Rowena got her start in editing while studying biology at Laval University in Quebec City. She edited her francophone classmates’ written English and discovered how much she enjoys working with words. After a few more years as a biologist, she pursued a writing degree and editing classes, and in 2004 launched her freelance writing and editing career.
Starting with articles and reports about aquatic sciences and the environment, Rowena slowly expanded her range to include health, business, museum, education, and other non-fiction publications, as well as select fiction manuscripts. She mainly works on stylistic editing, copy editing, and proofreading projects, and she also does the occasional developmental edit.
Rowena gives writing and editing workshops for workplace writers and offers both one-on-one and small-group coaching to writers and editors. For five years, she taught copy editing courses for Simon Fraser University’s Editing Certificate program.
As well as editing and teaching, Rowena writes non-fiction books for children, and she collaborates with her sister as co-author of the award-winning Meg and Greg books, which feature illustrated short stories for children who are learning to read.
Rowena lives in Victoria with her two book-loving daughters. Together, they hike, cycle, draw, paint, and read.