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. The services I provide include content editing, copy editing, writing and researching.

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 work with any writing in English, including fiction and non-fiction, academic writing, writing for children and young adults, memoirs, histories, websites, reports, training material, transcripts and indexes.

I look forward to working with you.

• Member (Professional) of IPEd (Australasian Institute of Professional Editors)
• English degree from the University of Auckland
• Qualified tutor of English as a second language
• Experienced editor of text for people whose first language is not English
• Experienced editor of text that includes words and phrases in Te Reo Māori
• 15% discount for members of the New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ).

author of a series of booklets to be published on a personal development website

holder of knowledge of the history of an iwi who wants his knowledge to be available to his fellow iwi members and their descendants

family of a young New Zealander who kept a diary of his trip to the Antarctic with Captain R F Scott on the ship Discovery in 1901-03

author of a 63,883-word story of ‘love, friendship, betrayal, adventure and the power of matakite’, set within a Māori context and drawing heavily on Māori beliefs

truck driver writing about his life on the road, and his journey to enlightenment

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: content and copy edit of 78,000-word young adult manuscript incorporating Māori concepts,

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 Māori words and phrases

builder putting together a Look Book and TradeMe advertisement

author of military history 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