EMPLOYMENT AND VOLUNTEER HISTORY

 

Freelance Editor; Aug 2014–Present

• Copyedit fiction and nonfiction content for correct grammar and spelling and for adherence to house style.

• Substantive-edit (line-edit) fiction and nonfiction content for coherence, cohesion, concision, organization, accuracy, tone, and usage.

• Developmental-edit novels, novellas, and short stories for structure, voice, plot, characters, dialogue, tone, and pacing.

• Provide evaluations detailing the strengths and weaknesses of manuscripts' structures, plots, voices, characters, dialogue, tones, and pacing.

• Partnered with publishing company Covenant Communications to provide developmental editing, substantive editing, copy-editing, typesetting, and proofreading for novellas.

• Contract with Covenant Communications to copyedit and proofread novels and nonfiction manuscripts to prepare them for printing. 

• Consult for Whitney Award-winning author Sandra Grey.

• Consulted for the Prescott Mountain Neighbors magazine.

 

Managing Editor; Riga Ghetto and Latvian Holocaust Museum Internship, Brigham Young University, Sep 2019–Jun 2021

• Spearheaded the Russian–English translation and copyediting process for the 490-page nonfiction book The Historical Materials of Latvian Jews.

• Reduced project duration to 18 months by collaborating with Brigham Young University's Russian department and Linguistics department to assemble a copyediting team to work concurrently with the translation team.

• Held monthly meetings to resolve spelling and grammatical disparities among editing interns.

• Provided translation and copyediting instructions and feedback.

• Advertised current and future translation and editing projects.

• Created a 6-month production schedule for the project outlining the steps required for publication and determining the necessary participants.

• Kept track of and managed the hours and work of 15 translators and 5 editors.

• Copyedited, typeset, and proofread The Historical Materials of Latvian Jews for ebook and print. 

 

Teaching Assistant for Freelance Editing Class; Brigham Young University, Apr 2020–Dec 2020

• Reviewed and graded substantive edits from 40+ undergraduate students in the Editing and Publishing major or minor.

• Reviewed and graded essays and articles written by 40+ undergraduate students in the Editing and Publishing major or minor.

• Taught lessons about freelance and substantive-editing principles in professor's absence.

• Discussed and addressed students' academic concerns.

• Updated the class schedule, syllabus, assignments, and readings.

 

Acquisitions Editor; BYU Leading Edge Magazine, Jan–Apr 2020

• Selected or rejected 50+ short-story submissions based on writing and story quality.

• Edited select short stories for cohesion, coherence, organization, flow, sentence structure, and word choice.

• Discussed substantive edits with managing editor.

• Copyedited short stories for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

• Typeset stories in accordance with InDesign templates. 

 

Full-Time Christian Service Missionary; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Russia, Jun 2016–Nov 2017

• Worked 12 hours every day for 18 months learning Russian and teaching religious doctrine in Russian and English.

• Translated Russian into English and vice versa in hundreds of formal and informal situations.

• Trained missionaries in language acquisition, problem-solving skills, teaching skills, goal setting, goal acquisition, productive behaviors, team unity, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Developed verbal and written communication skills through organizing appointments and events by phone and in person.

• Acquired diplomacy and teamwork skills by participating in leadership councils to address goals, events, and problems.

• Improved writing skills by creating weekly reports for the missionary leadership.

 

 

EDUCATION

 

Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah

BA in Editing and Publishing | BA in Russian | Projected graduation: Apr 2022

 

Relevant courses:

• Introduction to Print Publishing: Developed basic skills in text formatting, graphic design, and print design, and in programs such as Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.

• Introduction to English Linguistic Research Methods: Learned and applied the skills behind linguistic research methodologies.

• Modern American Usage: Discussed current conventions in and learned effective use of American English.

• Grammar of English: Studied the structures and names of types of sentences, phrases, and clauses.

• Basic Editing Skills: Explored editing theory and practice in accordance with The Chicago Manual of Style; acquired and applied copyediting skills and proofreading skills.

• Genre and Substantive Editing: Acquired and applied substantive editing skills and business strategies for professional freelancers.

• Editing for Publication: Applied editing, design, and marketing principles to prepare a book for publication. Process included developmental, substantive, and copyediting; back cover blurb; typesetting; proofreading; and cover design.

• Business of Editing: Developed skills complementary to editing, including basic HTML, eBook conversion, press releases, copywriting, book blurbs, P&L (Profit and Loss) statements, budgeting, and time management.

• Spreadsheet Skills and Business Analysis: Learned Excel features such as basic functions, logic and reference functions, statistical functions, what-if analysis, and charting to solve complex business problems.

 

Honors:

• Honorable Mention, National Post-Secondary Russian Essay Contest from the American Council of Teachers of Russian

• Humanities Department Dean’s List: Fall 2015, Fall 2018, and Winter 2019

• Abrelia C. S. Hinckley Scholarship

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SKILLS

 

• Typing 100+ WPM

• Microsoft Word and Excel

• Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop

• Basic HTML and CSS

• Creative writing

• Project and team management

 

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INTERESTS

 

I’m passionate about books. I’m always looking for books that twist familiar tropes and realities of life in unique and intriguing ways. I have also developed a love for Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and other Russian litterateurs. 

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When I'm not reading, editing, or writing, you can find me watching thunderstorms, getting lost in Russian cemeteries, and learning how to play the ukulele. 

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See the PDF version. 

 

 

Like what you see? Then you'll love my writing and editing samples.