Meet Your Friendly Editor!
Linda LiDestri - Your Editorial Partner
About Me
The first comment about me actually includes you. Together, we both want to produce the best product that we can, and I understand we are on the same team. There are many moving parts in the production process; I always endeavor to make mine run as smoothly as possible.
Now that the most important goal has been shared, here's a bit of biography. I prefer the city to the country. I like flamingos and rhinos and sea life. There is never a downside to time spent in a library, a theater, or a restaurant. My favorite season is baseball season. I really like comfortable shoes, coloring, and chocolate, though not necessarily in that order.
Here's the exciting professional stuff. I hold a B.A. in English from Ithaca College and a master's degree in teaching from Sacred Heart University. My first publishing job was a position as a secretary in the College Division at Harper & Row (now HarperCollins) Publishers. It was H&R that introduced me to the computer and my first freelance opportunity. After H&R, I joined the production staff at Working Mother magazine. (Anybody out there remember the wax machine?) From there I became a staff copy editor at New Woman magazine. A move brought me west, and I began to edit and write for local newspapers. Here I met a teeny, tiny Apple computer on which I set type until a move east brought me to Connecticut, where I began my freelance business, offering copyediting and proofreading services to needy manuscripts.
Need more info? Visit the Client List page of this website for a good look at the types of books I work on. The full résumé is here.
Résumé
Linda LiDestri
WORK EXPERIENCE:
August 1998 to Present
Freelance Copy Editor and Proofreader, Stratford, CT
Copyedit or proofread copy in various stages of production. Clients include Macmillan, McGraw-Hill ESL/ELT, the Wright Group, Glencoe, Loyola Press, Rally! Education, Cambridge University Press, Time Inc., Oxford University Press, Jamestown Publishers, Kaplan International, Prentice Hall, Kensington Books, WSHU Public Radio, mysportsguru.com, Girl magazine, KNPR Public Radio.
1991 to 1997
Freelance Editor, Earborne, KNPR, Las Vegas, NV
Ran editorial meeting that determined what articles would run in bimonthly newsletter that served listenership of KNPR-FM, Nevada Public Radio. Assigned articles. Kept writers on schedule. Edited copy. Acquired and chose photos. Coordinated copy with designer to insure printer deadline was met. Won four awards from International Association of Business Communicators.
March 1989 to June 1991
Copy Editor
NEW WOMAN MAGAZINE, New York, NY
Copyedited and proofread all features, departments, and credits at each stage of production. Cross-checked TOC against book. Incorporated all factual changes from research department onto galleys. Read bluelines, coverlines. Frequent contributor to Briefing section.
November 1987 to February 1989
Editorial Assistant
WORKING MOTHER MAGAZINE, BABY! New York, NY
Trafficked all galleys and mechanicals. Input copyedited changes. Worked closely with production editor to keep monthly schedules. Copyfitted runover. Instructed mechanical artists. Kept detailed files of past and present issues. Read bluelines.
1987 to 1988 Freelancer
HARPER & ROW, PUBLISHERS, New York, NY
Photo research assistant, proofreader, copy editor, data processor.
July 1985 to October 1987
Editorial Assistant
HARPER & ROW, PUBLISHERS, College Division, New York, NY
Assigned reviewers for manuscripts. Prepared manuscripts for compositor. Acquired permission to reprint photographs and articles. Typed camera copy.
Spring 1985 Editorial Intern
LIVING PUBLICATIONS, Ithaca, NY
Contributed story to special issue. Coordinated and wrote calendar section. Edited incoming manuscripts, proofread galleys. Generated story ideas. Assisted in layout work.
EDUCATION:
Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
Graduated: May 1985 Major: English; Minors: Writing, History
Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT
Graduated: August, 2011 Master of Arts, Teaching; Certified K-6
Ready to Strunk Your Stuff?
With years of editing under my belt, I invite you to trust your writing with me.
Let’s collaborate for polished, engaging content that captivates readers!