Software and technology copy editing and proofreading
For the people who build and explain technology
Technical writing has to do two things at once. It has to be exact, and it has to be clear to a reader who knows less about the technology than you do. A product page, a release note, a security report, a whitepaper: each one has to make sense to someone who won’t fill in the gaps. I copy edit and proofread your technical content so it reads clearly and stays precise. I’ll work with you from start to finish.
25+ years editing technical writing, from cybersecurity and IT research to product and developer content.
Editing for every kind of software and technology writing
Your work might run from product documentation and websites to proposals, technical reports, and research papers. 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. My work in software and technology has ranged from product documentation and websites to AI and data projects. I’ve edited research and theses up to doctoral level, including in information systems. I also have experience with cybersecurity writing, where I’ve edited analyst and market reports to a single house style for years. The thread through all of it is consistency: holding a large body of technical writing to one standard, however many documents and writers are involved.
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
Editing to your house or documentation style, and any special instructions
If you don’t have a style guide, I’ll keep your terms and formatting consistent and note the choices I make, so your other content matches
Aftercare on every project
I edit and proofread work you’ve already written. I don’t write your content or create it from scratch.
See how my editing process works.
Your expertise stays yours
You’re the expert on your technology and your field, and that’s where I start. My job is to make your writing as clear and easy to follow as possible. I’ll make sure your point comes through. I don’t check your facts or your claims, because the technology is yours to stand behind. If an edit might change your meaning, I’ll flag it and check with you first. When your work comes back, it still sounds like you, just clearer and ready to use.
What my clients say and the work I’ve done
“Her edits and proofing were exceptional, especially considering the technical nature of the content and that it was being edited to be understandable by non-technical consumers.”
Security analyst and market reports
Market and analyst reports across identity, endpoint, cloud, and attack-surface security, plus technical evaluation guides and vendor solution briefs, all edited to one house style.
IT and information-systems research
Doctoral theses and research papers in information systems and IT, including work on technology adoption and integration, and a doctoral thesis on innovation in the space sector.
Product, documentation, and developer content
Product and user-facing documentation, SaaS and product websites, developer guides, and web-platform how-tos.
AI, data, and emerging technology
AI and data projects, including governance and security, plus content on cryptocurrency and other emerging technology.
What it costs
Pricing is simple and all-inclusive, with no add-ons or surprises.
Questions people often ask
Can you edit highly technical content so non-specialists can follow it?
Yes, and it’s some of my favorite work. A lot of what I edit has to read precisely for an expert and still make sense to someone newer to the subject than you are. I keep your meaning exact while making the writing easier to follow. If a passage assumes knowledge your reader may not have, I’ll point it out so you can decide how much to explain.
Will you change my technical terms or test my code?
No on both. Your terminology is yours. I keep it as you’ve set it and make it consistent across the piece, rather than swapping in words I happen to prefer. I don’t rewrite your code, and I don’t run or test it; anything in a code block or a command stays exactly as you wrote it. I edit the writing around it, and if something reads inconsistently I’ll flag it for you to check.
Can you keep our terminology and style consistent across a whole documentation set?
Yes, and it’s a lot of what I do. Send me your style guide or glossary and I’ll edit to it, from preferred terms and capitalization to how you format headings and references. If you don’t have one yet, I’ll keep everything consistent as I go and note the choices I make, so the rest of your content, and anyone writing alongside you, can match. Holding a large, growing body of writing to one standard is exactly what I do best.
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 see unreleased products and security findings before they’re public, and I’m glad to sign a non-disclosure agreement if you or your company need one.
Ready when you are
However strong the technology, it still has to be understood. I’ll give whatever you’re publishing a careful final read, so the writing is as clear and precise as the work behind it. Whenever you’re ready, I’d be glad to hear what you’re working on.
If your content is as much about the market as the technology, see my marketing copy editing. And if it crosses into medical technology or the sciences, see my science and medical editing.