Previous Editing Experience

Currently, I am working with Rob Torkildson, an Alaskan author who is writing a memoir about his experiences in and around the Aleutian Islands. In early 2005, he published Encounters, a travel log detailing his exploits while trekking the globe. It was a strong first work but he immediately identified the need for professional consulting from someone with a background in story telling and a solid understanding of the mechanics of writing. Together, we are developing his newest book, chapter by chapter, focusing on such matters as plot structure, authenticy of dialogue, and overall consistency, not to mention basics such as sentence structure and grammatical errors including improper word use and misspellings.

Past editing projects have also included screenplays. One in particular was an innovative horror script from Josh Hauke, a young screenwriter in Los Angeles. His story takes place in an almost deserted farm town in the depression-era midwest. Due to the story's unique setting, giving the dialogue a genuine feel was key to bringing that script to life. Together, Josh and I were able to bring individual voices to each of his characters by varying their styles of speech and providing mannerisms and verbage unique to each of them.

With regard to education, I have degrees in Comparative Literature and Political Science from the University of California, Davis. Through both academic and personal efforts, I have spent this last decade strengthening my understanding of what it takes to tell a great story and developing a mature and dynamic sense of style and tone in order to help my clients cultivate compelling voices with which to tell their stories.

Launch!

Greetings!

This is the inaugural post for This Pen for Hire, an independent editing firm that specializes in working with writers not yet established in the industry. Our goal is to provide our clients with thorough reviews of their work with specific attention paid to grammar, linguistic style, authenticity of dialogue, cohesiveness and consistency of plot. Writers who employ our services can expect to retain strong drafts which they might then circulate among various publishing firms and production companies. The fact that our editing team is not associated with a publisher allows us to maintain a great deal of freedom in how we evaluate every piece of work. Ultimately, our biggest concern is to provide our clients with professional editing by individuals with strong backgrounds in literature and film… not to mention the fact that we love reading a good story! Check back here for regular updates and information relating to our services.