As a former writing professor, I know how to provide helpful, focused feedback at any stage of your writing process. As an editor, I am capable of honing your work while also honoring your voice and vision. And as a writer of essays myself, I am keenly aware of the capabilities and challenges of the form.
Are you looking for developmental edits that identify potential areas of expansion? Or are you in need of incisive line edits that refine your work? Whether you are in the beginning stages of crafting your work or preparing it for publication, I can help.
I am also an experienced freelance writer available for hire.
Recent projects
Ongoing developmental editing and copyediting for Christianna Bennett, Assistant Professor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute:
Natalie’s feedback is unparalleled. She has been pivotal to my growth as a scholar and academic. I have significantly improved my standing within my field and my skills as a writer and researcher through working with her. Specifically, Natalie offers pointed critique and questioning on the fundamental premise of the work, offering editorial insight and feedback only rivaled through peer review. It’s like having a preview of peer review prior to sending the work out!
Developmental editing: Belfast Imaginary: Art and Urban Reinvention. Keenan, Katherine. Rowman and Littlefield, forthcoming. Social Science, Anthropology, Cultural, Art, History General, Ethnic Studies, European Studies
Natalie asks smart questions that get to the core of what you are trying to say as an author. She has a good eye for strained or awkward phrasing, and how academic language sometimes serves to confuse rather than help a reader. She helped me cut through the pieces of my work that I felt less confident about, to ultimately feel more confident in the work I was putting out into the world. Her edits also come back with frequent complements–“great sentence”, “this is well written”–right where you most need a boost.
If you’re looking for developmental edits on your book-in-progress, Natalie will take your goals and concerns and make them the focus of her reading and editing. She offers time for discussion to help you move forward as a writer.
—Katharine Keenan, Ph.D.
Line editing: Working Through Hard Times: Life and Leadership Learnings from 2020, Humility: A Humble, Anarchistic Inquiry. Weinzweig, Ari. Zingerman’s Press. Leadership, Business Management, Psychology, Personal Essay Collections.
Natalie is fun to work with and her work style allows for back-and-forth conversation to craft writing you’ll feel good about. To anyone considering hiring her: you’ll retain your voice as the author, and learn a few things along the way.
— Jenny Tubbs, Zingerman’s Press
Developmental and line editing: Ripped. Kolber, Justin. Memoir.
Natalie took my writing to the next level and showed me what I didn’t even realize was missing. She did both developmental editing to help me rebuild my structure, and she did line edits to sharpen and polish. She taught me to create more tension and drama…The results speak for themselves. When I queried my new material from Natalie’s edits, I immediately got a large agent interested in my manuscript. It worked! Natalie occupies a special place in my journey as a writer.
—Justin Kolber, indie author
More about me Former high school teacher and rhetoric professor. Bonafide people person, wacky yoga teacher, funk and soul fanatic. I grew up on Lake Huron and have written about touching a lake sturgeon and having misconceptions about whales. I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan with my husband and our son. she/her/hers
