Wordsmith: n (1873): a person who works with words; esp : a skillful writer
(Miriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition)
Words, punctuation, grammar: They are my “thing,” my passion. They’re what I do—and do well. Sometimes I even wear a T-shirt that says, “Don’t make me take out my red pen!” Here is what one client says about Eye Spy: Nancy Whalen is one of the finest proofreaders and editors that I have ever worked with in my 20+ years in public relations. She is precise and thorough, and when she’s done, the copy virtually sings. There are more comments from satisfied customers—the only kind I strive to have—under the heading “A satisfied client is my goal: nice things people have said about Eye Spy.” And if you want to know more about my background, you’ll find that under “Nancy Whalen’s background and credentials.”
One writer I work with is creative, fast and brilliant. She can make the dullest subjects come alive. But what she doesn’t want is an editor or proofreader who takes her “signature”—her voice—out of her work. Here’s what she says about our partnership: Any freelance writer could probably say the same: At 2:00 a.m., everything I write looks brilliant and accurate. In the light of day, there are usually some rough edges. A separate set of eyes is always a good thing. When that separate set of eyes belongs to Nancy Whalen, it’s a great thing. The fact is, I’ve been freelancing for a long time but was always wary of proofreaders. Most, I found, made academic (albeit correct) edits, which changed the voice and the style of the piece. For a freelance writer, the voice and style are the differentiators. A dulled-down piece is not a piece that sells. Nancy Whalen has a gift that goes beyond her extensive knowledge of the English language, grammar and punctuation. She can polish a rough draft without making it sound like it was written by somebody else. She can take a solid piece of work and make it shine. She can take a quickly written piece and make it accurate. But, most importantly, she maintains the integrity and the voice of the writer in the process.