Sarah S
Grass Valley, United States
“Be consistent.”
Specialist subjects:
Editing formats:
Education:
Juris Doctor
California Western School of Law
2012
BA in Religious Studies
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
2002
Favorite referencing style
Blueblook
Why I became an editor
In college, a professor asked me to help proofread one of his manuscripts. Not only did I discover that I possessed a hidden talent, but that I thoroughly enjoyed it! I've continued to develop my proofreading, editing, and formatting skills over the years, whether it's been working on proposals, drafting legal documents, or helping friends with their creative writing.
Background and experience
I began by proofreading a college professor's manuscript in 2001. This eventually led to work as a proofreader and desktop publisher for a truck manufacturer's proposal center, and later, for a healthcare company's proposal center. As an attorney, I've been drafting, editing, and formatting legal documents (memos, briefs, contracts, appeals, policies, and resolutions) since 2009. In between, friends and family have asked me to proofread everything from resumes to self-published creative writing.
Why I love proofreading and editing
I enjoy the written word in general. Specifically, I enjoy the art of combining words and phrases to convey meaningful thoughts, images, and ideas. This love of the art is balanced with my love of the word mechanics—I enjoy "dotting the i's and crossing the t's."
Favorite book:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.
Hobbies:
I enjoy doing yardwork, traveling, and learning to play the guitar and piano.
Editing tips:
I start by skimming the entire document to understand the topic and author's voice. Then I'll skim for glaring edits. By the third time, I read sentence by sentence and focus on the subtle edits.
