For whatever you’ve spent years getting right
Copy editing and proofreading for any subject
Few people know your subject the way you do. The people you’re writing for won’t always be specialists. The writing has to carry it to them cleanly, without making them work for it. That’s where I come in. I copy edit and proofread your work so it reads clearly and holds together from start to finish. I read it the way your readers will, and I point out anywhere it assumes too much. Whatever the subject, the editing is the same, and every project is edited by me, personally.
Over the last 25+ years I’ve edited across hundreds of subjects.
Editing for whatever you're writing
Your work might run from a paper or a thesis to a website or a book. Here’s the editing that fits each one.
Whatever service you need, the care behind it is the same. Every project comes with both copy editing and proofreading, together with practical advice in the document.
I also provide aftercare: once you’ve made your changes in response to my edits, I’ll re-edit those changes at no extra cost.
Who you’re working with
I’m Tara, and I’ve spent my career as a copy editor and proofreader. The range of subjects I’ve worked on is wide, and the projects often have nothing in common with one another. At one end that’s consumer and general-interest writing on health and fitness, travel, food and drink, and self-help. At the other it’s specialized professional and academic work, across more fields than I could fit here. Whatever the subject, the job has been the same: making the writing clear and holding a large body of work to one standard, and that consistency is what holds it all together.
If you’d like to know more about me and the work I do, you can read about my background and experience.
What’s included
Here’s what you can expect when I edit your work:
Both copy editing and proofreading, on every project
Two full reads of your work
Comments and practical advice in the document
A tracked-changes version and a clean final version
Formatting to your required style and reference guide
Aftercare on every project
I edit and proofread work you’ve already written. I’m not a ghostwriter, and I don’t write or create content from scratch.
See how my editing process works.
Your expertise stays yours
You’re the expert on your subject, so everything I do starts from that. My job is to make your writing as clear and precise as possible. I’ll make sure your ideas and conclusions come through and land in your own voice. I don’t write your content or check your facts or your sources, because that’s yours to stand behind. If an edit might change your meaning, I’ll flag it and check with you first. Every edit is done by me, personally, so when your work comes back it still sounds like you, just clearer.
What my clients say and examples of my work
“Delighted with Tara’s assistance in cleaning and tightening up my artist’s biography... well before the tight deadline I had for the gallery submission.”
“The topic I had was rather complex, and the focus of my engagement with Tara was to help simplify the message I was presenting. She went above and beyond to help me rework my document.”
“An extremely thorough job. Tara not only found errors both subtle and egregious, but enforced a level of consistency of format and punctuation that raised the professionalism of the entire document.”
Health, fitness, and wellbeing
Consumer health and wellbeing content, including fitness and exercise instruction, nutrition and weight management, injury prevention, and regular articles for a consumer fitness magazine.
Lifestyle, travel, and food and drink
Lifestyle and personal-interest writing, including travel and outdoor content, food and drink, and cookbooks.
Self-help and personal development
Self-help and personal-development content, including popular psychology and motivational writing for a general readership.
General interest and general knowledge
General-interest and general-knowledge writing, including regional arts, history, and culture features, and quiz and trivia content.
What it costs
Pricing is simple and all-inclusive, with no add-ons or surprises.
Questions people often ask
What if my subject isn’t one of the areas you list?
That’s not a problem. The range of work I take on is wide, and the editing itself is the same whatever the subject. You’re the expert on your topic, and my job is the writing around it, making it read clearly and hold together for the people you’re writing for. I don’t need to be a specialist in your field to do that well. If anything, reading your work the way your readers will is part of what helps me make it land.
What kinds of writing do you take on?
Almost any written work. That includes articles and blog posts, reports, websites, non-fiction books, and academic work like theses and papers. If you’re not sure whether your project fits, just ask. The editing services above show the main kinds of work I do, and each one links to a page with more detail.
I’m writing for a general audience rather than an academic or professional one. Is that a problem?
Not at all. A lot of the work I take on is written for general readers rather than specialists, and clarity matters just as much there. Whoever your readers are, I’ll help your writing read clearly and naturally for them, while keeping it in your own voice. The subject and the audience can be anything; the care is the same.
Is my work kept confidential, and can you sign an NDA?
Yes. Your work, and the fact that you’ve worked with me, stays private unless you tell me otherwise. I often handle unpublished and personal writing, and I’m happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement if you need one.
Ready when you are
You know your subject. The writing just needs to do it justice, and that’s the part I take care of. Whatever it is, I’ll give it a careful read and make sure it’s clear for your readers. Whenever you’re ready, I'd be glad to hear what you’re working on.
If your subject turns out to have a closer home among the areas I specialize in, you’ll find more detail there. For history, the arts, philosophy, or culture, see my humanities editing. For psychology, counseling, education, or the social sciences, see my social sciences editing.