Services
Thank you for your interest in Opercula. If you are looking for a quote, please email me at Sayzie.Koldys@gmail.com. Provide your name, email and/or telephone number, the offering in which you are interested, and a few details about the length and content of your manuscript, if applicable. I will usually get back to you within 24 hours.
STEM Editing
I specialize in STEM editing for both scientific and general audiences. I ensure both clarity and adherence to a discipline-specific or agreed-upon style. I work in tracked changes, in PDF markup, or in hard copy, depending on your preference.
Website/Ad Proofreading
In 1962, NASA scientists forgot a keystroke similar to a hyphen in an equation, causing a spacecraft to go into guidance system failure minutes after launch. Your typos may not cost tens of millions of dollars, but they can affect your bottom line. Mistakes or sloppy writing can indicate a lack of competence. Demonstrate your attention to detail by employing a second set of trained eyes on your project. For as little as you'd pay for family night at the movies, I can help you grow your business/get that job/make a flawless impression.
Business Writing/Copy Editing
Looking for fresh, evocative, SEO content for your website or LinkedIn pages? Maybe you know exactly what you want to get across to potential clients but don't have the time to craft your own content. Or you write several pieces per week but your site isn't getting the traffic you know it should. Even the best writers benefit from a sharp editorial eye. Click the Writing Clips tab to see what I can create for you, or see the Editing Style page for a sample edit.
Book and Essay Editing
I accept book-length fiction and nonfiction manuscripts for developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading. I offer holistic feedback on structure, character, plot, and language as well as copy editing for spelling, grammar, and consistency. I am available on an hourly or per-project basis to work with your novel, memoir, web content, English translations, and even college application essays. I edit using tracked changes on electronic documents or in hard copy, depending on your preference.
Coaching
Do you have a memoir you've been meaning to write? Did you start a novel years ago? Do you imagine your words in print but don't know how to get started? I provide encouragement and consistent follow-up to keep you on track, suggestions from my decades of experience, feedback on works in progress, in-depth edits, complementary writing exercises, and eventually information on how to get your work published.
Writing
I write short fiction, essays, and articles on topics ranging from Polynesian cuisine to mental illness. If you’re looking for content for your magazine, website, or anthology, I have flexible rates and work well on deadlines. Please see the Writing Clips page for samples of my work.
Research
After a decade of postsecondary education, I am well suited to academic research. I taught research writing at the college level for four years, and much of my published fiction is heavily research based. If you’re looking for information on any topic, from the history of whiskey to the current state of reef fish in American Samoa, I will use my knowledge of traditional research combined with my personal and professional connections across the globe to approach your topic from all applicable angles.
Tutoring
I have seven years of experience giving feedback to postsecondary students and a decade of experience with high school students. I taught literature and writing (research, essay, and fiction) at Southern Maine Community College and at Boise State University. I am available to work with high school and college students in the Portland, Maine area who are struggling with English literature or writing courses or who need extra help writing papers in any discipline.