Hello! My name is Nicole (she/her/hers pronouns) and I'm glad you're here. I'm proud of my growing reputation as one of the country's finest freelance academic proofreaders/copyeditors, and I want to share my expertise in order to help you achieve your potential as a writer. Keep reading to learn a little more about me!
My eye for editing first became apparent when, at my very first childhood piano recital, I noticed that the programs had included a misprint in my second piece's title. Adding insult to injury, that piece with the misprinted title was my own composition. While the performance itself went well (and I've since become a professional composer of educational music), I couldn't help wishing that someone had proofread the programs first!
Throughout my school years in the Detroit area, I continued to excel as a writer and I collected a few writing awards along the way. I also pursued a minor in Spanish at the University of Michigan while majoring in music. I then entered the master's and PhD programs in music theory at Indiana University. In 2012, after I had served as the Reviews Editor of Indiana Theory Review, I began offering freelance proofreading services to the IU and wider Bloomington communities. My clients' responses were overwhelming—several said that I was by far the best proofreader/editor with whom they had ever worked. (Musicology and music theory students, in particular, appreciate my insider's knowledge of the field and its unique technical vocabulary.) Through word of mouth I came to be known as IU's most reliable, instructive, and effective proofreader, and I even continued editing remotely while touring as a pianist on two separate cruise ships. After I returned to land, my reputation grew even more quickly. I now serve a diverse roster of professors, graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, and others from IU, CUNY, the University of Michigan, Harvard, Northwestern, Ball State, Arizona State, San Diego State, St. Joseph's, and Purdue University, among many other institutions. Some are native English speakers and others learned one or more languages before English. Just about everyone who has worked with me once has since become a regular client, and a few clients have grown so much in their English skills, with my editing and "tough love" teaching approach, that they are now editors and writing teachers too!
I've edited academic papers in numerous fields, including musicology, music composition, music theory, music pedagogy, business, film studies, education, medicine, public health, accounting, mathematics, African studies, Turkish literature, human-computer interaction, history, library science, sports science, epidemiology, and more. I've also edited advertising copy for software companies, more application essays than I can count, some tenure file documents, and a few pieces of creative writing! To augment this hands-on editing experience, I completed the Copyediting Standards course through Queen's University in 2017. In addition, I have experience working with clients who have learning differences (like dyslexia, ADHD, and information processing delays) that may impact their writing. I'm open to working with absolutely anyone working at a high school or higher level. I am also looking forward to expanding my practice to include Zoom English lessons for intermediate and advanced students whose learning needs aren't best served by a typical ESL class.
In addition to offering proofreading and editing services, I am currently teaching piano, music theory, and composition online in various capacities (click here to find out more about my musical pursuits and how to enroll in my online studio!); performing as a collaborative pianist around the American Midwest and Upper South; and writing educational and concert music. Some of my other hobbies include studying foreign languages, raising and releasing monarch butterflies, watching University of Michigan football games, and managing several social media communities.
Biographical information for our subcontracting editors is available upon request. I am not currently employing any subcontractors, however.
My eye for editing first became apparent when, at my very first childhood piano recital, I noticed that the programs had included a misprint in my second piece's title. Adding insult to injury, that piece with the misprinted title was my own composition. While the performance itself went well (and I've since become a professional composer of educational music), I couldn't help wishing that someone had proofread the programs first!
Throughout my school years in the Detroit area, I continued to excel as a writer and I collected a few writing awards along the way. I also pursued a minor in Spanish at the University of Michigan while majoring in music. I then entered the master's and PhD programs in music theory at Indiana University. In 2012, after I had served as the Reviews Editor of Indiana Theory Review, I began offering freelance proofreading services to the IU and wider Bloomington communities. My clients' responses were overwhelming—several said that I was by far the best proofreader/editor with whom they had ever worked. (Musicology and music theory students, in particular, appreciate my insider's knowledge of the field and its unique technical vocabulary.) Through word of mouth I came to be known as IU's most reliable, instructive, and effective proofreader, and I even continued editing remotely while touring as a pianist on two separate cruise ships. After I returned to land, my reputation grew even more quickly. I now serve a diverse roster of professors, graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, and others from IU, CUNY, the University of Michigan, Harvard, Northwestern, Ball State, Arizona State, San Diego State, St. Joseph's, and Purdue University, among many other institutions. Some are native English speakers and others learned one or more languages before English. Just about everyone who has worked with me once has since become a regular client, and a few clients have grown so much in their English skills, with my editing and "tough love" teaching approach, that they are now editors and writing teachers too!
I've edited academic papers in numerous fields, including musicology, music composition, music theory, music pedagogy, business, film studies, education, medicine, public health, accounting, mathematics, African studies, Turkish literature, human-computer interaction, history, library science, sports science, epidemiology, and more. I've also edited advertising copy for software companies, more application essays than I can count, some tenure file documents, and a few pieces of creative writing! To augment this hands-on editing experience, I completed the Copyediting Standards course through Queen's University in 2017. In addition, I have experience working with clients who have learning differences (like dyslexia, ADHD, and information processing delays) that may impact their writing. I'm open to working with absolutely anyone working at a high school or higher level. I am also looking forward to expanding my practice to include Zoom English lessons for intermediate and advanced students whose learning needs aren't best served by a typical ESL class.
In addition to offering proofreading and editing services, I am currently teaching piano, music theory, and composition online in various capacities (click here to find out more about my musical pursuits and how to enroll in my online studio!); performing as a collaborative pianist around the American Midwest and Upper South; and writing educational and concert music. Some of my other hobbies include studying foreign languages, raising and releasing monarch butterflies, watching University of Michigan football games, and managing several social media communities.
Biographical information for our subcontracting editors is available upon request. I am not currently employing any subcontractors, however.