Editing.

Coworkers dubbed me the “perspective detective.” I anticipate the responses of readers and work accordingly. I listen carefully, take notes, and pay attention to detail.

I am comfortable with clients whose first language is not English and look forward to amplifying their stories and cultures for general audiences. I work with clients to ensure their prose translates clearly to target audiences without diminishing their distinctive voice and values.

I have edited blogs, academic papers, and grant proposals since 2016. I earned my copyediting certificate from UCSD Extended Studies in 2023 and hold a PhD in Japanese history from the University of Chicago. I have taught East Asian history and world history in the Midwestern US for over a decade, and also worked at the East Side Learning Center, a nonprofit literacy organization that serves Somali, Hmong, and Karen immigrant families in Saint Paul, Minnesota. I am a native English speaker and can translate texts from Japanese to English.

I offer copyediting, historical research, and writing services to publishers, writers, and nonprofit organizations. Historical research includes fact checking and researching the context of a client’s genealogical findings. Writing services include grant applications, blog posts, and articles up to 3000 words.

Depending on clients’ needs, I offer different levels of copyediting. In light copyediting, I edit only grammatical errors and flag other problems such as awkward wording. In heavy copyediting, I change awkward wording and can flag issues such as logical consistency or outdated terminology.

I work chiefly in Microsoft Word, but I am also versed in Google Docs. With Word, I use a software for consistency called PerfectIt for Windows, which does not use AI, nor does it require uploading documents. Unless their work is already online (as in a Google Doc), clients’ work stays in my computer while I work on it. To learn more about PerfectIt, see https://www.perfectit.com/ 

I do not use AI because I am concerned about global environmental degradation and consent for intellectual property among other things. I prefer to do the work myself and take responsibility for both good and bad points.

I do not work on AI-generated content.