As a writer, you want to focus on the writing. But it’s so easy for errors to creep in that are hard to catch in your own writing because you know what you wanted to say so you can easily skim over those little mistakes.
And while it might not seem like a big deal if you use the wrong word or verb tense or forget to finish a sentence, those errors can chip away at your credibility. They may even make some people unwilling to buy from you again, even if the information is good, because it’s hard to read.
I Can Help
I’ve worked as an editor for newspapers, a book publisher and for various websites. I’ve edited blog posts, articles, books, ebooks, journal articles, individual chapters, poetry collections and more.
If you need the longer version of that story: I got a journalism degree in college, was editor of the school newspaper and received a prestigious and highly competitive editing internship through the Dow Jones News Fund. I worked as a copy editor for the Northwest Arkansas Times and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, then turned to book editing and project management at the University of Arkansas Press. I’ve also written three knitting books, published books and ghostwritten books for clients.
I have a passion for polishing words and helping to make your work as clear, concise and correct as I can.
How My Editing Services Work
When I read a piece to edit it, the reader always comes first. Everything I do is with the aim of making your content easier to read, more helpful and, yes, more grammatically correct.
I do that without sacrificing your style or voice. My editing services improve your words with the aim of making the work better for your readers. When I’m finished it shouldn’t be obvious that I was there but you will know the work is better for it.
Working with Me
There are several tiers of editing and writing services I offer. Exact services, timelines and pricing may vary depending on the scope of the work and current workload. I am always happy to look at a sample or chat about your needs before quoting a price.
Proofreading: Need a final set of eyes before you publish that blog post, self-published book or ebook? I’ll check for grammar, usage and punctuation errors, check links, look for formatting errors if applicable and make sure your work is ready to go.
Editing: The difference between proofreading and editing can be a little fuzzy, but to me editing involves reading a little more deeply, asking more questions, possibly suggesting additions, sections to remove or restructuring if I feel it would help the project. Of course it is always up to you if you want to make those changes.
Rewriting/Ghostwriting: Sometimes you have an idea for a project, or a partly finished project, that you still want to do but might not be sure how to finish or you might not feel like you have time to finish. I can help with that, too. Give me your notes, outline and general ideas for a project and I’ll help you flesh it out into a completed project.
Style Guides: Have a team of writers and want to make sure they’re writing to your standards and style? Let’s chat about developing a style guide for your website that will help new writers understand what’s expected and how you deal with common terms in your niche.
Proposal polish: Working on a book proposal or sample chapters to send to an agent? I can help you edit your content and make sure your proposal includes everything required.
Want to Get Started?
If you’d like to learn more or to book my editing services, us the button below to contact me (or do it by hand: sarah @ sarahewhite.com). I’d love to know more about what you’re looking for, your timeline and your budget.