Collaborating with a Thinking Copy Editor
What do I offer as a Writing Consultant-Copy Editor for INSEAD Executive Master in Change (EMC) program participants?
Let's delve into the journey from the client's perspective:
You are excited about sharing snippets of your topic, though you are anxious because you are not quite able to articulate it with coherence or logic; even its contours are still amorphous. Most of all, the immense task of conducting a research study and documenting it rigorously and critically, which will require discipline and stamina, still looms intimidatingly ahead.
This is where I come in. My job as a thinking copy editor is to help you tackle this challenging task with a sense of adventure and excitement. I am the reassuring guide who has been on this path thousands of times. Though every topic and every client may differ, the step-by-step journey of demarcating the scope of the research topic, breaking down the thesis "elephant" (chapter by chapter), and moving iteratively between analyzing the data meticulously and keeping an eye on the research aim remains immutable.
Once the writing gets started, I am the first reader responding to the accessibility of your writing based on two criteria. Can a layperson understand it? Will they find your content engaging? As a copy editor, I roll up my sleeves and get to work to help your writing meet these two criteria within the parameters of academic integrity. At the same time, I flag ambiguities in intended meanings, lapses in logical flow, and the possibility of greater depth in analysis with the incorporation of additional psychodynamic concepts. My familiarity with some of the psychodynamic concepts also enables me to highlight an incorrect application of the concept.
Through it all, I am your cheerleader: you can count on me to encourage you, as your energy wanes and your spirit wavers, and you wonder whether you will get to the finishing line. And I am here to remind you, without a shadow of a doubt, that you are going to get to the finishing line. Others have gone through it, and so will you. Because I am unfazed by the thesis writing journey: ultimately, for the thesis product to be meaningful, the thesis writing process has to absorb your heart, mind, and soul, and even bring you down to your knees at times. All these moments go into the making of a life experience that will help you learn even more about yourself.
If you are interested in embarking on any aspect of this journey or learning more about it, I look forward to hearing from you!
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