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Maxie Bai Martin

Freelance Editor & Writer | Copy Editor | Substantive Editor | Stylistic Editor | Proofreader

About

  • Maxie Bai Martin
  • maxie@kwcopyeditor.ca
  • @kwcopyeditor
  • @kweditor
  • Member of the Editors' Association of Canada (EAC)
  • Co-coordinator for the Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph Twig of the Editors Canada (since 2017)
  • Located in Kitchener-Waterloo

Personal Profile

I'm an editor with academic literacy and a dedication to clear communication. I also have a science degree.

Published Work

Bai, Maxie and Ted Goosen. "Crow's Eye View." Monkey Business, No. 3, 2013, pp. 93-96.

Martin, Shane and Maxie Bai. "Gender and the Emergence of Plain Mennonite Parochial School Teachers." Ontario Mennonite History, Vol. 30, No. 1, 2012, pp. 3-9.

Services & Skills

I can help

  • Clarify your thoughts
  • Create readable copy
  • Clean up internal inconsistencies
  • Eliminate jargon
  • Ensure that your work adheres to specific style guides
  • Fine tune language after translation
  • Smooth out and organize structural problems

Types of Edits

  • Substantive edits (structural edits)
  • Stylistic edits
  • Copy edits

Substantive editing, or structural editing, is the first step in the editing process and focuses on the argument, narrative, content, organization, and structure of the text. (Description adapted from the EAC website.)

Stylistic editing, or line editing, focuses on readability and clarity of your language. Here, I attend to the non-mechanical aspects of your writing like how smoothly it reads. I would also highlight run-on sentences, word choice issues, shifts in tone, repetition, problematic phrasing, eliminate jargon, etc.

This step is particularly useful for writers and translators just getting comfortable writing in English.

Copy editing corrects syntax, punctuation, grammar, spelling, and other mechanical aspects of writing. This step cleans up your writing and ensures that it adheres to style expectations. (Rules of spelling and punctuation, for example, can differ between British, Canadian, and American styles.)

Editing of

all types of copy edits: fiction, non-fiction, articles, monographs/books, essays, conference papers, dissertations, and theses for print, online, and self-publication.

Subjects Include

archaeology, ancient history, biography, biology, business, Canadian literature, chemistry, children’s literature, criticism, critical race studies, communications, cultural studies, Dalit literature, development, East Asian studies, ecology, education, English as a second language, environmental studies, evolution, experimental writing, fiction, film studies, gender, genetics, geography, health, healthcare, history, humanities, identity, intersectionality, Indigenous studies, Japanese studies, journalism, Korean studies, literature, literary theory, medicine, memoir, Mennonite history, mental health, natural sciences, non-fiction, nursing, nutrition, physiology, poetry, psychology, religious studies, representation, sex (and gender), science fiction and fantasy, small business, social and political thought, South Asian literature (in English), Sufism, translations, young adult literature.

Experienced with style guides including:

  • Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS)
  • Scientific Style and Format
  • Modern Languages Association (MLA) Style Manual
  • New Oxford Style Manual (New Hart's Rules)
  • Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)

Skills

  • Excellent grasp of academic, theoretical, and scientific language for intensive edits
  • Communicative approach to editing your work
  • Meets deadlines
  • Statistics competency
  • Experience with translation and transliteration

Process

To get things started, please send a request for quote. All estimates are calculated on a by-project basis and are determined by an hour edit of your work. The sample edit will then be returned to you with the estimate. Quotes may be hourly or based on the project.

Send five to ten pages in a Word document to maxie@kwcopyeditor.ca. (Ten pages is ideal.)

Include the following information in the email:

  • the type of project
  • the subject or topic
  • the document length by word count
  • a timeline or deadline
  • the type of edit you are looking for
And if relevant to you, it would also be helpful to include the name of the style manual, the publisher or the manner of publishing, a copy of the publisher's in-house style guide, and any notes provided by early readers.

Education

Formal Education

MA Humanities/York University

Politics of Writing and Translation, Literary Studies, Postcolonial Studies, Identity and Language, North American and Asian Literature (MRP incomplete)

Honours Bachelor of Arts, English Literature/McMaster University

Diploma of East Asian Studies/Korea University

Bachelor of Science/McMaster University

Testimonials

January 2019

"I have known Maxie for years and working with her is always a pleasure. From reviewing and proofing my term papers during my MA at York University (Toronto), to editing and revising my résumé and cover letters when I moved from Germany to the U.S., I could always rely on her sharp mind and thorough eye to help me structure my thoughts and refine my work. Her guidance in setting up my skillset was invaluable and successful—she helped me immensely during my job search.

Her honest feedback has always been extremely helpful. She is truly invested in making her clients shine."

February 2019

"​​​I have worked with Maxie on several projects including the development of a comprehensive white paper and a new 20+ page website development. Both projects required Maxie to write about topics she did not have previous experience with​, ​one being technical and one being clinical​—in both cases Maxie exceeded my expectations.

She is extremely thorough in her project methodology, her research, and her end product. In the case of the white paper Maxie was tasked with interviewing four industry experts, where she was able to succinctly translate technical information and acted in a professional manner, impressing the interviewees.

Working with Maxie is a stress-free experience. She meets deadlines and communicates well during projects; she’s a team player, and has exceptional writing and editing skills. I would not hesitate to work with her again."

February 2019

"It really was a pleasure working with Maxie Bai Martin. The exchange and communication was always very pleasant and timely. Her expertise in editing texts has greatly enriched my work. I can recommend Maxie Bai Martin with full confidence and look forward to the next opportunity to work with her."

Philippe is a research associate and PhD student
Department of Sociology
University of Lucerne, Switzerland