Editor for non-native speakers and writers of English
I’m a non-native book editing specialist. What does this mean? Well, several of my author and copyediting clients are non-native English speakers. Since English isn’t their first language, they often hire me to “Americanize” the content of their books, web copy, press releases, etc.
Non-Native Book Editing — Expertise Matters
A decade or so ago I certified as a teacher in English, language arts, English as a second language (ESL), generalist and special education.
The ESL training has been indispensable as a book editor. Non-native authors who write in English want their projects to resonate with their target audience, right? I’m highly qualified to help in this effort and would love to collaborate. After all, authors have great stories to tell, but need an experienced eye to fully roll out convincing dialogue. Even characterization benefits from an ESL-trained book editor.
Non-Native Book Editing Projects
If you are writing for an American audience, keep in mind the subtle nuances of American English. Whether your mother tongue is Spanish, Portuguese, German, French or even British English, I polish manuscripts with your audience in mind. My goal is to rid your manuscript of distractions such as awkward wording, dialogue that is “off,” and sentences that must be read twice to make sense. The editing process takes care of these problems, and that’s where I come in.
Consider this. I was once given a book that had already been published, written by a British author who worked in the United States. He wrote compellingly of big oil and industry intrigue, and all of his characters were American. Texans, to be precise. However, they sounded British. Yes, the colloquialisms and vernacular and lingo of Great Britain were lodged in the text and lingered throughout each chapter. It was noticeable to my trained eye, but more importantly, was likely noticed by the reading audience. If only the author had invested in an editor, that rather glaring problem would have been solved before the book ever hit the shelves.
Interested in learning more about American English editing for non-native speakers? My blog post on international book editing high be useful. You can read all about it here.