Woman shown from the waist down sitting at a pottery wheel refining a mug-shaped piece of pottery.

I enjoy shaping text into its best possible form — useful and polished.

How I edit

Whether your text needs a substantive edit or a lighter touch, I tailor my approach to your requirements and timelines. I’m a close reader and meticulous editor. I sweat the:

Big stuff. I make sure text is clear, targeted to the audience, well organized, accurate and consistent.

Small stuff. I thoroughly review final, formatted text and visual elements for any remaining typos or other errors.

Other stuff. I keep up to date on everything related to written communication, including plain language, inclusive language, style guides and more.

What I edit

  • reports

  • standards and guidelines

  • policies and procedures

  • case studies

  • articles

  • strategies and plans

  • speeches and presentations

  • promotional materials

  • conference materials

  • member communications

  • newsletters

  • web content

  • editorial style guides

  • magazines

  • abstracts

  • blogs

  • business materials

  • correspondence

  • fact sheets

  • fundraising materials

  • transcripts and minutes

Orange notebook monogrammed with the initials “LB” with a white feather quill pen across the cover and a pair of purple glasses above it; text at the bottom reads “I am a proud member of Editors Canada."

Sample editing projects

While my edits are invisible in the final publications, here are some examples of the types of editing projects I get to work on.

Screenshot of the cover of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada’s Research Report 2020, which includes a grid of 16 headshots of researchers.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: Research Report 2020

I edited this report showcasing the Royal College’s research grants, major initiatives and activities, and corporate programs.

Screenshot of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Community Buildings Retrofit guide, which shows a young person jumping into an indoor community pool.

Federation of Canadian Municipalities: Application Guide and Forms for the Community Building Retrofit Initiative

I edited the application guide and forms for municipalities and their partners seeking funding to reduce the environmental impacts of their community buildings.

Screenshot of the web page for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s Swissair Flight 111 Investigation Report — Supporting Technical Information.

Transportation Safety Board of Canada: Swissair Flight 111 Investigation Report — Supporting Technical Information

Working closely with the investigation team, I managed the editing of over 800 pages of supporting technical information for this major accident investigation report.

This work was recognized with an Award of Excellence from the Society for Technical Communication.

Editing topics I’ve spoken about

My editorial soul belongs to plain language and style guides. Every few years I leave my desk to talk about these and other topics at various events:

Speaker, Blue Pencils Meet Pointy Heads: Editing the Experts
2017 Editors Canada Conference (Gatineau, Quebec)

Panelist, What I Know Now That I Wish I Knew Then
2012 Editors Canada event, Ottawa–Gatineau Branch (Ottawa, Ontario)

Co-presenter, Setting the Bar: Developing a Corporate Style Guide
2004 Society for Technical Communication 51st Annual Conference (Baltimore, Maryland)

Fictional representation of neurons.

Read about my projects in the health sector

Lime green leaves in a tropical forest.

Read about my projects in the environmental sector

I had to let you know that we are scrambling to put together all the components for the HCL [Honouring Canada’s Lifeline] program, speeches, etc. Every time someone makes an edit or suggestion, I hear ‘Lorie taught me that.’ I love that you’re still here supporting us!! #IlearnedthatfromLorie

Jennifer Rose, Coordinator, Donor Experience, Canadian Blood Services