Thank you for visiting my site! I am a freelance copy editor and indexer, providing services to publishers, packagers, businesses, and writers for nonfiction documents, especially in computer-related and humanities topics.

I am a graduate of San Francisco State University and have completed the University of California Extension Certificate in Publishing Program. I have also completed the University of California Extension course Indexing: Theory and Application with Jan Wright. My specialty is books about computer programs and programming, from elementary “how-to” to architectural drawing software to advanced programming. In recent years, I’ve worked on many books about database software and manuals for engineering content management software, and I have indexed technical manuals. Here’s a list of topics of software-related books I’ve edited.

In addition to books, I can also work on reports, Web pages, scientific papers, articles, brochures, instruction manuals, flyers, newsletters, textbooks, memoirs, menus, event programs, advertisements, presentations, theses, essays, transcripts... you name it!

I am a member of

• Northwest Independent Editors Guild

• The Indexers Network, at indexing.ning.com

• The Portland Index Peer Review Group

• Copyediting-L

• Copyediting
  • Reviewing written material to make sure that it’s clear and consistent
  • Checking the basics: spelling, punctuation, grammar, heading structure, formatting
  • Paying attention to usage and tone, preserving the author’s voice while correcting grammatical errors that might interfere with the author’s message
  • Making sure that the document conforms in style and format to the publisher’s guidelines and to standard style manuals
  • Verifying that numbered figures and tables are correctly numbered and referenced
  • Querying the author about passages that may not be clear or consistent; checking or questioning facts that seem doubtful, through Internet or other research
  • Reviewing notes and reference lists or bibliographies for correct format
  • If appropriate, using the publisher’s Microsoft Word styles and templates to achieve proper formatting

• Indexing
  • Book and manual indexing, using the embedded index feature in Microsoft Word
  • Editing and updating an existing embedded index for new content in a Microsoft Word file
  • Creating a back-of-the-book index using dedicated indexing software

• Proofreading
  • Checking documents one last time before publication for errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, paragraphing, and hyphenation
  • Watching for appropriate use of fonts for each element
  • Checking the sequence of page numbers and headings, and the placement of illustrations and tables
  • Keeping an eye out for dropped or missing text
  • Checking cross-references

• Custom Templates and Macros for Microsoft Word
  • Setting up customized styles or templates to improve the appearance of your documents
  • Automating your most frequently used commands in Microsoft Word for Windows, using Visual Basic for Applications
  • Showing you how to create basic macros appropriate for your situation

• Macros for Working with PDFs
  • Specialty macros that I’ve created for indexers, for faster copying of terms from PDF files into Cindex or SKY or
    into a text file: Megabit Macros

To contact me, send me an e-mail message.

Page last updated January 15, 2010

---

mar·gue·rite n. 1. Either of two plants, Chrysanthemum frutescens of the Canary Islands, or C. leucanthemum
of Eurasia, having white or pale yellow flowers that resemble those of the common American daisy. Also called Paris daisy.
2. Any of several similar or related plants having daisylike flowers. 3. French form of the woman’s name Margaret.
[French, from Old French margarite, daisy, pearl, from Latin margarta, pearl, from Greek margarts; see margarite.]