edit-mb.com

Copyediting, Proofreading,
and Related Services

Margaret Berson

Good reading becomes possible when you need not
consciously think about eyes, or light, or print, or spelling.— C.S. Lewis

I am a freelance copy editor with 18 years of experience copyediting books and other documents. I work primarily on books about computer software, but I can 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! Let me help you keep mistakes of any size, no matter how small, from interfering with your message!

sketch of woman reading book These are the services I can provide:

  • 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

  • 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

  • Indexing:
    • Book and manual indexing, using the embedded index feature in Microsoft Word

  • Megabit Macros:
  • 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

I am a graduate of San Francisco State University (B.A. in French and English) and the University of California Extension Certificate in Publishing Program. My specialty is books about computer programs and programming, from elementary "how-to" to advanced programming. In recent years, I've worked on many books about database software and manuals for engineering content management software.

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To contact me, click here to e-mail.

daisies 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.]