Freelance editing, writing, style guide development, and nutrient analysis services
Effective writing depends on intelligent editing.
Whether you're producing a sales brochure, newsletter, instruction manual, catalog, or
book, your goal is the same: to deliver a coherent message that captivates your readers.
At best, ambiguities and errors leave a bad impression; at worst, they cause confusion and
loss of interest. As an editor, I bring a fresh perspective as well as years of experience
to the job. I'll see to it that your words reflect well on you by removing clutter and
mistakes, ensuring consistency of tone, and confirming factual continuity. Here's what I
can do: Proofreading
I'll make sure that spelling, punctuation, and grammar are correct and consistent. I'll
ensure adherence to your chosen style guide, whether in-house or a standard guide such as The
Chicago Manual of Style or The Associated Press Stylebook. I'll cross-check all
references. I will also check for consistency of style in chapter headings, subheads,
sidebars, etc., as applicable. Proofreading is usually done on a hard copy of a
manuscript.
Copyediting
I'll make sure that spelling, punctuation, and grammar are correct and consistent. I'll ensure adherence to your chosen style guide, whether in-house or a standard guide such as The Chicago Manual of Style or The Associated Press Stylebook. I'll cross-check all references. I'll also check for factual inconsistencies, smooth out awkward transitions, and remove ambiguities. I'll correct usage mistakes and eliminate needless wordiness and redundancy. Copyediting is usually done electronically, using the track changes feature of Word.
Style Guide Development
Even if your company or organization chooses to follow one of the standard guides, such as The Chicago Manual of Style or The Associated Press Stylebook, for your written communications, odds are you've developed phrases and word treatments unique to you. For instance, you may have product names with nonstandard spellings, a logo or slogan that should always appear in a particular font size and color, or instruction steps that should be consistently worded a certain way. Creating a style guide for these words and phrases will make your printed communications crisp and professional. I can help you develop this invaluable tool.
So you need a writer?
I can do that, too. I'll write straightforward, compelling, concise, and coherent copy to your specifications. My areas of expertise include the fields of health, cooking, and nutrition, and recipe development. See the article gallery for examples.
Add value to your recipes.
Readers appreciate knowing the nutritional profile of the recipes you publish. I have five years' experience working with nutrient analysis software and can analyze your recipes for your choice of nutrients. Usually this means total calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrates (all expressed as grams or as a percentage of total calories), as well as vitamins and minerals (e.g. calcium, sodium). The software I use can analyze fats for cholesterol, phytosterols, saturated fats, trans fats, and individual fatty acids like omega 3 and omega 6. Protein analysis can include amino acids, and carbohydrate analysis can include sugars and fiber. If you like, I'll make suggestions for tweaking your recipe to achieve a desirable nutritional profile. (For more on this, see the recipe analysis page.)
© 2005 Cheryl Redmond
To discuss your project and schedule, and my rates, email cheryl_redmond@yahoo.com
or call 802-258-3866.