Hi, I’m Joni L. McNeal
I read closely. I ask questions. I help good ideas come through clearly.
I’m a freelance editor with more than 20 years of experience working with words and nearly a decade of running my own editing business. I work with academic authors, publishers and journals, association professionals, businesses, and nonfiction writers who have something important to say and want a thoughtful partner to help them say it well.
My work ranges from copyediting and proofreading to line editing and fact-checking for white papers, books, articles, newsletters, websites and marketing content. I especially enjoy projects that require both a sharp eye for the details and an understanding of the bigger picture.
I’m a lifelong reader who geeks out over style guides, loves a well-placed semicolon and enjoys lengthy conversations about serial commas. I bring curiosity, context and a range of editorial experience to every project.
Joni L. McNeal
Content editor,
author and mom
The work behind the words
Different projects. Different audiences. Same sharp editorial eye.
I’ve edited doctoral dissertations, books, websites, educational materials, magazines, newsletters and plenty in between. Whatever the project, I bring the same combination of close reading, curiosity and attention to the bigger picture.
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Doctoral dissertations and theses
Academic books and manuscripts
Journal articles
Research reports
White papers
Conference papers and presentations
University publications
Scholarly books and edited collections
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K–12 instructional materials
Educational books
Teacher guides and resources
Student-facing content
Educational magazines
Curriculum materials
Professional learning materials
Assessment and supplementary materials
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Nonfiction manuscripts
Memoirs and personal narratives
Essays and essay collections
How-to and practical books
Business and professional books
Children’s nonfiction
Proposals and book materials
Self-published books
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Websites
Newsletters
Reports
White papers
Blog posts
Marketing content
Internal communications
Association publications
Member communications
House style guides
Thoughtful editing, from the big picture to the tiniest detail
I protect your voice
Your writing should still sound like you. My job is to help your ideas and voice come through clearly.
I sweat the details
I pay attention to grammar, consistency, structure, style, and all the tiny things readers shouldn’t have to notice.
I ask questions
Sometimes the best edit is a question that helps you see what isn’t quite working or what could work even better.
I respect a deadline
Editorial excellence shouldn’t come at the expense of actually finishing the project.
When I’m not editing …
I stay connected to New Hampshire’s creative community through the Kahoots Collective, children’s publishing and, of course, plenty of reading.
As a mom of two boys, I’m always up for a new adventure. I’m curious by nature, which is probably why I never get tired of opening a new document and figuring out how to make it work better.
