Free Copyediting Services for Black Women Authors
I’m giving away free copyediting services for Black women authors of short stories and essays.
I spent a good portion of Black History Month with my head down trying to finish up my last term at SNHU. I’ll be graduating in May with my bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature. I wanted to do something special for Black History Month, but couldn’t figure it out. Then I watched as people kept coming for Black women authors all month. It was gross.
So, to that end, I’ll be giving away my copyediting services for Black women authors of short stories and essays. I’ll be doing this for about a month. We need to be supporting Black women authors, not dragging them down or holding them to standards white people aren’t held to.
Submission Guidelines
Deadline to submit: May 1, 2026.
There is a maximum of 6 open slots. I don’t want to overwhelm myself and I want to get these done in a reasonable amount of time.
Submit the written piece as a Word (.docx) document.
Only one submission per author.
Short fiction or nonfiction genres: all kinds.
Essays of varying types. Stuff for blogs, newsletters, Ko-fi or Patreon, etc. No homework assignments.
No more than 8,000 words. If you’re just a few over that limit, dm or email me and tell me about the piece and how long it is. I may make an exception. You can contact me here.
I’m pretty easy going about content. But I won’t edit content that glorifies sexual assault, rape, or pedophilia. Also, I won’t edit bigotry such as anti-trans or homophobia unless it’s part of the narrative and is not glorified in any way.
No generative AI. If generative AI was used in the creation of the work, I will not edit it.
If I get a huge influx of submissions, I may have to close submissions before the deadline. Hopefully I won’t have to, but that means it’s in your best interest to submit ahead of the deadline.
Use the form on this page to submit your piece.
How I Edit
I tend to focus on a few things. I edit for grammar and spelling. I also try to help with suggestions such as around sentence structure — like if a sentence is cumbersome or hard to understand. I tend to view my editing as suggestions, and that’s how I want you to view it, too. If I make a suggestion, it’s ok to discuss it with me if I’m being confusing or you disagree. I may also make suggestions if I see an area where a little extra or less may strengthen your narrative. In nonfiction, especially if it’s a newsletter, I may help fact check a little.
My ultimate goal is twofold: I want your writing to be its best and to retain your voice.
Rejections
If I get enough submissions that I have to send out rejections, I’ll do my damndest to contact you and let you know.