Editing and Writing in Eugene, Oregon

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Peter Heyrman
Bear Press Editorial Services

When you call or email me about your writing project you will have plenty of questions. You will want to know my credentials, how much the job will cost, and how long it will take. How can you be sure I will do the work? Can you trust me not to steal your work? Will I keep it confidential?

I will answer all of those questions, and any others you may have when you contact me. For now I will tell you this:

I have written for magazines as diverse as Twilight Zone and Playgirl, and for newspapers including The Washington Post and The Baltimore Sun. My fiction has appeared in anthologies from Harcourt Brace, 2AM Books and several other publishing houses. My historical essays have been published by Greenwood Press and the Maryland Historical Society. I have edited, taught, and published a journal for the arts. It's all in my resume, and I'll send that to you at your request.

The most important component in the editor-writer relationship is trust. If trust is an issue, I will be happy to sign a nondisclosure agreement. A clause in my standard contract gives similar guarantees. I can also provide references, both professional and personal. I've known and/or worked with a variety of authors for decades. They will vouch for my integrity and competence.

If you want samples of my writing, I will provide those. I also invite you to google my name. I have several pieces on the Internet. What might interest you more would be a sample edit of your own work. If you are looking for editing, email me a short section of your writing I will edit about 500 words (a page or so). That way you can see how my editing fits your writing, and base your decision on that. If you need a writer, email or call () and tell me what your project is all about: your subject, your ideas, and what form you want them to take (essay, article, book, or whatever). I have written everything from 50-word captions to 400-page books.

If you are coming to me for editing, like most editors, I began as a writer, so I know how important your work is to you. My only goal is to help you improve it. This process is not always easy for a writer. You must be willing to see your words change. I understand how difficult that is. I've been edited myself many times.

A good editor is a conduit between the author and the readers. My job is to help you get your point across. I'm not here to change what you have to say; I'm here to help you make it crystal clear. I read your work carefully, learn what you want to say, then edit with the goal of making the writing do what you want it to do.

If you are coming to me for writing, I will strive to capture your voice in print, and convey your story as only you can tell it. The final product will be entirely yours. You, and only you, will put your name on it as its author.

If this is what you're looking for, give me a call at , or send me an email through the link in this ad. Thank you.

Peter Heyrman