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Hi! I’m D., my pronouns are they/them, and I love editing.
I love the clarity of coming to a piece for the first time and seeing what it can be.
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I love asking questions of the author – not as a challenge, but as an invitation to explore what they want to communicate.
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I love walking with an author as they work through iterations of a piece, as the argument and language are honed to exactly what is needed.
And, yes, I love correcting comma usage.
My background
My academic background is in biology (BA, Goshen College), law (JD, Lewis and Clark Law School), and human geography (PhD, Rutgers University). I have been an NGO policy advisor, practiced international environmental law, and conducted research on the governance of new and emerging sciences and technologies. Throughout, I have worked with communities to identify their interests and engage with decision-making processes, from intergovernmental forums to faith community gatherings.
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As an editor, I aim to help writers identify the purpose of their piece and then work with them to explore how its structure and language can best align with this purpose.
I am passionate about expanding what academia is – creating more space in academic discourse for different kinds of voices and developing academic cultures (and policies) that welcome all kinds of bodies, minds, and life experiences.
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I was a Founding Board Member of the LGBTQ+ Editors Association for two years and volunteer with the Northwest Editors Guild's group of Editors with Disability / Illness / Neurodivergence.
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Currently, I am (re)designing and (re)knitting a Moby-Dick throw pillow. (I have now frogged the first attempt.)
Contact
To inquire about a project, fill out this form. Please give me an idea of your project (type of writing, approximate word count, and your timeline) and the type of service/s you are interested in (developmental, line, and/or copy editing – but no worries if you don't know yet which you need!).
