Editing Services
Word Forward, LLC
Michelle Turner is passionate about helping others bring out their finest writing. A published poet and writer, meticulous editor, and dedicated writing coach, she delights in all aspects of language. Her background includes a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, a Bachelor of Arts in English and Spanish from the University of Virginia, and TEFL/TESOL certifications from uniTEFL International in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She has taught creative, technical, and academic writing at colleges, universities, and community centers, and her poetry has been published in nationally distributed literary magazines, such as the Baltimore Review, Southern Humanities Review, Poet Lore, and Natural Bridge.
“In my thirty-plus years as a journalist, I’ve had more than a hundred editors, but none of them improved my writing the way Michelle did during the developmental editing of my first book.”
Word Forward offers several types of editing to suit your needs. Reach out for rates or to schedule a free consultation.
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Copy Editing
Copy editing ensures that technical errors won’t come between you and your readers. Your work will be edited for the following: grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, word usage, economy of language, internal consistency, fundamentals of style, and light formatting. Think of copy editing as a comprehensive tune-up or spa day for your manuscript.
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Copy Editing PLUS
Copy editing PLUS is a popular choice that includes all aspects of copy editing plus more nuanced suggestions at the sentence and paragraph (or line and stanza) level. Commonly addressed concerns include voice, tone, style, rhythm, and "flow." Line edits and/or comments in the margins will also address any awkward or confusing language and point out opportunities for greater precision.
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Developmental Editing
Developmental editing is in-depth and collaborative, intended for full drafts or manuscripts in progress. You’ll receive feedback on big-picture and/or overarching concerns such as focus, organization, pacing, character development, descriptive language, themes, and audience considerations. If you’re eager to “workshop” your writing and hone your creative process, this option is for you. Let’s dig in.
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Proofreading
Often confused for copy editing, proofreading is a final edit (with a fine-tooth comb!) prior to publication or submission and after a manuscript has been thoroughly copy edited. The purpose of proofreading is to catch stray marks, typos, minor formatting glitches, or other errors that may have been introduced during later adjustments. This is the ever-important final polish!
