You write because you have something you want to communicate. Poor writing can make it difficult for your readers to understand what you are saying. Spelling mistakes and typos are a distraction. Factual errors make you lose credibility.

By using my services you can be confident that your writing is

• clear
• concise
• accurate
• consistent in style and formatting.

And I will make sure your writing uses language appropriate for your readers.

The services of an editor provide you with a safety net – a cushion.

Sara Donaldson of Northern Editorial on why copy editing is important to good writing:
Copy Editors Matter

Here is a recent article written by someone who knows the value of a good editor:
The Better Angels of Our Writing

John E McIntyre of the Baltimore Sun writes about what proper editing is:
What they think about when they are editing

This op-ed piece from The New York Times explains the effect that using the passive voice can have:
How Texas Teaches History

My name is Maureen Lee and Cushion Editing Services is my company. The services I provide include copy editing, structural editing, proofreading and writing.

For over 20 years I worked full-time as an editor at the New Zealand Parliament, editing text on a wide range of subjects. My duties included copy editing, proofreading, fact-checking and checking formatting. I developed editing style, wrote style guides and training material, and trained people to be editors.

I can quickly get to grips with any subject so that I can edit copy on it.

I edit any writing in English, including fiction, memoirs, historical works, websites, reports, family histories, training material, curricula, transcripts and indexes.

I look forward to working with you.

diary of a young New Zealander who travelled to the Antarctic with Captain Scott on the ship Discovery 1901-03

author of a story of ‘love, friendship, betrayal, adventure and the power of matakite’

truck driver writing a ‘true tale of a life on the road, leading to an enlightenment and a self-consciousness of what “life” truly honestly is’

author of children’s book, a sequel to Awatea’s Treasure

a company’s KiwiBuild proposal, involving several technical documents in different formats, done to a tight timeframe

Huia Publishers structural and copy edit of young adult manuscript

Institute of Directors in New Zealand: review of training material (multiple documents over several formats)

MBA student’s property development project: editing and fact-checking

Institute of Directors in New Zealand: report writing (12 reports), including some Te Reo words and phrases

builder putting together a Look Book and TradeMe advertisement

author of The Compleat Guide to HMS New Zealand

Institute of Directors in New Zealand: report writing (100-plus reports)

tertiary student writing report on sugar tax

author of 80,000-word love story

author of children’s book Awatea’s Treasure

tertiary student writing a report on waste reduction at building sites

author of an editorial for a medical publication

author of memoir / recipe book A Lighthouse Keeper’s Cookbook

Institute of Directors in New Zealand: editing multiple training documents

Fill out this contact form or email Maureen directly at info@cushionediting.co.nz