Overview
I am a historian, editor, and author whose books have garnered positive reviews in such publications as the New York Times Book Review, Wall Street Journal, and Chronicle of Higher Education. During my career, I have had countless opportunities to perform developmental and copy editing work, including for manuscripts published by Basic Books and Oxford University Press. Below is a selection of the books I have edited, evaluated, contributed to, or authored. I have a Ph.D. in American History (Vanderbilt University) with research specialties in religion, politics, and the American South. I also have more than a decade of experience teaching World History.
Looking at the totality of my career, including my time as a professor, I can honestly say that my first love has always been editing--whether it involves working with an outline, a book proposal, a first draft, or a near-final draft.
I'm not kidding! I enjoy all aspects of editing, especially helping authors sharpen their arguments by way of sharpening their writing (and, in the process, finding their voice). No project is too big or too small.
So please take a look around my profile page, and drop me a line if you have any questions. I look forward to working with you.
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>>>>> "Steven is uniquely gifted as an editor. He combines big-picture awareness with sharp technical know-how, and ably manages different authorial voices and audiences. . . Eager to provide concrete advice where brass-tacks issues (and inefficiencies) of structure were concerned, he also pressed me to think through the larger implications of my scholarly claims, and about the best way to communicate them with a light touch of the pen. And he delivered all of that feedback with his own light touch, and with a balance of patience and precision that is welcomed by any author anxious to finish a book." -- Darren Dochuk, author of Anointed With Oil: How Christianity and Crude Made Modern America (Basic, 2019)
>>>>> "Steven is a meticulous editor and generous critic. He is also an insightful reviewer. As an experienced writer himself he has a keen sensibility for assisting authors with enlivening their prose. He’s able to suggest ideas for a well-placed phrase or to present a sterling insight that will help writers clarify their argument. His editorial practice simultaneously addresses granular details of sentences, clauses, and general prose while encouraging authors to connect the dots between larger claims their projects try to make. As an editor, he will skillfully study your writerly voice and provide feedback that will help you to ultimately speak more clearly, crisply, and energetically with your words. I offer this endorsement from personal experience. . . I remain grateful for his work and heartily recommend his editorial services." -- Phillip Luke Sinitiere, author of Salvation with a Smile: Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church, and American Christianity (NYU Press, 2015)
Services
Non-Fiction
Languages
Work experience
Self-employed
Self-employed
Oxford University Press, University of Pennylvania Press, and other publishers
Portfolio
Steven P. has 57 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness

Christopher S.
Sep, 2023
Pinned
Joseph B.
Jun, 2023
Pinned
Anil J.
May, 2023
Pinned
Lisa B.
Mar, 2025

Brandon P.
Feb, 2025
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