Harry Whitaker

Harry Whitaker – Editor

Editing is the art of changing a text to highlight what the author wants to say.

Overview

Copy editing:

For me, editing is interactive; as I work through your MSS, I will send you questions, perhaps pointing out what you need to clarify, all with the goal that our collaboration results in your best work. I read a manuscript with two things foremost in mind: what does the author want to say? and has the author chosen the best way to say it? To evaluate that, I look at ambiguities, coherence, word usage, stylistic consistency, and, of course, grammar. I will respect your opinion; should my suggestions not fit with your expectations, I will explain them and listen carefully to yours.


In the last year of my doctoral program at UCLA, I edited a book for the first time, "The Philosophy of the University". Shortly after taking my first faculty position (University of Rochester), Academic Press agreed to start my new journal, Brain and Language, which I edited for 30 years. A.P. then launched a second journal under my editorship, Brain and Cognition, which I edited for 20 years. During my academic career I edited over a dozen books; my last academic editing roles, as an interim journal editor and editing papers submitted to the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, ended in 2020. Occasionally, I continue to publish journal articles, eight between 2017 and 2022.


Proofreading:

(Please see the discussion of Proofreading vs. Copy Editing by Reedsy staff.) I'm happy to do proofreading for you; it is much faster and costs about 1/4 that of copy editing.

Services
Non-Fiction
Humanities & Social Sciences Life Sciences
Languages
English (CAN) English (UK) English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Nov, 2017 — Aug, 2023 (almost 6 years)

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
I highly recommend Dr. Whitaker for his exceptional English editing skills. Having had the privilege of working with him on several of my academic papers and book chapters, I can attest to his meticulous attention to detail, his profound grasp of the English language, and his ability to enhance the clarity and impact of scholarly writing.
His editing work is characterized by a keen eye for grammatical precision, stylistic refinement, and coherence in argumentation. His suggestions and revisions have consistently improved the readability and scholarly rigor of my work, making complex ideas more accessible and engaging.
Dr. Whitaker is a skilled editor whose contributions are an asset to authors seeking to elevate the quality of their written work.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mounia Ziat
Bentley University

Harry has 1 review

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Claire G.

Claire G.

May, 2024

Pinned
Harry was terrific. He did a super job and brought the material in early. He also impressed me as a fine person, and I know he will leave a good impression on his next assignment! His knowledge base is more than ample to handle the most challenging concepts. Thanks again, Harry!
Harry W.
Claire was thoroughly professional and responded quickly to questions. I would be pleased to work with her again.

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