One of the most common mistakes I come across while editing is incorrect dialogue tags. Remember that in order for something to be correctly considered a dialogue tag, it should be about the mechanics of speaking, not what the speaker is doing. Here’s an example: Incorrect: “Catch me if you can,” he smiled. Correct: “Catch […]
It’s the last day of NaNoWriMo, and I hope everyone participating found the month to be productive. If anyone is looking for an editor, I’m a copyeditor and proofreader working primarily in fiction. My current rates are $.013 USD per word for copyediting and $.01 USD per word for proofreading. I offer a free sample
That’s a Wrap for NaNoWriMo 2023 Read More »
I love music. I’m especially fond of early-2000s emo, as that was some of the first music I discovered on my own and felt a connection to. Despite knowing so many of these songs by heart, I actually don’t like looking up lyrics to most of my favorite songs. To me, there’s something magical about
I won’t say the name of the book, but I’ve been reading a very highly regarded sci-fi novel and was struck by how it handles unspoken discourse. No quotation marks, no italics. For those unaware, CMOS defines unspoken discourse as thoughts, imagined dialogue, and other internal discourse (that isn’t actually spoken out loud by a
Unspoken Discourse Read More »
It is common for people to wonder about their purpose in life. The Japanese have a concept called ikigai, which refers to this very idea. They believe you can begin to understand your ikigai by answering four questions: What is your passion? What are you good at? What does the world need from you? What
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been obsessed with video games. It is far and away my favorite hobby, entertainment medium, art form, and escape. But my love for games goes beyond just being a fan. I try to incorporate this passion into my professional life by seeking out projects that are
It’s November, and that means NaNoWriMo! If anyone is looking for an editor, I’m a copyeditor and proofreader working primarily in fiction. My current rates are $.013 USD per word for copyediting and $.01 USD per word for proofreading. I offer a free sample edit in order for us to determine if we’re a good
It’s jack-o’-lantern season, so I thought, Why not ruin it with something dull? See that apostrophe in jack-o’-lantern? Have you ever noticed that sometimes apostrophes in Microsoft Word are straight (‘) but other times they’re curly (’)? That’s because even if the right setting is turned on, the program can still easily get confused and
Apostrophes: Straight & Curly Read More »
I’ve recently been reading some H. P. Lovecraft for some proper Halloween season spookage. Did you know that the Chicago Manual of Style recommends putting spaces after periods in abbreviated names? That’s right; it should be written as “H. P. Lovecraft,” NOT “H.P. Lovecraft.” This is a mistake I come across often in my everyday
The Spaces in H. P. Lovecraft Read More »
If you’ve never worked with me before, I’m a copyeditor and proofreader primarily working in fiction. I freelance for a number of companies including Kirkus Reviews, Felony & Mayhem Press, DartFrog Books, and Choice of Games. I’m honored to work with every company that takes me on, but I am extra proud to also work
If You’ve Never Worked with Me Before… Read More »