Refining your vision in words
 

Books, ARTICLEs, essays, Dissertations

Narrative Clarity

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AUTHOR

Services

Focusing mainly on structure and style, I help writers to articulate their vision as clearly as possible.  

My expertise is in non-fiction, from reportage to essays to memoirs. Whatever your project, I can identify what works and what gets in the way of expressing ideas.

I offer two different levels of input, depending on how much you've written and what would help most:

  1. a one-off reading with suggestions;

  2. longer-term developmental editing.

For both, the first step is to send me an outline or sample of work, describing the assistance you're looking for. 

 

Option 1 

  • We discuss your work to determine objectives, initially by email.

  • I read your manuscript and make constructive suggestions.

  • We schedule a call to follow up.

Option 2

  • As option 1, with ongoing guidance.

  • Working at your pace, I read and comment on subsequent drafts.

  • We communicate as often as is helpful to develop your project.

Proofreading

  • If spelling and grammar need correcting, I'll point this out. I also offer line-by-line copy-editing as a separate service.

 

Structural Guidance

 
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I've been a professional writer and editor since the 1990s. I began as a reporter (for Reuters and the New York Times), and have also written scholarly articles and a memoir.

Selected work is archived on my website. 

 

Why Re:writery?

From "Writers on Writing" by Elmore Leonard (The New York Times, 16 July 2001)

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative. It's my attempt to remain invisible, not distract the reader from the story with obvious writing. (Joseph Conrad said something about words getting in the way of what you want to say.)

Testimonial

“I owe special gratitude to Daniel Simpson, a talented freelance developmental editor, whose expertise and sharp eye helped me enormously in revising the book.”
— Ron Purser (author of McMindfulness)

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