Trauma-informed editing services

Poetry editing

Every poem and every collection has its own voice, vision, and needs. Whether you are developing a first collection, preparing a chapbook or full-length book for publication, or refining individual poems, I tailor my editorial approach to the goals of your project and the stage of your writing process.

My poetry editing services range from manuscript-level assessment to detailed line-level refinement and final proofreading, or the combination that best suits your project.


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  • Poem & manuscript assessment

    Poetry assessment is for writers at any stage who want fresh eyes on their work and a thoughtful reader’s perspective. My analysis is tailored to your manuscript, your goals, and the questions you have about your writing.

    You’ll receive a detailed editorial memo exploring elements such as poetic voice, themes, imagery, emotional arc, structure, and/or clarity, and the reader’s experience of the work. For collections intended to be read as a whole, I consider how individual poems work together to create a cohesive manuscript.

    The assessment also suggests areas for improvement and highlights your strengths as a poet, so you can see them too.

  • Line editing

    Line editing is a detailed review of your poetry, line by line and poem by poem.

    An objective set of eyes and some careful changes and suggestions can bring out the strength of your work, clarifying muddy stanzas, unmixing metaphors, and/or addressing potential reader confusion.

    Line editing includes comments and tracked changes in the manuscript itself, as well as an editorial letter.

    After a thorough line edit, your poetic voice will be consistent and clear, weak areas will be tightened up, and you will have big-picture feedback on your work.

  • Copy editing

    Poetry is subjective, but spelling and usage (they’re–their–there, for example) usually aren’t.

    Choose copy editing when your work is at the final draft stage. I’ll review and refine the small details, highlighting any specifics (grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage) that appear incorrect or accidentally unconventional, so you can be deliberate about your choices.

    All changes and suggestions are made in the manuscript, and are accompanied by a style sheet for your project.

    Spacing and other formatting elements will also be polished up, and your poem or manuscript will be ready for submission and sharing.

  • Proofreading

    Proofreading is the final polish.

    When your book is typeset and about to be published, this is the chance to review the proofs and find that one elusive typo, or the extra line break, or the spelling mistake in the poem title that slipped past every reader.

    Proofreading ensures that your final proofs are flawless.

    It’s often recommended that the editor who does your proofreading is new to your manuscript, so they can see it with completely fresh eyes.

    Available for long form poems, chapbooks, and poetry collections.

Poetry editing

Next steps

  1. Choose the level of editing or analysis (above) or combination thereof that feels like the right fit, or write out your goals and how I can best support you to achieve them.

  2. Contact me via email or my contact form to tell me about your project.

  3. Send me a sample of your work so I can give you an accurate cost estimate and timeframe. Alternatively, let me know your budget, and I can work within it.

  4. Review and finalize the contract and payment schedule.

  5. Send me your manuscript (preferably in Microsoft Word format), and I’ll complete the editing or analysis within a specified time frame.

  6. Review the suggested changes and feedback, and then share your finished poetry with the world.

Let's begin