from romance novels to biographies to health books, my favorite things to work on are comics, RPGs, science fiction, and fantasy. In addition to editing fiction and game guides, I am also the proofreader and copy editor for a nonprofit monthly newspaper.

I have a bachelor’s degree in professional writing from Champlain College. I earned a certificate copy editing from the University of California, San Diego. I am familiar with the Chicago Manual of Style and the Associated Press Stylebook, as well as house style guides. I am happy to learn additional style guides.

I will work with you to determine your needs, offer advice, and set project timelines. Some writers want regular weekly updates, others would rather only hear from me once I’ve completed their edit. Let me know how you want to receive updates.

I’ve developed documents from as short as a paragraph to over 122,000 words with an eye for consistency, tone, and readability. I review each piece and make recommendations that improve accuracy and target audience appeal for nonfiction and enhance reader interest and buy-in for fiction.

Do you need someone to look over your text and tell you what is working and what isn’t? I will examine your work with an eye for holistic effect (overall character development, dialogue, and setting, etc.) and offer recommendations and offer multiple ways of addressing issues. I won’t just say that something is good or bad, but explain why I think this is so and offer suggestions for fixing any rough patches.

I live in beautiful Vermont, so you may hear me talking a lot about the weather (it’s one of the major pastimes here). I read books from a lot of different genres. My love of cozy mysteries has led me to subscribe to a British streaming service so I can get my fix of Midsomer Murders (I also own the complete set of Murder, She Wrote DVDs). I would love to one day proofread or edit a mystery.

“I have worked with Rachel for some time and have found her to be a pleasure to work with. She is more than capable in many areas and, in particular, I have found her to be a proofreader par none. Rachel is always on time and above expectations. She would be a valued asset to any organization.”

—Kevin Lewis, president of The Hinesburg Record

Services
Fiction
Comics & Graphic Novels Gaming & LitRPG Historical Fiction Romance Science Fiction Young Adult
Non-Fiction
Education & Reference Nature
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • Poynter American Copy Editing Society Certificate
  • Certificate in Copy Editing, University of California, San Diego

Work experience

DC Comics

Sep, 2019 — Present

I was hired in September 2019 as a freelance proofreader by DC Comics. I proofread the front and back matter of collected editions. This includes front covers, back covers, tables of content, forwards, introductions, biographies, character sketches, alternate covers, and more. I ensure consistent formatting of all sections. Please note that I am not proofreading the comics but the additional matter that is added to the comics to make up a collected edition.

Self-employed

Feb, 2017 — Present

I’ve worked on game guides for Nine Dragons RPG, Biohazard Games, Festive Ninja Games, and other independent game makers. I’ve worked on dozens of books in a variety of genres including romance, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, historical fiction, biography, nonfiction, and even instruction manuals. I also proofread and copy edit a local monthly newspaper.

I have maintained 100% client satisfaction and a top site rating for over two years on Upwork.

Previous projects include the following:
• Assessed YA novels Split Rock and Suncookers: Ice and Fire (45K and 39K words) for Bradford Evans (2018).
• Critiqued Colony (88K words), a YA horror-adventure book by Veronica Wolff (2019).
• Revamped materials for Biohazard Games (2017–2019), including roleplaying games Upwind and Blue Planet.
• Edited pieces for Jacqueline Larkin (2017–2019). Published in Maple Tree Literary Supplement, Dote Magazine, Ambrosia, and other magazines.
• Line edited fantasy game An Atlas of the Horizons (113K words) for Benjamin Williams (2019)
• Transformed email templates, instruction manuals, thank you letters, and more for lifestyle brand Apace EZ Solutions (2017–2019).
• Edited 3 books in Honour series (49K words total) and Flintlock Roleplaying Game (43K) for Nine Dragons RPG (2016–2019).
• Edited tabletop roleplaying game Return to the Stars (18K words) and other materials for Festive Ninja (2018–2019). A digital version has been accessed over 10K times.
• Critiqued YA novels Split Rock and Suncookers: Ice and Fire (39K words) for Bradford Evans (2018-2019).
• Edited health book Vajuvenation (33K words) for Dr. Rosalind Jackson, a respected OB-GYN (2017).
• Line edited 5 romance novels (50K words each) for Weaver Sinclair Limited (2017).
• Line edited 5 Regency romance novels (63K words apiece) and 2 erotic romance novels (25K and 61K words) for Creative Publishing House (2017).
• Proofread biography Molasses, Fatback, and Biscuits (48K words) for Integrative Ink (2017).
• Proofread contemporary romance Crazy About Alaska (65K words) for Shannon L. Brown (2017).

Portfolio

Just in time for the release of Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) comes the seminal story that brought the Birds of Prey into the spotlight of the DC Universe!Written by award winning author Gail Simone, Birds of Prey: Myster... read more
Confronting the demons of one's past should be familiar ground for John Constantine. But some vicious memories are so horrible and buried so deep that digging them up could leave no one to pick up the pieces.Dreams of what could be and the nightmares of what i... read more
The finale of Green Arrow is here and the Emerald Archer's world will be forever changed. With an all-star talent line-up, this graphic novel is sure to hit its mark!It's a mystery six months in the making: the box that can destroy the Justice League will be o... read more
As his kingdom crumbles and his subjects search for him in desperation, Dream of the Endless wanders the Earth as an exile from the realm he is meant to embody.Here, far from the Gates of Horn and Ivory, there are wonders and horrors that even an immortal cann... read more
THE DARK KNIGHT'S NEW ARMY ASSEMBLES!Years ago, an evil organization called the Ark experimented on an innocent family, transforming them into metahumans. Batman defeated the Ark and safely placed its victims into hiding. Or so he thought. Now, most of the fam... read more
Batman: Gotham Knights made history as the very first ongoing Batman series to be launched by a woman, and now this popular series will be collected together for the first time ever!When a little boy in Gotham loses his parents to a horrible gun crime, Batman ... read more
WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF SEDRETS, WHERE EVERY DARK AND COBWEBBED CORNER HOLDS A SPELLBINDING STORY OF SHOCK AND SUSPENSE-AND THE DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN!In the 1970s, a golden age of horror was well underway in America, and there is no better representation of this... read more
Alan Moore and J.H. Williams III's multiple Eisner Award-winning masterpiece, Promethea, is collected in oversize, deluxe hardcover format for the first time ever.Sophie Bangs has just come to grips with her alter ego, the fabled warrior named Promethea, when ... read more
Female Furies

Cecil Castellucci

Up and coming writer Cecil Castelluci enters Jack Kirby's epic Fourth World to write a funny, feminist take on the origins of the elite female fighting force of Apokolips.They are the Female Furies--trained from birth by the brutal Granny Goodness to become th... read more
WALLY WEST--THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE!Nearly 20 years ago, writer Geoff Johns (Batman: Earth One, Shazam) took over The Flash and redefined a comic book icon for a new generation. During his unforgettable five-year run on the series, Johns would enrich the world o... read more
For the Man of Tomorrow, the turn of the century has come to Metropolis and Brainiac has arrived to ring in the New Year.So begins an all-out assault on the City of Tomorrow with the very soul of Metropolis and its protector in the balance. Superman must team ... read more
Aquaman Vol. 2: Amnesty

Kelly Sue DeConnick

The tides turn for the Sea King as Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain Marvel, Pretty Deadly) and red-hot artist Robson Rochatake steer Aquaman into uncharted waters!Thought to be dead by the rest of the world, Arthur Curry has retreated to a remote island where he s... read more
GOTHAM DESERVES A BETTER DARK KNIGHT.The Batman is a cancer. A cancer that has darkened Gotham City. His reckless vigilantism endangers innocents, creates villains, and only ever begets more violence. The people deserve justice. The Arkham Knight has come to d... read more
Harleen

Stjepan Sejic

Dr. Harleen Quinzel has a theory: mental illness is a survival mechanism. As she seeks to help the broken souls of Gotham City piece together their sanity she will become the one thing she fears the most: one of them. A bold new retelling of the tragic origin ... read more
From the peril of the high seas to the urban landscape of Fairloch, capital of Aielund, Aiden Wainwright and his companions are charged with protecting the only heir to the throne whilst seeking out the conspirators that plot her capture, and who will stop at ... read more
Aiden Wainwright was the son of a wagon maker in a small country town where nothing interesting ever happened, until a chance encounter with a strange relic changed him forever. Obsessed with unravelling the mystery of his experience, Aiden turns from his frie... read more
Gynecologist reveals that more than half of the women questioned knew very little about their (Vaginal Health). Lack of knowledge and misconceptions about vaginal health and intimate wellness can rob women of the enjoyment of having the sex life they dreamed o... read more
Gray Wolf Security 1

Glenna Sinclair

Enjoy all 5 PRIVATE SECURITY ROMANCE books. No cliffhangers.More than 1,000 pages :)DONOVANHe killed my brother. He didn’t wield the rock that destroyed a promisinglife, the life of a future doctor, but he killed him just the same. Heshould have been there tha... read more
The Twisted Tree

Rachel Burge

Part ghost story, part Nordic thriller - this is a twisty, tense and spooky YA debut, perfect for fans of CORALINE and Michelle Paver. Martha can tell things about a person just by touching their clothes, as if their emotions and memories have been absorbed in... read more
This book is about an individual who some might call a Griot who is passing down his story orally as a Griot might, this concept is in his genetic makeup as he happens to be an African American. The subject of this story is Henian Edward Newsome a rural North ... read more
LARGE PRINT AND HARDCOVER EDITIONTwo men are interested. She picked the wrong man once. Will she choose the right one now?As a single mother and a real estate agent, Holly works hard. Climb a roof? Check. Work with her former, difficult professor? Maybe. She w... read more

Professionals similar to Rachel

Get a range of offers by requesting quotes from multiple professionals.

Ryan Chapman

Ryan C.

Novelist and fiction editor with a decade's experience in Big Five publishing. Plus three decades' experience noodling around with words.

Kingston, NY, USA

99% reply rate

View profile
Britta Jensen

Britta J.

Find the courage to submit your book with confidence. Together, we'll identify the best way to get your book published. Let's talk!

Austin, Texas, USA

100% reply rate

View profile
Jonathan Starke

Jonathan S.

I've spent 17 years editing debuts and bestsellers across genres, traditional and self-published. Agent/publisher queries. Caring, diligent.

Portland, ME, USA

100% reply rate

View profile