1.  How do I know your subject matter well enough to edit your document?

I confess; I am not expert in any field. However, I have read widely in different fields, and I have professional and personal contacts who are knowledgeable in different fields. I have strategies to help me understand your paper. First, I read the literature from your reference list. Second, I research and read additional literature on the topic. Third, I discuss challenging concepts with acquaintances to build my understanding.

2.  As an editor, is there a subject field I know better than others?

I performed copy editing, proofreading, and formatting for research papers and presentations in the nursing profession. The presentations were educational training for nurse practitioners, so the content included medical knowledge. I also completed assignments in the engineering and business fields and in the humanities.

3.  What resources do I use in my work?

I have used a wide range of resources in my editing work. Choosing the appropriate resource for editorial style depends on the subject matter and the preferences of the publisher. Resources I have used include the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, AMA Manual of Style, Chicago Manual of Style, MLA Handbook, The Bluebook, online resources for IEEE style, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Oxford English Dictionary, Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary, and Drugs@FDA. I am confident I could read the manual and apply the guidelines for any style required for an editing assignment.

4.  How do I access scholarly literature to learn content and perform reference list verification?

When working with academic texts, access to scholarly databases is key to learning unfamiliar content. Starting in January 2026, I will have access to a university library system through my enrollment in an online certificate program in information management. In the meantime, I will use Google Scholar, Directory of Open Access Journals, and PubMed Central to access full-text documents. Also, I will read the abstracts of literature published in subscription journals. You can learn a great deal from an abstract, and you can verify reference fields from the summary.

5.  Why do I not use AI-driven software to detect and correct problems in manuscripts?

A few years ago, I was using Grammarly to double-check my editorial corrections. Now, Grammarly has evolved into a writing tool. However, my job is not to create content, but to help the author improve the presentation of content. I use Microsoft Word’s Editor tool to double-check editorial corrections I've made based on style manuals. Sometimes, there is disagreement between the manual and the app, in which case I choose the correction that seems appropriate. Grammarly appears more intrusive than Word’s Editor, so I will stick with the latter tool.

6.  How has my personal history trained me as an editor?

It all began when I told a younger sibling he was not allowed to color outside the lines. Just kidding! But seriously, I grew up in an era when children’s literature comprised linear text. My brain memorized meaningful grammatical and syntactical units and the flow of plotlines. Later, in an early college program, I studied business writing, where clarity and precision are crucial for success. When I began to format and proofread research papers, I appreciated the structural components, the flow of information, and the mechanical elements of citation to contribute meaning.

7.  Why do I edit only nonfiction writing?

First, I find the real world and all its subjects more interesting than fiction writing, where I can figure out the plotlines before the ending. Second, I grew up reading fiction literature, and in my early college years, I read a great deal of classic literature as well as newer fiction from focused categories. Eventually, I realized I was unlikely to gain the breadth of knowledge required to teach literature. I became interested in composition and technical writing, especially the latter. Technical writing is a useful skill to obtain and teach others.

8.  Is nonfiction writing subject to critical analysis in the same manner as fiction texts?

Literary criticism has comprised different schools and theoretical positions, but what about nonfiction literature? Is it necessary to apply the lens of post-colonialism, feminist, queer/gender, or critical race theory to readings of business reports, handbooks, technical instructions, or research papers? Perhaps an application of theories intended for imaginative narratives would overwhelm the facilitative intent of nonfiction writing. Still, reader-response theory and activity theory are two frameworks I can apply during the editorial process to improve odds of success for the document’s purpose.

9.  Why is there no portfolio on my website?

I respect the copyright of the authors of papers I have edited. To show samples of my work, I would need to contact individual authors and request permission to share the early drafts of their work and my tracked changes. In the future, I may think of content for a portfolio other than edited documents.

10.  Why are there no testimonials on my website?

I took a break from editing for five years while I pursued another career, becoming a perfume entrepreneur. I have returned to editing because creating and marketing personal care products was more challenging than I expected. I may reach out to earlier editing customers for testimonials, but for now, I look forward to building relationships with new and previous customers and providing exemplary work.

11.  Am I a writer as well as an editor?

I constantly get ideas for creative writing, mostly essays and short stories but also novels. Someday I will start a blog and begin producing my writing as serials. With this approach, I can share my themes with a community without the pressure of trying to publish formally for income.