Hire the Best Copy Editors in Maine

Do you want a book readers can get lost in? How about reviews that don't mention typos and inconsistencies? Maine Woods Editing can help. I am a highly detail-oriented proofreader/copyeditor able to meet tight deadlines, spot typos, find plot holes and inconsistencies, and make suggestions that respect your authorial voice. With Maine Woods Editing, you are getting a reader perspective, an editor's experience and guidance, and tips that can help you take your writing to the next level. My services: • Proofreading for spelling, punctuation, and formatting issues • Copyediting for style, consistency, grammar, punctuation, and spelling I have experience editing book reviews, magazines, feature articles, fiction and nonfiction, cookbooks, and book blurbs. I am familiar with both AP style and the Chicago Manual of Style, and I'm a proficient user of Microsoft Word. Since leaving Kirkus Reviews magazine and starting Maine Woods Editing, I have helped forty authors polish almost eighty books. Will yours be next? • Maine Woods Editing did an excellent job; I learned a thing or two. Betsy’s attention to detail, proactive feedback, and turnaround time were outstanding. The fact that my publisher prefers MWE says it all. MWE is the very best editorial service that I've worked with during my 40 years as a published author. -William C. Dietz • We publish a lot of well known authors and have won a number of major awards in SF and Fantasy (including the Hugo and Nebula). Betsy has worked with us for years and has been an integral part of our success, and I am sure we will continue to work with her for future projects. -Shahid Mahmud, Founder & Editor • MWE was fast, friendly, and clear with any questions about my work. Betsy was thorough and caught things even previous readers and other editors had missed. Recommended! -Randee Dawn • "Elizabeth is an amazing editor. Her passion shows in her detailed feedback. Her kind, encouraging words and professionalism create an enjoyable and successful author-editor relationship. I plan to work with her again on all my future projects." -Adele Knight • "Elizabeth taught me so much about my writing and was excited to help me grow as an author." -M.E. Thornwood • "Working with Maine Woods Editing was the best decision I made for my book. Elizabeth provided me with thorough edits, guidance, and incredible patience. I cannot recommend her services enough." -Kelly Renway

Before I wrote copy, I edited other writers' work for thirteen years. That eye is what I bring to your website, emails, and brand messaging. I work best with coaches, course creators, and higher-ed teams who already have words and need them to land. My background is in journalism. Years in sports editing and reporting before graduate school and moving into in-house marketing at CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), where I wrote across five lines of business for audiences ranging from high school students to university faculty. Since 2011, I've run Scribbling Madly, working with clients including Bauer Hockey, Quantum Workplace, Centivo, Providence College, Bridgewater State University, St. Charles Community College, and Kor Group. What I'm best at: Editorial refinement. Taking existing copy (yours, your team's, a previous writer's) and elevating it without losing the voice. This is the bulk of my work. Brand voice and messaging frameworks. I use my CAP method (Clarity, Authority, Personality) to diagnose what's missing in copy that isn't working and fix it. Website and email copy for coaches, course creators, and founder-led brands. Higher education marketing: admissions, advancement, program pages, recruitment campaigns. I know the register and the stakeholder politics. Who I work with best: Clients who have a real point of view and want their copy to reflect it. Clients who've outgrown their current website. Clients who value editorial judgment over volume. Who I'm not the right fit for: SEO content mills, AI-prompt-and-polish gigs, generic blog packages, anyone shopping primarily on price. I write fewer pieces, more deliberately, for a premium rate. If you have copy that's almost there but not landing, that's the work I do best.

I am an avid reader who has turned my love of books into a freelance career. My portfolio is diverse, ranging from children's books and poetry to historical nonfiction. Although I specialize in the more fantastical genres, I am always looking for new and diverse projects. Along with basic proofreading and copywriting, I enjoy the challenge of deep editing with special focus on detail and ensuring each piece flows with a consistent and captivating voice. My time spent learning to hand craft books, from setting type and running the presses to tooling and binding the leather, has given me a unique appreciation for the written word. As an author myself, I understand how important it is to have a constructive working relationship between writer and editor. This is why I make it a point to establish an open line of prompt and thorough communication with my clients to create the best partnership possible. I am always open to learning new things in the wonderful world of writing, so please feel free to contact me with any inquiries. *Please note that I am a very open-minded creative. I am comfortable working with many diverse and explicit subjects, so please don't hesitate to ask about non-traditional projects.

-Technical copywriting for whitepapers, pitch decks, and web pages -Creating clear documentation and UVPs -Founder story development -Transparent pricing and work logs -Advanced SEO and AI optimization -Creating value-driven and evergreen deliverables

I am a seasoned professional with 10+ years of experience working in the art & design industries and a degree in English Literature from Reed College. Over the course of my career, I have served as a Project & Production Manager for in-house design teams at pioneering corporate companies such as west elm, Etsy, and Cole Haan. Additionally, I have worked as a writer, editor, proofreader, and researcher for PR firms, ad agencies, art publications, and literary houses.

I am a published fiction writer and a freelance editor. Since 2004 I have proofread and edited novels, short stories, memoirs, and self-help books, in addition to web copy, brochures, magazine articles, legal documents, dissertations, and graduate school application essays. I have worked as managing editor of ZYZZYVA and as copy editor for Opium; currently, I freelance for Sky Publishers, Lord Cultural Resources, LaPlaca Cohen, Rutberg & Company, LLC, and Anchor English. I am seeking opportunities to proofread/edit copy in need of an expert eye, whether you have written a book, a series of articles, or a business plan. I graduated from Pomona College with a degree in English/creative writing and attended the master's program in fiction writing at the University of California, Davis. After leaving Davis, I moved to New York City, where I worked as the proclamations writer for Mayor Bloomberg. I have written for websites including Web100.com and Plutoz.com. My short fiction has appeared in literary magazines including Faultline, Alaska Quarterly Review, and Fiction.