Diana D

Missoula, United States

“Good proofreading is invisible.”

Specialist subjects:

Art & Design Art History Communication & Media Studies Creative Writing Education English Fiction Fine Arts Language & Literature Photography

Editing formats:

Education:

MA in English

University of New Hampshire

1993–1996

Favorite referencing style

MLA referencing is my specialty. It is ingrained in me because I used it as a student for so many years. I appreciate that it's based on gathering puzzle pieces and putting them together in logical order.

Why I became an editor

I studied English, art, and literary analysis at the University of New Hampshire, and I got my first editing job while in graduate school there. It was in that position as an editorial assistant that I learned from professional writers, copy editors, and proofreaders about the editing and publishing process. I had found my niche, and I was hooked. All of my work since then has involved crafting words in some way.

Background and experience

I have nine years of full time experience in a corporate environment proofreading educational assessments, curriculum materials, and marketing materials. I have another 10 years of experience with copy editing educational content across the curriculum, both in-house and as a freelancer. Recently, I have worked on a contract basis as an editor and proofreader for individual authors, small non-profit clients, and a major corporate client.

Why I love proofreading and editing

I love putting the finishing touches on a text. When done well, proofreading is invisible. I get great satisfaction from making sure punctuation is consistent, words are used correctly, and formatting is tidy so that the meaning and ideas of the text can shine through.

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Favorite book:

If on a winter's night a traveler by Italo Calvino is my favorite book.

Hobbies:

My favorite activities are hiking and exploring the great outdoors. In the winter, I can be found playing late night ice hockey as a member of Missoula's adult recreational league.

Editing tips:

Using a checklist that includes multiple levels of editing/proofreading is essential. It's tricky to check for italicized commas while reading for noun–verb agreement and parallel structure.

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