cheryl.nicchitta.12476

Cheryl Nicchitta

CSN Editorial Services

I’m an experienced copyeditor with a background in nonfiction books, academic journals, literary and historical fiction, and memoir. I can edit at any level required in any of these fields, from basic clean-up to substantive revisions. I live in North Carolina and work for local, national, and international clients, including trade publishers, university presses, and independent authors.

My credentials
My first full-time job was as an editorial assistant at the Shakespeare Quarterly, a journal published by the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. I left to go to graduate school, earned a master’s degree in English at the University of Pennsylvania, and then returned to publishing, where I worked in-house as a project editor, developmental editor, and managing editor for Basic Books (at that time, an imprint of HarperCollins) and St. Martin’s Press in NYC and for Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill in NC. As a freelancer, I’ve worked with a wide range of clients, from first-time authors to NY Times best-sellers, and served as lead copyeditor for two academic journals.

A note about style guides, grammar, and usage
Most of my clients use the Chicago Manual of Style as a primary reference for US-based work. I’ve worked with the manual for many years; I know when to follow its guidelines and also when to adapt (or ignore!) them. I’ve also worked extensively with UK and Canadian styles and can develop custom styles, as needed. I participate in ongoing discussions in professional editorial groups online and helped moderate an international, linguistics-focused grammar group for five years. My clients can be confident that any editing changes I make are informed by best practices in the field.

My editorial philosophy
Working in-house at several different publishers gave me the opportunity to collaborate extensively with authors at many stages of the publishing process. I understand how editing is perceived and how difficult it can be to be edited. I believe in a thoughtful and constructive approach to editing, one that respects and enhances the author’s voice.

Am I the right editor for you?
I enjoy working on commercial, literary, and academic material and with authors and publishers who understand the value that good editing can bring to a project. I have particular interests in fiction and nonfiction related to themes of nature and the environment, cultural and regional history, art and literature, animals and children, food and cooking, philosophy and politics, and religion and ethics. I offer free two-page editing samples and welcome questions about editing and the publishing process.

Email: csnicchitta@gmail.com

Years in the field: 27
Years freelancing: 20

cheryl.nicchitta.12476

Cheryl Nicchitta

 

I’m an experienced copyeditor with a background in nonfiction books, academic journals, literary and historical fiction, and memoir. I can edit at any level required in any of these fields, from basic clean-up to substantive revisions. I live in North Carolina and work for local, national, and international clients, including trade publishers, university presses, and independent authors.

My credentials
My first full-time job was as an editorial assistant at the Shakespeare Quarterly, a journal published by the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. I left to go to graduate school, earned a master’s degree in English at the University of Pennsylvania, and then returned to publishing, where I worked in-house as a project editor, developmental editor, and managing editor for Basic Books (at that time, an imprint of HarperCollins) and St. Martin’s Press in NYC and for Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill in NC. As a freelancer, I’ve worked with a wide range of clients, from first-time authors to NY Times best-sellers, and served as lead copyeditor for two academic journals.

A note about style guides, grammar, and usage
Most of my clients use the Chicago Manual of Style as a primary reference for US-based work. I’ve worked with the manual for many years; I know when to follow its guidelines and also when to adapt (or ignore!) them. I’ve also worked extensively with UK and Canadian styles and can develop custom styles, as needed. I participate in ongoing discussions in professional editorial groups online and helped moderate an international, linguistics-focused grammar group for five years. My clients can be confident that any editing changes I make are informed by best practices in the field.

My editorial philosophy
Working in-house at several different publishers gave me the opportunity to collaborate extensively with authors at many stages of the publishing process. I understand how editing is perceived and how difficult it can be to be edited. I believe in a thoughtful and constructive approach to editing, one that respects and enhances the author’s voice.

Am I the right editor for you?
I enjoy working on commercial, literary, and academic material and with authors and publishers who understand the value that good editing can bring to a project. I have particular interests in fiction and nonfiction related to themes of nature and the environment, cultural and regional history, art and literature, animals and children, food and cooking, philosophy and politics, and religion and ethics. I offer free two-page editing samples and welcome questions about editing and the publishing process.