Make your manuscript shine!
Your hard work is almost ready for publication, but in your eagerness, don’t forgo the crucial last step: proofreading. You could do it yourself, but . . .
Skipping professional proofreading often leaves self-published novels with errors that distract and jar readers. A thorough proofread, however, ensures your labor of love reaches its full potential.
Proofreading is the final polish on an otherwise publishable manuscript. It may mean the difference between glowing reviews and disappointing ones, or between steady sales and none at all.
The solution? Fresh, trained eyes.
As a full member of ACES (American Copy Editors Society), and with a Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing, I offer professional, meticulous proofreading to ensure your words shine. As an award-winning Christian novelist and a proud member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), I also understand and respect the Christian genre—fully aware of the heart that goes into each project.
Ready to get started? Check out my proofreading services here.
About me
My name is Tess Marie and I live in the Midwestern US, where the summers are short and the winters are long (perfect for cozying up with a book).
In addition to being a writer and proofreader, I’m blessed to be a stay-at-home mom to five children. This means I cuddle, referee, play, and pray—sometimes all at once!
I’ve always loved reading and writing, and I enjoyed earning my Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing. After graduating from college (where I was an associate editor of the literary magazine), I proofread listings at a local volunteer center. Since then, I’ve continued my studies and written and proofread countless projects, including novels, articles, reviews, and more. I worked as a proofreader for Capitol Ministries for several months in 2018–2019 before deciding to focus solely on fiction.
For me, working with words is not merely a job—it’s my passion.
My Education and Training
College of Media and Publishing
• Proofreading and Editing course (level 4 diploma), with distinction
– CPD, EIDL, & IADL accredited
Edit Republic
• High-Level Proofreading and Copyediting Pro course
Proofreading Academy
• Becoming A Proofreader course, with distinction
American Copy Editors Society
• Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing
• ACES Academy Webcast: Grammar Arcana
• ACES Academy Webcast: Small Changes, Big Difference
Editorial Freelancers Association
• Copyediting Fiction course
• Proofreading and Copyediting with The Chicago Manual of Style
The Publishing Training Centre
• Editing Fiction course
Training courses by recognized editors
• Editing Fiction at Sentence Level – Louise Harnby
• The Keys to Effective Editing – Jacquelyn Landis
• Copyediting and Line Editing for Fiction – Jennifer Lawler
American Christian Fiction Writers
• Virtual workshop presented by Tessa Afshar
– The Essentials of Editing
The PEN Institute
• Editing Romance Novels 201 Lesson Pack
• Copyediting Fiction 101 Lesson Pack
• Proofreading 101 Lesson Pack
Centre of Excellence
• Proofreading and Editing diploma, with distinction
– CPD accredited
University of Michigan, via Coursera
• Writing and Editing: Word Choice and Word Order
University of Wisconsin-Waukesha
• AAS Degree, with focus on English and writing
– 4.0 GPA
– Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
– English department honor award
– Associate editor of the Windy Hill Review literary magazine
Professional praise
“Your performance on this manuscript was exceptional! You have an eye for spotting details like consistency, missing words, formatting, spelling, dialogue tags, and English style. You also did an excellent job of following the style guide and maintaining the writer’s voice and style. I have no doubt you are well-prepared and ready to work on a professional level.”
—Phon Baillie, editor and founder of Edit Republic