Services

Categories of service:

Writing

Editing

Research

Oral Histories

Words to Match Your Meaning

Mission:

1. To provide professional writing and editing services that will facilitate writers in creating written documents that preserve their voice while clearly communicating their intended ideas and meaning. Whatever the reason for writing, a clear, well organized document will present your ideas and assist you in meeting your goals.

2. To facilitate the recording and preservation of stories and experiences for families as well as the community.

As a young women in my twenties, I sat with my Finish Grandfather on his little sun porch in Coos Bay, Oregon and listened to his stories. There was a tangible bond of comfort there; he knew he was being heard and I could share in the experiences of a life well lived. Here was someone who immigrated to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, just a young man of sixteen. At that time it didn’t occur to me to record his stories and so have lost much of what he had to offer in terms of experience and wisdom.

Shortly after that, I came to Hawaii and found that so much wisdom and knowledge is handed down from the Ancient Hawaiians through chants and stories from generation to generation. This was a way for the Kupuna to be heard and to pass important knowledge into the future. The history books only tell a superficial non-personalized version of history where the stories of individuals who experienced it create a multi-textual offering.

Writing Services and More:

Articles — Do you need to write an article? You have the facts and need them to be presented in a clear, well organized manner? Let me help you with organization and research if necessary.

Newsletters — Do you need to create a newsletter for your organization? I can help with layout and editing.

Biographies and Memoirs — Do you have a story that you want to write but don’t know how to get started? Let me help you clarify your thoughts.

Complaint letters — Get your complaint phrased in a way that will get you positive results.

Grant writing — Need to find funding for an important project? I will find the connection between the grant seekers and the grantors and put it into writing.

Oral History — Do you have a family member that is a living treasure? Capture their story and preserve on multiple DVDs.

Editing
In the most general sense editing can be either surface editing, where the text is checked for grammar, spelling and word use errors, or deep editing where the author and the editor work together to develop the writer’s ideas and create a polished text that maintains the writer’s voice. This kind of editing involves looking at writing from both the writer’s and the reader’s point of view. It’s a balance between honoring the writer’s voice and message and making adjustments that will connect readers with the text. An editor maintains a fine balance between these two aspects of the text.

Editing tailored to your needs: The first step in the process is to establish the kind of editing services you’ll need.

Surface editing or final check

Do you want to make sure the copy you’re about to publish or post has no errors? Sometimes editing is simply a matter of reading copy and spotting minor structural problems, grammar, spelling and word usage mistakes.

Deep Editing or Idea Development

Another type of editing involves providing ground floor support for the development of a text. This involves a process of understanding the writer’s intention and meaning and then assisting the writer in developing a polished text that maintains the writer’s voice.

The editing process begins with a broad reading that focuses on the ideas the writer is intending communicate. As the editor, I will then write a response that will contain probes and suggestions for areas of clarification and expansion.

The next phase involves rereading the text to address any areas that are unclear do to sentence and paragraph structure. Once this phase is done, the text is ready for the final editing phase.

The final phase of editing involves fine tuning the text. This means correcting any spelling or grammatical errors to make the text a polished, finished product.

Research
The Internet has made research both easier and more difficult. While information is seemingly at our fingertips, the precise information we need is often elusive. Without research knowledge, researching can become an extended and frustrating experience. That’s where I can help. With a background in librarianship and information science, I can quickly find the information you need. We can start with an initial consultation to determine exactly what kind of research you need. I will then either provide you with an estimate of the cost or if it is outside my scope I will try to direct you to another source.