Substantive, Stylistic, and Copy Editing, and Proofreading

Lynne proofread my first novel, The Mapmaker’s Wife, in 2017 and did an excellent job. In 2023, she copy edited and proofread my new novel, The White Garden. The manuscript was undeniably messy but Lynne ploughed through it with her meticulous eye for detail and profound knowledge of English grammar, noting plot holes, repetitions, omissions, and other inconsistencies. I couldn’t believe how many things she picked up on that I and others had missed through multiple readings. Lynne is a talented and highly professional editor and I have no hesitation in recommending her. 

~ Christine Forth, Author
The White Garden and The Mapmaker’s Wife
(fiction: historical romance)

Lynne worked with me to copy edit my memoir, Here With You, and I’m so grateful for her expertise and professionalism. She not only caught all the niggly grammar and craft inconsistencies, but helped to clarify themes and flow. Her passion for good writing is apparent and she was always respectful of my perspectives and opinions, which made it easy and fun to learn from her. My book is in much better shape because of Lynne! 

~ Kathy Wagner, Author
Here With You
(memoir: addiction, grief, loss)

I worked with Lynne on a very demanding job of cutting by two-thirds [300,000 words down to 100,000] my wife’s and my experience of living and travelling in forty countries over several decades. Lynne was able to do the necessary surgery [substantive edit] without losing the tone or essence of my writing. Lynne is first class.

~ Bob Boase, Author
[coming soon]
(memoir: travelogue)

Nick Gudewill and I are sincerely grateful for Lynne’s help in bringing the story of generations of Gudewills to completion. Her knowledge and efforts [an intensive proofread of a 1,000-page manuscript that had been a decade in the making] contributed to making this work one in which we can all take pride.

Pattie Whitehouse, Author
A Gudewill Story
(historical nonfiction: family biography)

Five Nights began as a simple travelogue, but when Lynne got her hands on the manuscript, she found within the shell of my words a deep kernel of an internal journey. This is the journey that turned out to be the theme and message of the narrative. Her thoughtful advice, insightful comments, and respectful understanding [developmental/substantive edit] helped reveal the real reason that I wanted to write this book. Thank you, Lynne.

~ Rosemary Rigsby, Author
Five Nights in a Turtle (memoir: travelogue),
Lewa’s Birds (YA fiction: mystery), Legacy of Ghosts (fiction: mystery)

Lynne did a great job copy editing my book. She had a sharp eye for sentences that were confusing, needed more context, or were simply awkward. It was a pleasure to see how the manuscript began to shine under her careful attention.

~ Claudia Cornwall, Author
British Columbia in Flames
(memoir: popular history)

Lynne’s perspectives on my topic are very different than mine, yet she was able to bring her own insights to bear in a way that made my own thoughts clearer and richer. In the end, she helped me produce a book that was deeper and more reflective than I could have managed without her skillful guidance. With Lynne, the whole editing process [substantive, stylistic, and copy editing] was so rewarding that reworking the manuscript was a joyful experience. I recommend Lynne to any writer who wishes to take their manuscript to the next level of excellence.

~ Gerald Sze, Author
The Sacred Path of the Soulmate
(self-help: spiritual)

I had the pleasure of working with Lynne on my book Rowing the Northwest Passage, published by Greystone Books. From the start, I recognized Lynne fully grasped what I was trying to achieve through my writing and the [stylistic] editing process proved efficient and enjoyable. Thanks to her great efforts, my book has turned out better than I ever could have hoped.

~ Kevin Vallely, Author
Rowing the Northwest Passage
(memoir: environmental)

Lynne taught me and then showed me that you don’t have to be wordy to capture thought, evoke emotion, or provide emphasis—that, in fact, being concise and clear is a far better way to achieve these goals. With Lynne’s help (substantive, stylistic, and copy editing], I not only produced a better book than I would have otherwise, but I also learned to be a stronger communicator myself.

~Mary Wong, Author
Pathways to Pregnancy
(self-help: health)

I gave Lynne an extremely difficult manuscript on which to perform a substantive edit. It was poorly organized, nearly twice as long as needed, and replete with outdated cultural references and unintentionally prejudicial language. When she turned it in, I was astonished by just how good a job she’d done. She completely reorganized the content, cut 50,000 words, and identified gaps in the remaining material. Thanks to her hard work and sensitive eye, the resulting book is lucid, clear, compelling, tight, and well developed.

~Maggie Langrick, Publisher
Wonderwell (formerly LifeTree Media)
(self-help: spiritual, health, business)

We have worked with Lynne on a number of projects [stylistic and copy editing] and each time she is the epitome of professionalism, both in her communication and her work. I recommend her highly.

~ Anne Key, Managing Editor
Goddess Ink
(memoir, essays: academic, feminist, spiritual)

As new authors, we’d like to express our thanks to Lynne Melcombe for copy editing our book, Sexy, Sassy and Strong. . . . She put our words in an order that made me feel like our message was stronger, clearer, and easier to read, without losing our style or the flavour we wanted in the book. She was very professional and we are very grateful!

~ Alison Forezli and Gloria Mohninger, Co-authors
Sexy, Sassy and Strong
(self-help: fitness)

Lynne came on board to proofread Nerve Line at a time when my deadlines were tight and crucial. She came through not only with a thorough copy edit, but with some honest and hard-hitting [substantive] advice that came at exactly the right moment and made a terrific impact on the final copy.

~ Nancy Mackenzie, Author
Nerve Line
(fiction: magical realism)

Working with Lynne was a delight. She is a true professional, imaginative with ideas, and meticulous when it comes to details. Her editing skills [substantive and copy editing] and problem-solving abilities are amazing. I highly recommend Lynne!

~ Jeremy Freeman, Author
Chess Tactics: Weapons for the Chess Warrior
(children’s nonfiction: instruction)

Lynne is a pleasure to work with. Her comments on the first draft of my manuscript were encouraging and suggestions right on the mark. She was sensitive to a difficult topic yet urged me to tell my story in a way that would better engage the reader. In looking for an editor, I sent several pages of my manuscript to eight editors for sample edits. I chose Lynne because her [stylistic and copy editing] sample sounded like me . . . only better!

~ Niki Krauss, Author
Little Girl Mended
(memoir: sexual abuse, spiritual)

If you want someone to correct your grammar and punctuation, I’m sure Lynne can do that for you. But I recommend her because she does more than just tell me my writing is fine and my book is good to go. She helped me make my novel better, and she helped me learn to be a better writer.

~ Kathleen H. Wheeler, Author
Brought to Our Senses
(fictional memoir: Alzheimer’s disease)

It would not have been possible to convert my master’s thesis into a book without Lynne’s comprehensive editorial advice. Her multi-layered reviews and assessments [substantive, stylistic, copy editing, and proofreading] provided the focus and guidance I needed to bring this book to press. 

~ Carl A. Bolton, Author
Software Asset Management: What Is It and Why Do I Need It?
(textbook: training manual)

Corporate and Not-for-Profit Work

 I hold Lynne’s work in very high regard. She is organized, creative, and truly a big picture thinker who worked collaboratively with a diverse group of people in fifteen offices to bring strong leadership. She provides excellent services and is a pleasure to work with.

~ James Aldridge, Executive Director (former)
Grok China
(corporate reports)

Lynne has shown a tremendous ability for producing clear and concise content that ensures understanding yet also allows for translation to a number of languages. She conducts herself in both a professional and timely manner enabling us to keep to scheduled deadlines. Her work is meticulous and she has contributed greatly in the success of our products. I enthusiastically recommend Lynne’s editing services.

~ Kelly Hegedus, Publishing Manager (former)
CCI Learning Solutions
(training manuals)

Lynne worked with us for many years. The writers we hired had to adhere to tight deadlines, producing accurate, evocative publications under intense pressure. Lynne’s work for us was consistently strong, and I know she has since carried her excellent writing skills and high professional standards into her freelance career.

~ Mitchell Beer, President (former)
InfoLink: The Conference Publishers
(meeting notes, conference newsletters)

Lynne is an excellent writer. She excelled at the challenging role of converting complex, medical terminology into interesting, readable, educational material for consumers and retailers. She did so in a challenging environment of unclear and changing legal restrictions. Lynne responded well to the marketing environment at SISU, which called for quick results within changing priorities, and she did so without compromising her high standards.

~ Susan Rooney, Director of Marketing (former)
SISU Inc.
(marketing communications)

Lynne brings professionalism and passion to her skilled writing, thoughtfully crafting messages and promoting ideas that further our work. We have developed an excellent working relationship and strongly recommend her work to others, particularly those in the field of social justice.

~ Penny Bain, Executive Director (former)
BC Institute Against Family Violence
(not-for-profit PR)

Lynne’s work is fluent, fresh, powerful, and consistently well-crafted. Her ability to work within demanding deadlines with the utmost professionalism is exemplary! She is a joy to work with in every setting, and we recommend her very highly as an outstanding professional in her field of work.

~ Donna Otto and Morna Edmundson
Co-Artistic Directors (former), Coastal Sound Music Academy
(not-for-profit PR)