Writing is an act of discovery, self-expression, and, ultimately, connection. When we share ideas, experiences, and stories we bind others' minds and hearts to our own.
By all means, write! But do so with the knowledge that no one goes it alone. Even the most creative professionals need technical assistance. Architects have engineers, recording musicians have producers, and now professional writers, like yourself, have Amend Editing. Close, careful editing transforms your words into stories and arguments that others will grasp, savor, and share. Our job is to make that happen. We work to improve your skills to reach out and connect with others. Your ideas and stories deserve strong, vibrant prose.
Services
Amend Editing offers three levels of editing. Each serves a specific function in the process of transforming the ideas in your head into words that others will want to read and understand. Amend Editing will consult with you on the level appropriate for you after reviewing a sample of your work. In the end, the choice of service remains yours, and you can request any of the three.
Please note: Even within the English-speaking world a variety of terms and different definitions exist for the work that editors do. Amend Editing employs the most widely-used conventions to best define how we can help you.
Copyediting
A copyedit corrects the mechanics of your writing. Here, in the most technical of editing levels, the editor corrects for errors in grammar, punctuation, and formatting as well as confirms consistency and factual accuracy.
LINE/STYLISTIC EDITING
A line edit scrutinizes the flow and clarity of your prose. It looks at the construction of your sentences, how they come together to form paragraphs and how the paragraphs transition.
SUBSTANTIVE/STRUCTURAL EDITING
A substantive edit is appropriate when you are still outlining or have completed your first draft. This level of editing considers the piece’s overall organization, structure, and content and asks the crucial question: does it work?
About:
Amend Editing's Philosophy
Think of us as your personal prose trainer. Like a physical trainer, we help you to reach your goals, and then we encourage you to aim even higher. Strong, clear, convincing prose—writing that others will recognize as professional and that best reflects your ideas and stories—is why we are here.
Peter
I am an educator, writer, and researcher with over twelve years experience. I have an MA in economics and a PhD in United States history. I have taught at universities and community colleges for the last ten years.
When not striving to make others' prose sparkle, I work on my own writing. I enjoy writing fiction and non-fiction and consider all genres fair game.
Otherwise, I'm likely doing something silly with my family.
Aimee
I’m a writer and editor with over 15 years of experience creating and polishing content for Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, academics, creative writers, and other individual needs. Though I cut my teeth at companies like Coca-Cola, Samsung, and eBay, I treasure opportunities where I get to work with individuals to refine writing they are passionate about.
I was the kind of kid who tore through library books and read the dictionary for fun. I graduated from U.C. Berkeley, where I developed a deep appreciation for writers who were able to communicate complex ideas in clear, interesting prose. When I’m not helping someone enhance their own writing, you’ll find me curled up with a book or working on my own.
Testimonials:
“These days, copy-editors for academic presses do the minimum— just fixing technical issues in your writing. By contrast, Peter is an editor in the true sense of the word: a writing assistant. He did a fantastic job editing my book manuscript for style and clarity, helping to make my prose much more readable. And my peer readers noticed, noting the much improved writing. I can’t thank him enough for his help!”
“Aimee did an amazing job editing the copy for my website. Not only did she catch all the grammatical errors, but she also made the writing much clearer and catchier and enhanced the voice and tone. She has a way with words, an exacting eye for detail, and excellent judgment. Highly recommend!”
“Peter’s work is outstanding! He not only corrected my grammar— as I am not English native speaker— but he also made suggestions giving more impact, coherence, and depth to my work. He is totally reliable, very kind, and always willing to help. In addition, his rate is very reasonable. ”
“I have worked with Aimee for the past two years on my campaign for City Council. As a candidate, it’s essential that my written words be clear, accurate, and compelling. The pace of the campaign requires that much of the work be submitted in days rather than weeks. Aimee has been responsive and reliable with these tight schedules. Aimee brings a strong and consistent voice to every situation. I recommend her without reservation, and I will continue to appreciate her services. ”
“In the course of creating my thesis document for an MFA in Illustration, Peter stepped in after my first copyeditor did a less than professional job. I was faced with a very short turnaround time and Peter performed heroically. He kept me appraised of his progress in editing my paper and met the deadline as required. Beyond just correcting grammatical or sentence structure errors, he did an excellent job of communicating with me to clarify my ideas, resulting in a thesis paper I am quite proud of. I honestly wouldn’t mind if he edited this little testimonial to be a bit tighter and punchier.”
“Aimee is an excellent editor and a consummate professional. She worked with me to refine a business proposal. Her corporate background was a huge help in editing the proposal, and her precision and clarity elevated both the proposal and letter beyond my expectations. Thank you, Aimee! ”
“Peter is a wonderfully thoughtful and detail-oriented copyeditor. In the past year, he has copyedited my long and short pieces, including a 40-page monograph, newsletter articles, research reports, and a conference proposal. He was attentive to my writing structure, style and provided developmental editing, as well as suggestions for how to rethink a section or paragraph. Currently, I am writing a book, and I will definitely go to Peter again for my copyediting. ”
