Editorial services
Copyediting
Copyediting focuses on reviewing written material for errors and providing revisions in terms of grammar, common mistakes, continuity, punctuation, spelling, and repetition, etc. The most technical errors will be revised based on the desired style of the written material; AP, Chicago Manual of Style, MLA, and APA. In addition, copyediting involves rigorous fact-checking for material outside of fiction. I work in MS Word or Adobe Acrobat Reader (depending on your preference) and use the track changes function to make direct changes to the text and create comments for author revisions. A custom style sheet will be created and sent with the edits as well.
Starts at $0.014 /word
SENSITIVITY READING
Sensitivity reading focuses on reviewing documentation that may include content that may be seen as offensive such as biases, stereotypes, inaccurate or misrepresentation of a group, derogatory terms, etc. I have explained cultural, racial, historical, and gendered (to name a few) inaccuracies that were written in manuscripts and provided feedback for their writing to ensure the author can present their work without unintentional harm and misinterpretation. Edits will be made in the documents using track changes and comments via MS Word or Adobe Acrobat Reader (depending on your preference).
Starts at $ 0.010/word + $100 flat fee for research
Proofreading
Proofreading is reviewing written material right before it is mass-produced or distributed. It entails checking for missing pages, light editing (spelling or grammar), and awkward wording or blank spaces. Proofreading is not copyediting, it is the step of publishing to find what may have been overlooked by the copyeditor. All edits will be created in-document via MS Word or Adobe Acrobat Reader (depending on your preference).
Starts at $ 0.010/word
Developmental editing
Developmental editing is identifying the areas and techniques authors are strong in and where they need improvement. This includes character development, plot, sentence structure, dialogue, cultural context, consistency, and more. I work in MS Word or Adobe Acrobat Reader (depending on your preference) and use the track changes function to make direct changes to the text and create comments for author revisions. A custom style sheet will be created and sent with the edits as well. In addition, a free consultation via Zoom to discuss the edits and comments is available upon request.
Starts at $ 0.016/word
DEI Editing
DEI stands for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Typically used by corporations to teach diversity training and provide healthy, safe, and fair environments between employees. DEI editing involves reviewing written material and reporting bias, offensive/regressive terminology and ideology, exclusion of a marginalized group, and other off-putting content.
Starts at $0.10/word
editing Consultation
Editing Consultations are to further discuss a material of text that is still in the developmental stages and undergoing revisions. This also extends to texts that require sensitivity reading. The purpose is to gain insight of what the writer is trying to do and give information on the best methods to use for their text in depth.
Flat rate: $20/hour
Contract
I am available for long-term and short-term projects. Please fill out the contact form with a brief summary of the project and I will respond with 2-5 business days.
Companies I’ve WOrked With
tESTIMONIALS
Desharra has managed DEI reads on some of our most high-profile publishing projects, including the recent release of Microsoft's series of higher education instructional books. She provides exceptional quality while always meeting deadlines that are often quite tight. She offers intelligent and current insight into DEI trends and is able to use a variety of online program management and file storage tools. She's been an integral part of our team.
Emerson ProbstPresident of Emerson Agency
Emerson Agency
Desharra Alexander-Self has performed numerous Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion reads on behalf of Lumina Datamatics for several higher education academic publishers. She has performed sensitivity reads of content in a variety of disciplines, such as general psychology and introduction to computing, including titles centered on specific Microsoft Office 365 products (Word, Outlook, Excel, PPT, and so on). Desharra has expertise not only in sensitivity reading but also writing, copyediting, and developmental editing. These skills allow for a more thorough and meaningful sensitivity read, as she is able to not only identify areas for improvement but offer suggested rewrites. Her attention to detail allows her to digest client-supplied guidelines so that she can provide suggestions for remediation in keeping with those guidelines. However, Desharra looks beyond the manuscript and offers suggestions of additional research or scholarship that the author could consider to make their content more inclusive to all learners. Her timely and succinct communication are critical in completing projects on time and on budget, Desharra is a key performer and collaborator, and a tremendous asset to Lumina’s DE&I Sensitivity Read service.
Melissa SaccoDirector of Project Operations and Content Development
Lumina Datamatics, Inc.
EXPERIECE
Education
English B.A. with a concentration in creative writing, Michigan State University
Academic studies in Journalism, Gender studies, Cultural analysis, Pop Culture
Editorial Internships
Freelance Editorial /Sensitivity Reading
Interests
Preferred genres and themes
YA/NA
New Adult/ Young adult
Fantasy
Romance
Contemporary
Coming-of-age
Mental health
Self-help
Non-interests
Noir
Biographical
Historical Non-fiction
Contact me