I am enthusiastic about copyediting. I like tidying up misleading punctuation; I like adding commas, like handrails along a dubious path. I like the orderliness of well-hyphenated compounds—the reassurance that bits belonging together won’t wander off into some alternate meaning. Most of all, I enjoy asking each sentence if it actually means what its author wants it to mean. And if it seems a bit unsure of itself, I coax it to say what it has to say.
Yes, I am a certifiable nerd. And proud of it.
I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and studied art history at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. After stints in Washington, DC; San Francisco; and Austin, I moved to Durango, Colorado, in 2003.
I’ve worked as a barista, a drummer (earning exactly $5 and three beers), a cabinetmaker, a bridal seamstress, and a bank teller, among other endeavors. I am delighted to have a profession that draws on the eclectic body of knowledge I’ve gained from these wide-ranging pursuits.
When I am not working, I ride mountain bikes in the summer and enjoy Nordic and alpine skiing in the winter.
I work primarily on executive training materials and consumer magazines, such as Dirt Rag magazine’s print edition. Other work includes website content, corporate marketing collateral, artist statements, and newsletters.
Unlike other copy editors, I don’t blindly impose the strictures of a style guide like a grumpy schoolmarm. Instead, I carefully tweak sentences for clarity, coherence, and consistency while factoring in the author’s voice, the audience, and the publisher’s editorial priorities. In other words, I use my decades of varied experience and my understanding of nuance to make consistent decisions on your behalf.
My rate varies based on the scope of the project. Depending on your needs, fees can be arranged per hour, per page (250 words/page), or per project. Please e-mail me to discuss your project requirements and budget.
I offer the following services:
Proofreading and light copyediting: Check for any misspellings, typos, and outright grammatical and punctuation errors. Maintain consistency throughout the document for capitalization, abbreviations, use of numerals versus numbers, and other mechanical matters. Other items (such as checking for formatting inconsistencies) could be included, depending on the type of document. Proofreading or light copyediting does not include editing for content or clarity, although obvious factual errors and gross errors in logic will be flagged.
Medium copyediting: Includes all of the above as well as identifying any language that is redundant, awkward, or likely to confuse readers, which you can then change.
Heavy copyediting or line editing: Includes all of the items above as well as suggestions for revising language that is redundant, awkward, or likely to confuse readers.
Fact-checking: Depending on the client’s needs, fact-checking can include checking the spelling of unfamiliar or uncommon proper names; verifying URLs, phone numbers, and other contact information; and verifying the accuracy of figures such as, for example, the distance between cities.
Style manuals: I have experience with Chicago (16th ed.) and AP styles.
Kate is an integral part of Dirt Rag's editing process. Her copy editing is outstanding as is her attention to detail when it comes to fact checking--no detail goes unnoticed. Since she became involved with our feature stories I can absolutely say the quality has improved. And this has ultimately helped make my job a little less stressful.
–Mike Cushionbury
Kate not only knows her way around all sorts of trippy grammatical questions, she also has something rare: She understands how to seamlessly make things clear and right without losing the author’s voice or rhythm. Kate is reliable and professional, and she also happens to be a pleasure to work with.
writer and correspondent for Outside magazine
Regardless of the writer's style, the content, or the level of edit required, Kate brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise informed by her experience from working with magazines and on a variety of contract projects.
As a responsive and reliable editor, Kate brings value. So I invite her to join nearly every project and team I am involved with—and our collaborators always thank me for doing so. She makes us all appear so much smarter in our written communications.
visual practitioner and founding publisher of Arts Perspective magazine
