Editorial Portfolio

Nicole Ayerswww.ayersedits.com

nicole@ayersedits.com

My name is Nicole Ayers, and I have worked with writers for more than a decade. Getting to work with writers and play with language is my dream job. I pinch myself every morning to make sure that this is my life. I love the moment when all the puzzle pieces of a novel click together in my head and I know exactly what suggestions will help the author improve the manuscript. I love taming nefarious commas with the Chicago Manual of Style. I love helping writers turn their rough manuscripts into polished prose. Can you tell that I love my job?

In addition to being a freelance editor, I am the assistant editor for Bookwoman, a newsletter for the Women’s National Book Association. I serve on the board of WNBA-Charlotte, and I am a member of the Editorial Freelancer’s Association.

I offer a variety of editorial services, including developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading. To view my resume or editorial services, click the links below.

Resume Editorial Services

Editorial ServicesDevelopmental EditingLine EditingCopyeditingProofreading

Developmental EditingBig Picture Suggestions: Organization and structure Clarity Logical Flow Pacing Point of View Tone Fiction: Story Arc, Character Development, Setting Development Nonfiction: Evidence to Support Theories, Comparable Titles

A developmental editor will NOT address issues with grammar, punctuation, and spelling. She leaves that to the copyeditors.

Example 1

Example 2

Line EditingWordsmithing: Evaluating the manuscript line

by line.Choose Specific Words to Convey IntentStrengthen DialogueVary Sentence StructureInclude Copyediting

Example 1 Example 2

CopyeditingMost writers need help following the rules of language. One client said, “A box of commas got loose in my manuscript, and I can’t catch them all.” Luckily, a copyeditor can be Comma Control. But a copyeditor does much more than wrangle errant commas into submission.

Fine-tuning:

Grammar Punctuation Spelling Capitalization Spacing Consistency Accuracy Repetition

Example 1

Example 2

ProofreadingPolishing:Catches typos and other minor errorsShould be the last step prior to publication

ResumeProfessional Skills:

Editing: developmental, copyediting, proofreading

Writing: Q & As and articles for magazines

Organizes workload and meets deadlines Communicates in multiple mediums Proficient in CMS and AP

Recent Projects:

Writer.ly Star Services, contracted copyeditor

Freelance Writing Assignment, Little Ones magazine

Individual Author, developmental edit and copyedit for young adult romance

Individual Author, copyedit for spiritual memoir

Employment History:

Assistant Editor, Bookwoman, a national newsletter for WNBA, present

Freelance Editor, 2013-present Winthrop Writing Project Continuity

Director, 2005-2012 Winthrop University Writing Instructor,

2010-2011 Language Arts Instructor, 2000-2010

Professional Membership:

Editorial Freelancers Association Women’s National Book Association—

Charlotte Events Co-chair

Writer.ly Bibliocrunch

Developmental Edit Example 1

Developmental Edit Example 2

Copyediting Style Sheet Example 1

Copyediting Style Sheet Example 2

Copyediting/Line Editing Example 1

Copyediting/Line Editing Example 2