About Alyssa

I live in Alberta, Canada, with my husband and three little kids. I am an artist, writer, and avid reader. I often gravitate towards cozy mysteries (Agatha Christie, anyone?) and historical fiction, but I’m not picky, I just love a good story. So much so, that we may consider re-reading books to be a hobby of mine.

I got into this gig to help other creatives like me connect with their audience with the biggest impact. I'm a graduate of Edit Republic: High-Level Proofreading and Copyediting Pro., and I have a keen eye for detail and precision. I also have worked in church administration, so I understand the needs of a church as well as ministry life.

I have a high value for excellence. I believe your writing is a reflection of who you are and it deserves to be presented with excellence. I am a creator myself, and I understand the desire for your work to be impactful. My goal is for your story and message to reflect your heart so that it connects with your audience without distracting mistakes.

When I'm not writing or making art, you'll find me sweeping up the never-ending crumbs my sweet, rambunctious little kids trail all over the house. I love baking, gardening, knitting, and getting outdoors.

Work With Me

Alyssa Andersen proofreader and copyeditor

What does a proofreader and copy editor do?

What does a proofreader and copyeditor do?

A proofreader and copyeditor comes in at the end of the publishing process to make sure everything is correct and consistent before it is published. The two roles can be done separately by two different people or together by one person. The tasks of both roles are similar (which is why they can be done in the same workflow by one person), but there are some key differences.

Copyeditor

Proofreader

A copyeditor does their work before a proofreader. There are four elements of the copy editing process: correcting mistakes, maintaining the author’s voice and style, maintaining accuracy, and making sure the work is complete. This looks like:

Correcting grammar and word usage.
Making sure places and character names are consistent.
Flagging words or phrases that could be harmful, disrespectful, or difficult to understand (such as jargon).
Developing a style guide for a brand’s or client’s editorial style.
Ensuring citations are formatted correctly.
Checking facts and statistics for accuracy.
Flagging missing information (such as a missing citation).
Flagging copyright issues and potential plagiarism.
Flagging issues with the storyline or chronology.

Proofreading is the last step in the publishing process. A proofreader makes sure all elements of the text and format are correct and adhere to the style guide. (Don’t worry if you don’t have a style guide. That’s my job to make. There are general ones that we adhere to, such as Chicago or AP. But what about your style and voice? That’s where I come in as a copyeditor and document all the unique elements of your writing so the proofreader—also me—can make sure everything is consistent.) Proofreading looks like:

Correcting spelling and punctuation.
Making sure places and character names are consistent.
Making sure numbers are written and formatted correctly.
Flagging errors with facts, visual components, or website links.
Flagging issues with formatting.
Making sure the overall document is consistent and correct.
- We check EVERYTHING from cover to cover. That includes page numbers, headers, titles, footers, bibliography, appendices, author bio, glossary, acknowledgements, table of contents, dedications, copyright info, and forewords. Oh, and the covers!