Developmental editing for publishers

You have a promising project under contract, but the author is having trouble prioritizing, organizing and expressing her great ideas, and you don’t have the resources in-house to shepherd the project. I will work with the author in a friendly and supportive way to get their project onto your desk in publishable form. With my intimate knowledge of higher education, I can supplement the author’s work by suggesting and evaluating resources, approaches, and ideas that substantively enhance the finished product.

Proposal and manuscript reviews

ManuscriptAn author has submitted a book proposal or a draft manuscript, and you need a thoughtful and objective review. Is there a market? Does it appeal to its intended audience? How much work does it need? I have 38 years of experience as a higher education faculty member, faculty developer, and assessment professional at a variety of institutions, so I have insight into a wide swath of the higher education landscape. I have reviewed countless book proposals and manuscripts for publishers and for individual authors. I will provide you with prompt, detailed, insightful, and specific commentary.

“I wish Judy could work on every book we publish! Her careful reading and thoughtful queries are all so helpful, and not only address the issues I usually cover, but also do much of the work that I might typically leave to a copyeditor. Judy’s editorial expertise enabled the publication process to move more quickly.”
David Brightman, Senior Editor, Higher Education, Stylus Publishing

“She has the ability to work from a big-picture perspective while understanding that it is the smaller details and the different pieces… that must come together in a cohesive manner to form the whole book.”
Carolyn (Dumore) Allard, former Managing Editor, Jossey-Bass Publishers