Editing

“Emily has a keen eye for detail and makes every possible suggestion in order to make a piece as good as it can be, while she does encourage the writer to reject her suggestions if they might not reflect the writer’s voice. I had the privilege to work closely with Emily to edit my essay for her newsletter, and I was amazed at the superb result I wouldn’t have been able to produce on my own. Any writer could use her rigorous and thoughtful approach to editing.” —Kaori Fujimoto

“It was a joy to be edited by Emily. She gave my story much needed structure, asked me all the right and necessary questions, and was so thoughtful and present throughout the entire process. It was my first ever personal essay, and I wouldn't have been spurred to tell the story had it not been for Emily approaching me to write it. While I had thought that the experience of writing for her would be straightforward, I did not expect my words to be given the amount of care that it did. It meant a lot that she was a close listener and a curious editor. An extra bonus: this experience has reminded me how important it is to write, even when I'm unsure. It was the impetus I needed to write consistently for myself, again.” —Mabel Ho

“Working with Emily was an absolute pleasure. Her guidance and suggestions greatly improved the resulting essay, not just ensuring there were no mistakes but also assisting with the clarity of ideas and overall flow.” —Kate Walton

“Working with Emily is like going on an adventure with her. The journey would be rigorous, yet with her eye for detail, her vision and knowledge, we would always appear on the other side, transformed. Her expertise helped me whittle down my essay into something sharper, yet without sacrificing my voice and vision. Her insightful feedback also helped me grow as a writer in both craft and confidence.” —Ying Reinhardt

Currently, I commission and edit guest essays for my newsletter, Movable Worlds, and have helped edit other publications such as The Mekong Review and CamboJA News.

Before I started freelancing full-time a handful of years ago, I was Associate Editor at Esquire Malaysia. Back at the very beginning of my writing journey, I was Digital Editor at Litro, a literary magazine for emerging writers in London.

Publishers, charities, and cultural organisations: please feel free to reach out with your needs. I edit shortform and longform nonfiction—including news features, op-eds, essays, memoirs, papers, reports, etc.—as well as book-length projects.

I also offer individuals one-on-one coaching, critiquing, and editing services.

Whether you’re writing for yourself or for publication, whether you’re a dabbler or a professional who needs another set of eyes, feel free to reach out and we can discuss specifics.

Depending on your aims and needs—upon which my rates will vary—I can help you assess the big-picture aspects of your piece and and offer developmental and/or line edits, in both substance and style.

Some questions I’ll consider, and to which I’ll offer suggestions:

• What is your intention with your piece, and do you carry it through?

• Is there enough hanging on the overarching narrative/analysis/argument of your piece? How convincing is it, or contrived?

• Does your piece need more reporting/research?

• How well have you organised the information in your piece?

• How tightly woven is your piece? Are you overwriting?

• How could the structure, pacing, detail, word choices, etc. be improved?

• Does your voice come through? Does it fit the audience it’s intended for?

Please note, however, that I do not assist with fact checking or legal advice.

So, if you have a project you need help on, please get in touch. Even if you’re still vague on the details or find it hard yet to put into words what you want, we can start off with a casual chat to find out.