General Writing and Grammar Help/Expert Profile

Expertise

I will answer questions having to do with grammar, plurals, punctuation, capitalization, mood, person, tense, and so on, as well as word usage and word choice. If you want a quick answer to a specific question, particularly if you wish to use formal American English for business or academic purposes (MLA), I can give you a timely response. I also can address word choice, clarity, structure, and similar concerns involving English as a second language. If you want advice of a deeper editorial nature (e.g., substantive [line] editing), please consult an Expert who offers this sort of assistance.

Experience in the area

I was employed as an editor for the graduate school at a major U.S. university and specialized in dissertations. I have over 200 publications in professional journals, consumer magazines, and newspapers. I am the author of five books and numerous syllabi in an arts field. I also am a freelance line editor, copyeditor, and proofreader (over 40 years), and I have written or edited countless community organizations' newsletters and promotional materials.

Organizations

Note: When using a word as a word in a sentence, such as: Put a period after the word dog, =dog= should be set in italics. Since I do not have access to italics here, I shall use = on either side of the word or phrase that properly should appear in italics. For the above example: Put a period after the word =dog=. Also, ~~please do not mark your questions as private~~. I will change them to public because I don't want to type the same answer twice! Thanks for your understanding.

Publications

If you submit a question to other Experts, I'd appreciate it if you would not submit it to me, also. It's like asking several people out on a date and choosing among those who said yes! This implies my time and particular expertise is worth nothing to you. Remember: I'm a volunteer!

Education/Credentials

Education B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa Ph.D.

Awards and Honors

I ask that you ~~come back to read my answer~~. I've taken time to write the best response I can, so you should come back to read it! It's disheartening to respond to a question, only to see later that the person has not bothered to come back. Remember: I'm a volunteer!

Past/Present Clients

I am happy to help you - that's why I volunteered - but please remember I *am* a volunteer and extend me normal courtesies such as no multiple submissions and not bothering to come back for your answer. mb

What do you like about this subject?

Note: I am often asked to look over resumes and offer suggestions for improvement. I'm sorry that I don't have the time for this, but I have written a general article on resumes (it's all about sales) on my website. Go to marthabeth dot com / how_write_resume dot html