WORDS ARE MATTER. MAKE THEM MATTER.

Work on a good piece of writing proceeds on three levels: a musical one where it is composed; an architectural one, where it is constructed; and finally a textile one, where it is woven. —Walter Benjamin

As your editor, I am as passionate about your writing as you are. My critical distance amplifies your insights and the integrity of your vision to cast a penetrating beam of comprehension and perspective on your composition. Together, we work to discover and distill meaning and significance to produce captivating, lucid, and fluid prose.

I align my approach with professional orientation, methodology, disposition, and intended audience and assist aspiring and veteran authors in a variety of genres and mediums. I specialize in scholarly manuscripts, policy briefs, literary fiction, and creative nonfiction.

I excel at rendering manuscripts into clear and focused language and enjoy working alongside clients to transform intellectually sophisticated arguments into luminous prose. Immersion in a manuscript demands fluency in a variety of fields, discourses, and methodologies. My interdisciplinary background, research skills, and critical faculties allow me to comprehend the complexities and nuances of diverse fields of study. I help clients build cohesive arguments; use precise language that is readable, engaging, and discipline-specific; and effectively stake out the significance of their ideas.

Editing literary works provides me with an opportunity to extend clients’ mental maps, expand my apprehension and appreciation of form and genre, and guide a manuscript’s evolution as both art and craft. Whether clients possess a hazy semblance of an idea in need of brainstorming and support, an analytical essay seeking an authoritative voice, or an academic manuscript that demands greater clarity and synthesis, I attend to people at all stages of their creative journey.

In addition to providing editorial oversight, I maintain an active teaching and coaching practice, with an emphasis on cultural studies, health & wellness, memoir, spirituality, political activism, racial equity, environmental awareness, and social justice. Excavating and uplifting marginalized voices lies at the center of my life’s work. I take a special interest in manuscripts that explore the disjunctions, dislocations, and intersections that frame human experience and expression, and I apply a sensitive and attuned ear that apprehends the coarse and nuanced texture of personal histories and collective belonging.

Every project presents distinct opportunities and challenges. As a team, we collaborate to hone your vision, set clear priorities, and establish attainable goals. Through sifting and shifting, we co-create a final product that honors your intentions and represents your best effort.

The following section offers a more detailed account of my areas of expertise:

Academic Editing
Scholarly literature unifies individual voice, argument, and intention with a chorus of  disciplinary research, milestones, and practice. I identify and amplify the cornerstones of your arguments and your unique contribution to a broadened understanding of your subject area. I trace the articulation of this significance throughout the manuscript to locate areas where it needs development, enhancement, and/or clarification. I ensure that the content aligns stylistically with the conventions of your discipline and that it is conceptualized and organized effectively and efficiently.

Developmental Editing
I assist with drafting initial plans for a manuscript, plotting a sequential course, and guiding the evolution of content. I target a manuscript’s strengths and magnify their impact. Likewise, I home in on areas that need improvement, refine and streamline the message and its delivery, and narrow and expand scope as necessary. I meet with clients who are in the brainstorming phase of the creative process to sift through ideas and devise a road map for composition. I also confer with people who have already been through several rounds of editing and are still not satisfied with their work. I ask questions, offer extensive and concrete feedback, and guide clients through the stages of revision to clarify and vivify their expression.

Line Editing
Line editing is both narrow in scope and incredibly impactful (the two are, in fact, mutually dependent). Narrow in that it works almost exclusively with existing content (as opposed to suggesting expansion) and proposes word- and sentence-level rephrasing. Impactful because it does so in the service of achieving greater precision and potency on the micro-level. Through attending to the fine-grained aspects of written communication, this process crystallizes not only linguistic expression but also broader craft elements like plot development, characterization, pacing, setting, and tone.

Manuscript Editing
Sometimes clients desire a focused and experienced reader to review the current state of their work. In this instance, I provide an assessment of readability, coherence, and progression. I identify why your manuscript works and where it doesn’t. I delineate its specific editorial needs so that clients can see both the broad stroke implications of their work and the fine tuning necessary to render its expression more potently and cogently.

Please contact Rachel directly for more information: rosekindness@gmail.com

Attention is the beginning of devotion. —Mary Oliver

“Never think of revising as fixing something that is wrong. That starts you off in a negative frame of mind. Rather, think of it as taking an opportunity to improve something you already love.” —Marion Dane Bauer