“I have known Dan for over ten years and had the pleasure to work with him on several occasions. Recently his edits on a book chapter that I was working on for Oxford Press were spot-on. He shows a rare ability to think critically across disciplines and provide substantive feedback in a timely manner that helped me meet an important deadline. I highly recommend Dan as an editor!”
Mark D. Newmeyer, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor—School of Psychology & Counseling
Regent University
While working my way through my M.F.A. coursework and thesis, I’ve edited and designed several literary publications under the auspices of Columbia College Chicago’s Fiction Writing Department. I’ve run writing workshops with undergraduates and senior citizens from every conceivable background. My background as a newspaper reporter has taught me the value of intensive research and fact-checking. I edit and maintain several Web sites for various initiatives at Columbia, keeping my editing skills honed to a razor’s edge.
I know the Associated Press Stylebook backwards and forwards; right now, the Chicago Manual of Style is my editing Bible of choice, but I’m working my way through the APA Publications Manual, too.
The key to solid editing is a solid grasp of the mechanics of the English language, but what happens when those conventions conflict with a writer’s artistic intent? “Girl,” Jamaica Kincaid’s amazing short story, is one sentence, mechanically speaking; to make it mechanically “correct” would destroy its aesthetic.
When you know the rules, you know when to break them.
That said, I know from my own writing how difficult it is to look at it with an objective eye. By the tenth time you’ve read a sentence aloud to yourself, nothing about it sounds right. That’s where an experienced copy editor can help.
I aim for fast turn-around times and use Microsoft Word’s track changes function, allowing you to retain complete editorial control by accepting or rejecting my suggested edits. Small proofreading jobs can usually be back in your e-mail inbox in a day or two. For larger jobs, I’m more than willing to negotiate quantity discounts and deadlines.
I’ve worked with Elephant Rock Productions for years, and recently completed a structural rewriting project destined for the Oxford Handbook of Counseling Psychology, part of the Oxford Library of Psychology.
Proofreading: If your writing is already polished, but it still needs a check for general mechanical issues—spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.
Copy Editing: In addition to proofreading, I’ll make suggestions on clarity and usage. Often, simple errors in syntax or word-order makes a night-and-day difference in meaning.
Structural rewriting: All writing, from master’s theses to historical fiction, is an argument. With this level of service, in addition to having your work copy edited, I’ll get elbow-deep into the structure of your work to ensure your target audience never has a chance to doubt your side of the argument.
Drop me an e-mail at dprazer @ gmail.com, and I’d be happy to discuss your project with you.
