For those who already have written the stories of their lives, Chapters of Life® offers professional editing to help writers transform what might be mundane prose into vivid stories. Always keeping the potential reader in mind, we look for smooth-flowing transitions, logical organization and questions that may need to be answered. We also check for proper spelling, grammar and punctuation, as well as typographical errors and anything else that interrupts the readability.
Editor Julie McDonald Zander worked nearly a decade as a newspaper editor, developing story ideas, helping with organization and coaching writers. As assistant city editor, she worked with correspondents who had little or no formal training in journalism. But through her coaching, including explanations of why she recommends changes, she has helped many people improve their writing skills and pursue writing as a profession.
Julie Zander has the critical eye of
a master sergeant and the gentle
spirit of a kindergarten teacher.
That unusual combination makes
her a unique editor: thorough,
efficient, exceptionally skilled,
and a pleasure to work with. She
enhances the quality of every project
she undertakes.
Amber Dahlin, Writing Adventures,
Idaho Springs, Colorado. Co-author
(with Janet Laurel) of Heart and Soul:
What it Takes to Promote Health While
Confronting Cancer
In addition to working as a personal historian, Zander provides freelance editing services. She works quickly and efficiently to improve the writing, offering suggestions and the reasoning to support her recommendations. Instead of simply making arbitrary changes to a writer’s prose, she helps writers improve their skills by teaching them to identify what works best and what doesn’t.
Julie Zander is our editor of choice.
for two major reasons: 1) The high
quality of her craft— she catches every
minute detail, whether it’s text related
or the aesthetics of design layout and
formatting; and 2) The education process
—instead of just making corrections, Julie
explains why a change is necessary. It’s
the “why” that makes her editing more
valuable, because it helps us produce a
better quality product for our clients
while raising awareness for future
efforts. With Julie’s contributions, we
feel confident that our clients receive the
best quality at the best value. It’s money
well spent.
Paula Slavens, Special Editions-
Customized Biographies, Beaverton, Oregon
Transcription Services
We will provide transcription services to people who have already captured their life stories or the stories of a loved one on audiotape or videotape. We transcribe quickly but accurately, double-checking anything questionable and determining the spelling of uncommon words or proper nouns. We offer a quick turnaround and high-quality transcripts.
Learn more about upcoming workshops and conference events. We have prepared a variety of helpful resources for historians. Visit our Historian Resources page for descriptions and ordering information. You may enjoy browsing through our free articles and resources, too. We invite you to contact us if you have any questions.