Editing & Coaching for Academics & Other Ferals
Tes Slominski, PhD (aka The Feral Freelancer)
I provide developmental, line, and copyediting services for authors in the humanities and humanities-adjacent social sciences, with a focus on the arts (especially music), women’s/gender studies, and history.
I offer writing coaching, and specialize in helping neurodiverse academics break through cycles of shame, inertia, and/or intellectual overwhelm.
I also convene No Time to Write Club, a supportive and affordable accountability group for writers in all genres.
You are not alone, even if you are the sole author.
What can I help you with?
book proposals
dissertation —> monograph transformations
big-picture thinking around structure and argument (developmental editing)
readability and correct usage/style (line and copyediting) for books, articles, dissertations (with advisor permission), tenure materials, academic job application materials, and more
support in interpreting and incorporating reviewer feedback
word count reductions on macro and micro levels (from helping decide which chapter to cut to getting an abstract down to 250 words)
table and citation formatting (I fight with Word so you don’t have to!)
Feedback from Clients
“Working with Tes was a joy. I came to Tes with a tight deadline and was under a lot of stress. Tes understood the position I was in and took my work seriously, but she also made me laugh along the way.
When I came to Tes, I had what Tes aptly called a “disjointed dissertation zombie.” Tes helped me rethink my project and move from a dissertation to a book manuscript. Tes is a careful and thorough editor who . . . was able to help me express what I wanted to say more clearly and effectively. She edited for structure and communication, but also considered the political and representational import of the words themselves. She provided feedback on my writing and made suggestions for tools and strategies to use. In short, Tes not only edited my writing but helped me become a better writer.”
— F., assistant professor
"[Our] sessions have helped me to define a vision for the next stage of my career through identifying those qualities that are strengths. Tes is a friend and valued disciplinary colleague; she's someone with whom I already had trust, and when I learned that she was moving into coaching, I thought that foundation was perfect to undergird the vulnerable work of assessment and growth.”
— K., professor
“Wow. [Our] sessions have been so helpful primarily in reframing my work and getting to the root of the reasons why I feel certain ways while working. They’ve unearthed fears and insecurities I didn’t realize I even had, and they’ve provided me with tangible, actionable steps to improve in the future. I tell [my peers] ‘I'm LOVING it. For me, it’s worth every penny.’ Coaching has completely reframed how I am approaching my dissertation and writing in general.”
— H., PhD candidate (now assistant professor)