“Some of Danielle’s approaches to editing that stand out include speediness in providing developmental editing, ability to sharpen my prose for broader audiences … [and] provide advice in a way that is not heavy handed, always with refined decorum, which has allowed me to find my voice in a supportive environment.”
— Óscar F. Gil-García, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University at Buffalo
I’m currently booking projects for Winter & Spring 2026.
Beta and sensitivity reading
Creative writers are doing essential work, building the muscle memory of our collective imaginations with their stories. Beta reading supports writers in the stage before submitting a manuscript to an editor or publisher. As a beta reader, I give honest, detailed feedback on how a manuscript feels to read. It’s a way to test out your story in a supportive environment. Find out what’s working, what isn’t, and why. I work with manuscripts in the following genres of literary fiction and nonfiction:
- memoir: identity, political, experimental
- radical political thought: decolonial, gender, posthuman, eco-feminist
- Gothic lit
- surrealist fiction
- literary horror
- speculative fiction
- dystopian fiction
- magical realism
- works in translation, especially from Spanish and French
If you’re inspired by writers like Mariana Enriquez, Samanta Schweblin, Haruki Murakami, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Jorge Luis Borges, we may be a good match! I love stories that play with opacity, liminality, and the surreal.
I also offer sensitivity reading (or as I prefer to call it, ‘nuance reading’). Nuance reading supports writers engaging with complex topics, such as oppression, sex and sexuality, physical violence, etc. As a nuance reader, I draw on my own lived experience to identify misrepresentations, stereotypes, biases, and other failures to attend to complexity that may have worked their way into your text. Specifically, I read narratives involving
- characters who are identified as women, female, or nonbinary
- characters who experience mental illness
- characters who are mixed race or ethnicity
- deconstruction or critique of Christianity
- settings and daily life in the contemporary United States.
Rate for manuscripts of 10,000 words or less: USD$100
More than 10,000 words: USD$200
Academic editing
A profound curiosity led you here. You’re asking difficult research questions with complex answers. I’m here to lighten the load of academic publishing by offering supportive editing to improve your manuscript’s clarity, coherence, and impact.
Types of academic projects I work on:
- journal article manuscripts
- academic book and book chapter manuscripts
- Master’s theses and PhD dissertations
- grant reports
- book, grant, and fellowship proposals
What’s included:
Two passes of a manuscript, with tracked changes and comments. Clients also receive a detailed written summary of overall strengths, weaknesses, and strategic recommendations.
Base rate: USD$0.08 per word.
Expedited copyediting: base + USD$0.03 per word
Follow-up consultation: USD$80 per hour
Second round of copyediting: 10% discount on base
Research communications
Ready to kick jargon to the curb? Build capacity for sharing your expertise to a wider audience. I can help transform your insights into engaging and accessible stories that build connection, and drive action.
Types of projects I help with:
- nonprofit research and grant reports
- research-based books with mainstream appeal (i.e. “academic crossover books”)
- op-eds and essays
- speeches, public lectures, and other presentations
Service is tailored to the specific needs of the project.
Base rate for developmental support: USD$70 to 80 per hour, depending on complexity
Copyediting base rate: USD$0.08 per word
Expedited copyediting: base + USD$0.03 per word
Follow-up consultation: USD$80 per hour
Second round of copyediting: 10% discount on base
Danielle Douez 