We connect Black and Indigenous scholars and researchers with pro bono academic editing services to support their intellectual and creative careers

Find BIPOC academic editors for hire 

If and when you have sufficient funding to pay for editorial services, we recommend you hire a Black and/or Indigenous editor. This page lists several membership directories for BIPOC editors as well as, with their permission, several Black and/or Indigenous editors who specialize in academic and scholarly editing.

 

Request pro bono editing

To request pro bono editing services, (1) scroll down this page to find editors currently available, or (2) contact us with your request, and we will connect you with an editor. 

Directories of BIPOC professional editors

Black and/or Indigenous editors who specialize in academic editing

Note: The editors on this list work independently and are not necessarily affiliated with the Academic Editing Circle. Please contact them directly to discuss your project.

Dana Johnson

  • dj.edits
  • A licensed science educator and former scientist, Dana has over ten years of experience copyediting doctoral dissertations, nonfiction manuscripts, articles, and educational materials. Dana brings to all projects a DEI&J lens as well as specialized knowledge in the life, physical, and social sciences.

Would you like to be listed here?

  • Your website here
  • Brief information about your editorial skills and content areas here. Please email us to be added to this list!

Do you know someone who might want to be included in this list?

  • Please contact us with their name and contact information, and we will email to ask if they’d like to be included. Thank you!

Editors currently offering pro bono editing with the Academic Editing Circle

 

——— Available for pro bono editing April–June 2023

You may contact any of these editors directly or through the Academic Editing Circle contact page.

Please note that many of our volunteers can only take on pro bono projects the size of a journal article, a book chapter, or one to two chapters of a dissertation. If you have a full book or dissertation project in mind, please talk to your editor to decide together what they can offer that will be most useful to you.

 

Sruthi Balakrishnan

  • Sruthi Balakrishnan’s LinkedIn profile
  • Sruthi has a PhD in biology and edits papers/theses/dissertations in cell biology, immunology, neuroscience, and psychology (so far). She is also a science writer who likes to break down complex ideas and tie different viewpoints together.

Elizabeth (Liz) DeWolf

  • Elizabeth’s website
  • Elizabeth specializes in editing articles, book proposals, and book manuscripts in the humanities and social sciences, primarily sociology, urban studies, and political science. She has a masters in City Design and Social Science.

Kyra Freestar

  • Bridge Creek Editing
  • More than fifteen years’ experience editing journal articles and funding proposals in interdisciplinary health and social sciences, including global health, public health, and nursing research. Background in cultural anthropology, gender studies, and health care research. Editing mentor and organizer.
  • Note: Available in June only

Dana Johnson

  • Your Words Only Better
  • A licensed science educator and former scientist, Dana has over ten years of experience copyediting doctoral dissertations, nonfiction manuscripts, articles, and educational materials. Dana brings to all projects a DEI&J lens as well as specialized knowledge in the life, physical, and social sciences.

Tess Rankin

  • https://tessrankin.com/
  • Over seven years experience editing scholarly texts in the humanities, including journal articles, book chapters, and grant application materials. PhD in Spanish & Portuguese Languages & Literatures, expertise in cultural studies and gender studies, and extensive work with authors writing in English as a second language.

 

——— Available for pro bono editing July–September 2023: TBA

Please contact us to request editing projects for July 2023 or later, and we will be happy to work with you!

 

Past and future editors participating in the Academic Editing Circle

These editors have completed at least one pro bono editing project through the Academic Editing Circle. They are currently focusing on paid work, but intend to participate again in the future. 

We are happy to welcome volunteer editors at any time!

 

 

Complimentary access to online courses relevant to academic and science writing

For Black and/or Indigenous scholars (professors, students, researchers, etc.) anywhere in the world:

 

——— Available February–June 2023

 

Free online courses on advanced tools for writing and editing in MS Word with editor Hilary Cadman

Hilary has been where you are, frustrated with MS Word and the writing and editing process. Having discovered how to use Word and its many useful add-ins well, Hilary is passionate about helping others to use Word and other tools to work faster and smarter.

Contact Hilary directly to request your free course.

      Additional resources

      #AcademicsForBlackLives: a public list of non-Black academics who have pledged to provide various types of support for Black womxn academics during this time of need and beyond. Services available include editing and proofreading as well as support with other academic responsibilities.

      Free author resources from PREPSS: “Pre-Publication Support Service (PREPSS) provides manuscript development and writing support to health researchers from around the globe to address authorship disparities.” Some services are restricted to researchers affiliated with participating institutions, but their suite of free author resources—on writing and publishing, cover letters, peer review, scientific posters and more—is available to all.

      Free author resources from the PLOS Writing Center: This page offers free guides on article writing. “Learn how to prepare each of the key components of a research article from start to finish.”