Tyler J
Moorhead, United States
“Every word matters.”
Specialist subjects:
Editing formats:
Education:
BA in International Studies
St. Cloud State University
2003–2008
JD of Law
Lewis and Clark Law School
2014–2017
Favorite referencing style
Oxford style referencing in any form is preferable to Harvard style referencing. Footnotes on each page provide much easier access to the relevant background information. In legal writing, the context of the assertion must also often be addressed in the footnotes. I feel that Harvard style referencing lacks both context and accessibility.
Why I became an editor
I studied law and worked in the legal field, which involves a great deal of meticulous writing and editing. The pressure to achieve clarity and accuracy with as few words as possible is enormous. In the end, I enjoyed the writing process far more than the day-to-day tasks of being a lawyer. I am also an obsessive reader of history and the classics, and I spend a great deal of time studying different approaches to writing. My intellectual pursuits are adaptable to a variety of subjects.
Background and experience
I was the headteacher at the Chundgdahm Language Institute in South Korea from 2018–2019. As a research fellow at the Green Energy Institute in Portland from 2016–2017, I researched federal and state laws and drafted memoranda for the director’s presentation. As a freelance writer for Coconut English in South Korea from 2013–2014, I wrote passages and test questions. I was an English consultant from 2012–2013 and an ESL teacher from 2011–2013.
Why I love proofreading and editing
When something puts you into a meditative state; you know you are doing something you love. I achieve this state of mind when editing and proofreading content, regardless of the subject matter. Always a teacher at heart, I love to help others improve in things that I am passionate about. Helping writers achieve perfection gives me a great deal of joy. I am familiar with and have access to most style guides, including the Chicago Manual of Style, the Bluebook, APA, and AP.
Favorite book:
Walden by Henry David Thoreau is my favorite book. It introduced me to the East and really inspired me to broaden my horizons when I was younger.
Hobbies:
When I’m not proofreading, I’m often reading, writing, or having conversations with others in a cafe.
Editing tips:
I use a checklist. I also use Grammarly to catch spelling errors. I then read the document three times. I edit all of the obvious issues, then go slowly through the document, then do a final pass.
