Arlene offers Freelance Editing & Proofreading Services

’ve always been a communicator. I have a diverse background in television broadcasting (British Columbia Institute of Technology—Broadcast Communications) and other media, arts and classical music, and academia and teaching. I also have interests in history, literature, languages, politics, music, psychology, philosophy, science, genealogy, and the environment. In my time off I love travelling to exotic locales and learning about other cultures. Most of all, I’m a logophile—passionate about words. I’m a lifelong learner and embrace every new project with a sense of wonder and curiosity.

Freelance editing, proofreading, and manuscript evaluation draw many of these disparate careers and enthusiasms together. I have a wide array of experience with both fiction and nonfiction in dozens of genres including biographies, memoirs, science, history, spirituality, finance, how-to books, self-help books, and books for children, teens and young adults. To see the many other genres I’ve worked in, please visit my portfolio page at http://www.penultimateword.com/recentprojects.html.

For two years I worked on physicists’ papers in the publications department of TRIUMF, a particle physics lab in Vancouver, Canada, and I spent a further two years as the editorial proofreader at the respected weekly newspaper Business in Vancouver and each of its subsidiary special publications and magazines. I’ve worked on numerous corporate projects such as newsletters, grant proposals, marketing materials, and websites. From this broad base, I’m always eager to expand my repertoire.

I take great pleasure in doing speaking engagements on the importance of editing and proofreading, and editing as a career. I’ve presented talks, along with self-publishing guru Dan Poynter, at the Toad River Writers’ Retreat near Fort Nelson, British Columbia, the Puerto Vallarta Writers’ Conference, and  Infinity Publishing’s Express Yourself authors’ conference in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. I've presented editing career-building sessions at Okanagan College and at the Editors' Association of Canada's May 2011 conference. I am passionate about educating authors on the value of hiring an editor and would be delighted to add my insights, expertise, and humour to your next authors’ or writers’ group meeting.

Also in May of 2011, I was nominated as one of three finalists for the prestigious Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence, Canada's top editing award. Of particular significance was that the nominated book that I edited, Brain School, by Howard Eaton, was the first ever self-published book nominated for this 28-year-old award presented by the Editors' Association of Canada.

I’m a long-time, active member of the Editors’ Association of Canada, and I’ve taken courses with Simon Fraser University’s Writing and Publishing Program to keep my skills fresh and to keep abreast of current trends in writing, editing, and publishing.

I’ve been writing, and helping others with their words and writing, for as long as I can remember. Every stage of my professional life has involved writing, editing, and communication. In 2003, I embraced freelance editing, proofreading, and manuscript evaluation as a full-time career. My rates are still very reasonable, and I labour over each manuscript as if I had written it myself. With this combination of passion, wide experience, and my flexible schedule and availability, you can be assured of the most pleasant editing experience you’ll find anywhere—in person, by phone, or by e-mail.

I’ll be delighted to provide you with a free estimate for editing, proofreading, manuscript evaluation, or any other related services you may need. Please visit my Rates page and take a few minutes to fill out my quick, simple “free quote” form.