West Coast Editorial Associates can write what you need, edit what you’ve written, or train you and your staff to write and edit more effectively. We can look after the words in your life by managing your entire project or by handling a single aspect of it.
Editing
Whatever level of editing you need, we have the partner or the team to get the job done.
Writing
Whether your material is long or short, technical or general, we can research, write, or rewrite it.
Training
If your staff needs a refresher, we offer workshops and coaching in writing and editing.
Our partners
Amy specializes in copy editing and proofreading non-fiction materials, with a focus on business and technical communication and academic writing. She also helps clients with graphic design, website development, and social media management.
Barbara works at all stages of publishing, from research, writing, and rewriting to editing and publication management, for individual, corporate, and public sector clients.
Lucy trains and coaches workplace writers, teaches proofreading and plain language, and edits a wide range of non-fiction materials, including highly illustrated books and reports.
Audrey specializes in developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and indexing of trade and academic books.
A Certified Professional Editor, Lana trains and coaches workplace writers and editors, writes corporate and personal history books, and edits a wide range of non-fiction materials.
Rowena edits books, magazine articles, reports, and educational materials. She also offers writing and editing workshops and coaches writers one on one or in small groups.
A Certified Professional Editor, Merrie-Ellen writes, edits (substantive, stylistic, and copy), and proofreads materials ranging from books and manuals to websites and reports.
Ruth, a Certified Professional Editor (Hon.), works at all stages of publication: writing, rewriting, and editing at all levels. She delivers workshops for editors, writers, and communicators.
Recent projects
The HBC Brigades
Nancy Marguerite Anderson
Folklife and Superstition
Sandra Rollings-Magnusson
Have Bassoon, Will Travel
George Zukerman
My Paddle’s Keen and Bright
Rika Ruebsaat
“As ECEBC’s managing editor for many years, Barbara is always professional and detail-oriented, and she cares deeply about our work. She is a shining star.”
“The copy editing and proofreading services provided by West Coast Editorial Associates are uniformly excellent, and their on-time performance is exceptional.”
“Lana, we are so fortunate to have had you lead us through the process of producing our 125-year history book. Your thoughtful and detailed research, interview skills, and amazing writing led us to this great outcome. We sincerely appreciate your commitment to making our history come to life.”
“West Coast Editorial Associates has always delivered high-quality services. The partners we’ve hired have impeccable work ethics, are extremely reliable, possess an exemplary style of writing, and always offer invaluable suggestions.”
“[Ruth Wilson] is both rigorous and respectful, plus smart. Grapple her to your heart with hoops of steel—you probably already have.”
“The clear writing course was excellent, and is worth taking, either as an introduction or a refresher. The learning was expertly tailored and it was a pleasure to work with Lana from start to finish. The interactive sessions were a safe forum for all questions, no matter how small, and they answered the needs of all our participants, regardless of their level of experience.”
“Amy, thank you so much for not only creating a lovely website but also being such a patient guide throughout this process. It’s been fun and I love the result.”
“Thank you for leading ICBC’s office of strategy management through 4 hours of plain language instruction. The pace and level of content was just right for our team, and the practice exercises and discussion time helped cement the concepts.”
“Thank you for the great webinar on tone. Your approach is engaging, and it was great to see participants thinking about the concepts and where they can improve. They loved it!”
“Thank you to Barbara, for not only her exceptional writing and editing work but also her professionalism when working on complex projects with tight timelines and with a variety of stakeholders involved. Barbara has become a person we all know we can count on for delivering high-quality work.”
“Lana, I want to thank you for a great course. I think you do a great balancing act of delivering honest critique while staying respectful and kind. I have learned so much!”
“Thanks, Lana, for your work on Peace, Love & Fibre. I was so happy with the copyedit, and Mairlyn Smith [the author] told me she just felt so lucky to have someone asking these questions now rather than after publication! We were both really pleased at how thoroughly you’d researched her style, making notes and choices based on her previous books. It was pretty much the perfect author/ editor/ copyeditor connection.”
“The expertise West Coast Editorial Associates brings to any project is invaluable and required in today’s business environment.”
“West Coast Editorial Associates conducted a workshop on proofreading and developed a proofreading manual for our division. They did an excellent job tailoring their products to our needs, and both services were well received by staff.”
“I had used other proofreaders and thought my book copy was clean and ready to go. Ruth returned a proof that showed what everyone else had missed. Now my professional readers have a professional book. I am thrilled with Ruth’s work and recommend her completely.”
“Thank you, Rowena, for your efficiency and eagle-eyed skill in editing this book. Having such a competent and reliable editor has been of great comfort to me.”
“Lucy was a phenomenal instructor. She clearly is passionate about not only editing, but about creating future editors. She was knowledgeable and friendly, and I loved that she always participated in group discussions.”
“The thorough and diplomatic work of West Coast Editorial Associates allowed us to turn our attention away from concerns about content and focus on design and production.”
“Thank you, Rowena, for developing and delivering such a practical, informative, and engaging writing workshop for my policy team. I have already recommended you to several government colleagues and look forward to working with you again in the future.”
“It is grand to have the backup support that Audrey’s [blog] notice has given to my Churchill and Fisher. You professionals do so much of the heavy lifting in my line of work, essential to the productivity and quality of good historical writing.”
“The corporate history book you produced for us is amazing, and so was your team. Thank you!”
“I knew we were in good hands. You certainly have been excellent to work with, and I will recommend you to anyone without hesitation.”
“I remember my first call asking for assistance in professionally editing and publishing a book. To see what has been accomplished is certainly beyond my expectations. A big thanks to Lucy for keeping us moving and truly, at times, pushing us to the finish line!”
News and views
A seasonal distraction: The Twelve Days of Christmas for copy editors
Have some professional development fun with our Twelve Days of Christmas changes in the new edition of The Chicago Manual of Style.
The finer points of lists
A list can be a powerful plain-language tool to help readers find information they might otherwise miss. When…
Happy International Plain Language Week!
October 13 to 18 is International Plain Language Week! Whatever you’re writing right now—email, report, manual, web page,…
Sentence case, Title Case, or ALL CAPS?
One of the most common issues we run into as editors is capitalization—starting certain words with a capital letter or using capital letters for entire words.
Let West Coast Editorial Associates look after the words in your life.