Introduction: I DO NOT CHARGE HOURLY. After assessing your needs, I will provide a flat fee quote for your project.
Welcome to CJB Editing, where my aim is to give authors an edge by providing a striking impression that helps command a reader’s attention, captivate their interest, and earn their respect.
Compared with other editors, my primary directives are two-fold:
(1) What best satisfies the needs of this customer and their project?
(2) How does the final written product stand up to SEVERE critical scrutiny?
This second question holds a bit more weight, because not only are your needs met, but so is that of your audience. My assumption is that your deliverable is in some way monetized, or serves to bolster your portfolio, communications, customer relations, or academic potential. There is no room for error, and I go above and beyond to assure this in each aspect of writing—from typography to psychosocial and cognitive influence.
For my research, academic, and technical writing customers, I have primarily operated as a developmental editor, although I apply the same intensity of focus and critical analysis to even the simplest proofreading jobs.
My editing process first involves grasping the purest, most fundamental intent of your narrative. Depending on the status of your draft, this sometimes requires me to infer the essence and authentic meaning behind your original text. With your permission (and through my own research), I will extrapolate to make your composition richer and your overall product more compelling, specifically tailored for your target audience. Understanding the profound effect of nuance in the English language, I carefully consider all the ways your statements might be misconstrued, and work to ensure that your discourse will never be miscommunicated. I will always strive for indisputable clarity in your sentences, steering you toward expressing your ideal message—whether it requires the elaboration of a proposal or the concision of a catch phrase. This means our collaboration will be as close and collegial as it will be constructive.
In addition to bringing cohesion and precision to your writing, I will provide design elements that help lift your words off the page. Formatting, layout, functional but aesthetic visuals, and overall readability are essential to making your document or presentation a success.
"The most important and impacting endeavor of humankind is the advent of language."
My college professor, Dr. Tom Byers, said that to our class and I believe his statement to be true, whether in writing a love note, or in transmitting instructions for using complex, multilayered software.
On graduating with an M.A. in English, I began working at a social science research organization where I became the Senior Information Specialist and Production Manager. In addition to editing reports, I learned how to design smart but easy-to-read surveys and interview scripts. Accurate data collection is most attainable when language is used to elicit honest responses from a breadth of unique perspectives. This requires attention to the nuance of word choice and sentence structure; it is as equally important in gathering information as it is in conveying information. For me, this approach applies to any sort of writing, including yours.
Working at a nonprofit for two decades, I endured the often-harrowing process of producing hundreds of grant proposals. Proposal submission especially requires putting your organization’s best foot forward—under the pressure of a deadline. Room for error is practically nil because an oversight could lead to your submission being shunted from the funder’s stack of applications to the trashcan. My dedication to this stringent mode of quality assurance also helps you produce an impeccable final deliverable.
Despite my career background, my true passion is creative writing. This explains why in recent years I have gravitated toward the realm of marketing, and the mission of improving messaging for small business owners and corporate executives alike. Working as a contractor at the Muhammad Ali Center and with AAA Auto Club for several years gave me insight into the practical aspects of image management and public relations. Streamlining a communication and creating a seamless presentation are paramount to snaring the buy-in of consumers. These tenets have been further affirmed by my experience as a Technical Writer for the recruiting and accessions environment of the U.S. Army.
You can view an illustrative example of my editing process by clicking on the images below labeled as ORIGINAL, MARKUP, and CJB EDIT. (I can send you plenty of samples from various forms of copy at your request.)
By identifying your needs and working jointly with you, I will produce highly polished:
- persuasive correspondence (e.g., cover letters, referral letters, grievance/complaint letters)
- press releases
- reports (of any kind)
- advertising/marketing copy
- elevator pitches
- training manuals
- whitepapers
- newsletters
- resumes
- SEO/web content
- brochures/fliers/posters
- speeches
- research articles for publication submission (American Psychological Association expert)
- bibliographical references (scientific, legal, medical)
- doctoral dissertations and theses
- graphics: tables, charts, figures
—anything within the conceivable realm of publication.
(I am also a Microsoft Word expert, willing to steer you straight anytime that software becomes uncooperative.)
Call or drop me a line and we’ll get to work!
