EDITING SERVICES
FOR AUTHORS, ACADEMICS, AND MISSION-DRIVEN SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
An unquenchable intellect, an alchemist’s touch, and an unhealthy obsession with style guides. These are my greatest strengths as an editor… and now they’re yours.
Hi. I’m Sam, an editor, writing coach, veteran copywriter, and CPD Certified Editor & Proofreader. For over a decade I’ve straddled the no-man’s-land between the literary world (books, publishing, academia) and the marketing world (selling stuff).
I've had my hands on everything from a 500-page, Infinite-Jest-inspired manuscript to a doctoral dissertation on anger at God to a $54k Black Friday campaign for luxury candles
I've got a Bachelor's Degree in Art History—which is just like an English major (but with pictures); a ten-year background in copywriting and marketing strategy; and a perpetual stack of unread library books.
If you have a piece of writing that needs to be better than it is, I’d love to take a look.
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Dark Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, & Weird Fiction
Developmental edits & hands-on coaching to get your book in shape for querying and/or self-publishing.
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Dissertations & Academic Writing
Structural edits, logical flow, clarity, voice, and formatting—plus the occasional talk-you-off-the-ledge moment—for qualitative academic papers.
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Indie Business Owners
Messaging strategy + professional edits for long-form content, sales pages, and marketing emails for mission-driven small businesses.
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Everyone & Everything Else
If you have something in mind that isn’t listed here—or if you’re not sure what kind of support you need—let’s get on a call and figure it out.
My approach is encouraging, respectful, collaborative, and deferential.
I’m not afraid to manhandle your writing, but I make it clear from the start—this is your writing.
Like my favorite Peloton instructor likes to say, “I make suggestions; you make decisions.” (His name’s Denis.)
Unless we’re doing a straightforward proofread, most of my edits will look like questions:
“What if we tried this?”
“Have you considered _______?”
“I’m curious about why you included this; can you tell me more about it?”
Sometimes, I’ll offer a rewrite to see what you think. Other times, I may kick it back to you with suggestions for what to do next.
Many of my clients have gotten to the point now where they just hand over a chaotic first draft and let me cook. We love that.
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“From the earliest strategy sessions to the late-night emails and breakthrough wins, your fingerprints are all over some of our most meaningful milestones. We’re proud of the work we created together and incredibly grateful for the ways you’ve helped shape and elevate this brand.”
Tasha Gregory, co-founder of Kobi Co.
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“It’s like sleight of hand, what you do."
Brooke Hofsess, The Second Bite
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“True story: I've been known to dig through your writing to try to find your take on something I'm struggling to express. You’re a damn good writer—and an even better human.”
Megan Dowd
The relationship between editor and writer is a sacred and unique thing.
I’m a translator; a confidante; a coach; a service provider; a champion of you and your work.
Through our work together, you’ll receive more than razor-sharp edits, tightened-up prose, and pristine formatting—you’ll also begin to write with increased confidence and clarity. Develop strategies to deal with your writerly “bad habits” (endless tangents that go nowhere; giving up halfway through; freezing before hitting “publish”). Examine and adjust your writing plans to better fit your natural process.
You’ve invested your time, energy, and soul into what I hold in my hands, and you’re entrusting it to me in its most malleable, most vulnerable state. I do not take that lightly—but I also won’t let you keep it hidden in the shadows. You need to publish that shit!
If all that sounds like a good time to you, I’d love to take a peek at what you're working on.
Whether you're finishing your dissertation, querying your novel, or launching an offer—let's talk about your project.
GET thE mixtape
Side A: The Coffee Break (for everyone).
“Cassingle” sized pieces on writing craft and process, plus a monthly deep cut where I share a longer writing sample (from TV, film, literature, or the internet) and break down a more in-depth craft lesson.
Side B: The Tuesday Tastemaker (subscribers only).
Cultural, career, and trend observations from a wizened GenXer who's been writing, editing, and marketing in these trenches for over a decade. Plus a peek at what I’m reading & watching this week.
