If you have content that needs editing, contact me.
I love to pick up a piece of writing and clean it up, to tie up loose ends, and present the matter so that it is just right.
I have several years of experience as a copy editor and a line editor, and I welcome collections of stories, non-fiction and fiction in all genres. I have particular experience working with authors with English as their second language, and also in editing material that has been translated into English.
With a background in science and technology, and a deep interest in world culture, health, fitness and humanities, I am equipped to edit non-fiction of all kinds.
I’ll be happy to do a sample edit for you, for free.
Don’t take my word for it – Read the testimonials!
“Shruthi is an extraordinary editor, the kind of editor a literary writer fastidiously prays for. The kind of editor who looks at every sentence with patience, and catches those plot conflict details you miss because you’re too familiar with your work. Shruthi finds every little careless comma, spelling, or syntax error. An editor that asks you the harder questions, those that either make you more confident of your story or help you tweak it for the better.
– Rheea Mukherjee, Author, The Body Myth and Transit for Beginners
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Just when you think your manuscript couldn’t be better, Shruthi points out gently, the twenty mistakes that have taken refuge in your writing. It could be a comma, a misspelt or a misplaced word. It could even be whole paragraphs that you feel are so awesome but are actually just dead weight in the writing. That is how precise and thorough her editing is and how insightful her observations are. She has this wonderful knack to bring forth a little more out of you; a better word, a better dialogue or a better way of expressing a situation. And the end-product is a vast improvement upon the original one.
Thank you so much Shruthi for your professionalism, thoroughness and patience! I couldn’t have asked for a better person to work with. – Suma Arun Bhat, writer.
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Shruthi is a perfectionist in the true sense! She is great at editing; her mastery over grammar, words, sentences is absolute. She will ask you all the right questions, catching you off guard every time. But, she is more than that. She knows exactly what the content/plot/story needs, taking it several notches higher. And that is not an acquired talent, its innate. In my experience with her, she didn’t strangle my style of writing, she refined it. That’s the mark of a truly great editor.
In a world, where most people pretend to care but they don’t, Shruthi is just the opposite. There was a point when I was working on my book that I actually gave up. It was tough! But Shruthi convinced me not to. It’s at moments like this when you see the other side of the usually reticent and blunt editor. This book wouldn’t have been possible without you, thank you for everything (including the grammar lessons).
– Rajeshwari Nukala, author, The American Dream
“As a copy editor, Shruthi did not limit her sharp observations to spelling, grammar, semantics and formatting. Her remarks and suggestions on the creative aspects were insightful. She is an avid reader, and a widely published short story and children’s book writer. I guess this helps her look at manuscriptsfrom all possible lenses.
I am glad to have her as my copy editor!”
– Shruti Dasgupta Johri, author, Her Master Key: A Hotel Housekeeper’s Stories from Inn-dia
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“I have had the pleasure of knowing Shruthi through various writing groups we’ve both been part of, and I have always been impressed with her deep understanding of the nuances of storytelling. Besides, she is an extremely avid reader with an eclectic taste in books and is, therefore, comfortable with all genres of writing. So, when I needed an editor for my collection of short stories, I couldn’t think of a better person, and Shruthi has lived up to my expectations in every way. It has been a great pleasure working with her, and I hope to come back to her with future writing projects.”
– Vrinda Baliga, Author, Name, Place, Animal, Thing
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“I feel fortunate to have had a chance to work closely with Shruthi Rao on my anthology of short stories called “Nameless Lanes.” What I particularly admire about her editing is her keen intelligence to pick up the shards of incoherent ramblings that writers occasionally and unwittingly slip into, and shape them into something eloquent and beautiful.
Shruthi has the ability to infuse her creative skills to clip and trim wherever wordiness appears to ruin precision. She takes rigorous and thorough attention to detail which is not possible if the copy editor does not possess the instinct to catch the writer on the wrong foot.
In my entire teaching and writing career spanning more than thirty-five years, I have rarely met a meticulous proofreader like her. Her flawless editing skills have made her a pleasure to work with. I really can’t thank you enough, Shruthi!”
– Dr. Syed Sarwar Hussain, Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics and Translation Studies, College of Languages and Translation; King Saud University; Riyadh; Saudi Arabia
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Our company hired Shruthi to edit translations from mainly African languages into English. It takes a deft skill to be able to correctly edit for comprehension,
while also allowing the original language to shine through the text. Shruthi finds that balance. She is a meticulous editor, and we will gladly work with her again.
– Tanya McCullough, Senior Project Manager, Linguistic Data Services
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