Not everyone grows up having pennies deducted from their allowance when they make grammar mistakes. But my English professor mother turned the learning of usage rules into a game, and I was hooked. As a Yale undergraduate I concentrated on languages and literature as well as music theory and history. Later, while mastering the language of music for my career as a professional violinist, I also continued to devour novels, compose program notes and feature articles, and edit for colleagues, friends, and family. I gobbled up the Chicago Manual of Style for fun.

A decade ago I took several classes in copyediting; one teacher asserted I was “born to do this.” I began to notice key similarities between musical excellence and word-nerd-dom. Both pursuits require uncompromising perfectionism. It is simply not acceptable to play just 98% of the notes correctly, nor will it ever do to miss 2% of a manuscript’s errors. A natural eye (and ear) for inconsistencies serves me well, both on the violin’s fingerboard and the computer’s keyboard. Both music and prose profit from the felicitous flow of phrases. And, most important, I absolutely love my immersion in both these worlds that connect humans to each other.

I have copyedited and proofread historical novels, mystery novels, young adult novels, short stories, memoirs, websites, legal documents, textbooks, promotional materials, musical programs, graduate theses, applications, and cover letters. I employ my expertise over the details to smooth the journey of your message on its way to your reader.