Skye Loyd – Editor

I am cursed with noticing everything! The details won't leave me alone! I will find your errors wherever they hide, your overrepeated ideas, your bits of flotsam that get in the way of lucid thought. I will leave only clear prose, easily read and understood, in your unique voice, to be embraced by millions of grateful readers.

I have copyedited books and academic articles for 20 years. I'm proficient in Chicago and APA styles. I have a wide background in art, music, and wildlife biology, which helps me to comprehend and improve on a wide range of subjects. I enjoy bringing out clarity from confusing or muddled sentences.

My clients have included Wiley, Rowman & Littlefield, and SAGE. I edited nonfiction books and academic journal articles for these publishers. I also freelanced as a book project manager for Wiley, which gave me insight into how a multiauthored book comes together.

Now I do developmental editing and copyediting of novels, and I love it! I've found that my eye for details honed on academic books helps me catch those troublesome little turns of phrase that make writing less than elegant.

When I work with you, I always remember that you are the author. It's your voice that must come through, no matter how much is changed. I use Tracked Changes so that you can accept my changes or not. I leave lots of comments to help you understand certain changes or to make suggestions. I am very flexible, and I will help new authors through the process of getting a book ready for publishing. I truly enjoy learning from each author.

Member of the Editorial Freelancers Association.

Testimonials:

"Skye is an incredible editor to work with. Her edits and suggestions were spot-on, crystal clear, and highly insightful. She improved my manuscript immensely. I also appreciated her excellent and prompt communication with me. In addition, she is a compassionate and empathetic person. A truly gifted editor, writer, and thinker!"

DJ Lee, author of essay collection

"Posting this review feels counterintuitive as I would love to keep Skye’s expertise all to myself (tongue in cheek). But the truth of the matter is that Skye is both gifted and a gift to the literary world. It’s difficult to fathom that an individual—a stranger no less—can be so attentive a listener and so intuitive a mind as to instantly understand my intended meaning, even when what I wrote was not exactly what I meant. Her editorial genius is awe-inspiring, and working with Skye was as easy as breathing.

"She will embellish your words, not by attempting to enhance them with her own, but by removing distractions and allowing your words to take the spotlight—and your characters center-stage. She is immensely talented and a consummate professional. Ultimately, your choice is in your own hands; but mine will always be Skye."

Ibrahim A., novel author