Writing, as any good writer will tell you, is about editing. No one gets it right the first time, which is why we call it a draft.

I’ve been writing and editing since my earliest days in journalism, some of which were spent at the Asahi Evening News in Tokyo. It was a wacky and wonderful place to immerse into wordwork. You learn a lot about communicating under pressure when you have to explain a last-minute headline change to a typesetter pushing blocks of lead around a metal tray when all the words are upside-down and he can’t speak a word of English anyway.

When I’m available for editing work I help people with writing projects small and large. You might be working on the Next Great Novel that needs just a little polish to see the light of day. Or maybe your business letters aren’t as professional as you’d like, or too clunky to seem human? Or you’re lost in thesis or dissertation hell and in need of a wayfinding guide?

I do developmental editing (steering a project from the conceptual stage), structural editing (reorganizing a manuscript for clarity), copy editing (fixing problems with grammar, spelling, punctuation and consistency), proofreading (final check of edited copy before printing) and variations as requested. Feel free to e-mail me with questions or for an estimate.

I also offer services as a word coach. This can go beyond simple editing as I help clients help themselves navigate a forest of words. The idea is to give you the tools and confidence you need to complete not only your current project but others in the future. Knowing how to translate your thoughts into print is a useful skill for anyone but especially for professionals, novelists and grad students. Sometimes called a “book doctor,” I help people turn a good idea and a lot of hard work into a package others can appreciate.

wamiqWordwork