Need a Proofreader?

I do proofreading & light copyediting work in accordance with The Chicago Manual of Style. This will be used whether the project is a book, social-media post, or blog entry. My work will cover things like:

• Typographical errors (typos)
• Misspellings
• Punctuation issues
• Capitalization
• Grammatical errors like lack of subject-verb agreement
• Erroneous word choices—like using “there” when “their” is required, or “your” rather than “you’re”

I’d largely prefer not to work on explicit sexual content at all, but I do have some flexibility there. Stories that deal with victims of sexual assault or child molestation—not with the intent of normalizing this behavior or steering the audience’s sexual appetites in that direction, but instead for the purposes of showing the survivor’s story in its raw reality—are a notable exception. And even an exploration of the unhealthy psychology that can come into play, especially given the way that abusers will gaslight their victims and convince them that the abuse is a positive, is something I have room for. But not works with the intent of actually feeding and promoting a sexual appetite for such abuse, “fantasy” or not.

I also have some level of flexibility with stories that are understood to be from a villain’s viewpoint and twisted perspectives but would not be mistaken as an endorsement of their ideology by the author. I’ve seen folks complain that a villain character is racist, sexist, or otherwise iffy, when yes, that’s pretty much the point. Having a pro-infanticide and/or pro-genocide villain is quite different from a project that’s actually meant to align with that in the real world.

I do not work on erotica, though I may be willing to do a mostly non-explicit book that only has one or two explicit scenes within the context of a full-length book.

Even with that exception, there are still types of content that are massive red flags for me and will almost certainly not be accepted for commissions. This is a partial list, but covers many of the biggest concerns.

—“Consensual” incest
—In any way mixing sex and waste matter (or pretending there’s nothing wrong with such). Occurrences that happen in the context of assault rather than portrayal of “romance” are an exception
—Incorporating non-White characters whom you then normalize or minimize acts of rape, degradation, domestic violence, sexual misuse and maltreatment, child abuse, etc., against. Extra points deducted if you then claim this to be your noble contribution to diversity and inclusion. Rebranded racism and dehumanization is a sin, not a win
—Romanticizing rape and defending violent or degrading sexual practices and acts upon or by females—especially accompanied by claims that the content somehow celebrates “girl power” or “woman power” despite the blatant and extreme misogyny present
—Otherwise normalizing abusive, harmful, and degrading sexual behavior within relationships (see above points)
—Fetishizing enslavement, rape, or genocide
—Demanding that females submit themselves to male appropriation of womanhood, especially in the context of favoring males over females or demanding female sexual availability

Note: While I emphasize acts committed against females and against people of color, it’s not that I don’t care about male victims or those of Caucasian descent; I’ve expressed otherwise before (in fact, the way that sexual violence against male victims is justified and minimized is a particular point of concern for me). It’s simply that I find people who put out such content seem to be in a particular habit of claiming that their horrendous handling of females or their modern-day continuation of the same sadistic and vile appetites that have been directed towards various ethnic groups for centuries now is somehow a favor to the same groups whose suffering they are busy fetishizing, spitting upon, and promoting the continuation of.

And the fact that White people in the United States, Canada, Germany, and elsewhere have the sheer, unmitigated gall to make a game of things like slavery and genocide to begin with, let alone play victim if they are criticized for such, is nothing short of mind boggling. As is the fact that there is such a massive failure to challenge and call out this sort of conduct. This is why many claims of social activism and concern over various ethnic populations (never mind supposed awareness of White privilege) ring absolutely hollow to me. It’s the very definition of adding insult to injury.

There are many reactions you will get for that astonishing level of disrespect and blatant racism and entitlement, and a “Thank you” from me is not one of them. Be advised. (And this is without getting into the links between BDSM/kink and past sexual victimization, and the toxicity of using continued and escalating self-retraumatization—or the exploitation of others’ vulnerability and trauma—as your answer to that.)

And there’s nothing quite like watching White women, in particular, virtue signal and lay responsibility on the terrible Straight White Male as the root of all evil with one hand while literally jacking off to sexual-exploitation and bondage content with the other hand. And the sexual-exploitation industry and other human trafficking and exploitation are not only sins of the past but also massive ongoing industries that involve both perpetrators and victims of all colors and from across the globe.