Mark Gardner
Christian Fiction/Fantasy, Science Fiction
United States English (US and UK)
About Mark
I am an editor and proofreader with more than nine years of experience working with independent authors, small presses, and self-publishing professionals. I have edited 40 books and 200 academic papers. My projects have included fiction and nonfiction books, memoirs, self-help titles, business books, true crime, biography, Christian fiction, fantasy, science fiction, and academic publications.
Most recently, I served as proofreader for bestselling author Frank McKinney's tenth book, Hell's Heaven – Is It Really Forever? Following the project, he praised the quality and value of my contributions.
I am a full-service editor, working with material ranging from rough drafts to publication-ready manuscripts and PDF files.
My goal is to strengthen clarity, consistency, and readability while preserving each author's voice and intent, with careful attention to detail.
I also help scholars, researchers, and professionals communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively.
Before becoming an editor, I spent more than twenty years as an electrical engineer and consultant. After earning a Master's degree from the University of Illinois, I pursued a career in embedded control systems. That background allows me to work comfortably with technical, scientific, business, and research-oriented material, as well as general trade nonfiction and fiction.
I enjoy helping authors bring a manuscript from draft to publication and take pride in delivering careful, reliable work on schedule.
Services Prices in US dollars. Your written quote confirms the final price.
Copyediting and line editing
I help authors improve clarity, flow, consistency, and readability while preserving their unique voice and intent. Through line editing and copyediting, I strengthen sentence structure, word choice, grammar, punctuation, and style. I have worked with fiction, nonfiction, academic, business, and technical manuscripts across a wide range of subjects, always respecting the author's voice.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final quality check before publication. I review manuscripts for grammar, spelling, punctuation, consistency, formatting, and typographical errors. I also identify awkward wording, inconsistencies, discontinuities, confusion, and other details that may affect a reader's experience. My goal is to deliver a polished, professional manuscript ready for publication or submission.
Fact checking
Routine fact checking is included as part of my editing and proofreading services. Separate fact-checking rates apply only when fact verification is the primary focus of a project. Such work is billed by the hour and includes time spent researching, documenting sources, and preparing reports. Minimum charge: one hour.
Print and eBook formatting
I prepare print-ready manuscripts and PDFs for authors and publishers using Microsoft Word. I have formatted many of the books I have edited, from standard layouts to complex projects requiring custom tables of contents, specialized formatting, illustration handling, and other features beyond Word's built-in capabilities. Precision, consistency, and attention to detail are always priorities.
Audiobook production
I provide audiobook production support, including narration-track cleanup, noise reduction, artifact removal, and compliance verification. Using proprietary VST3 software, I can identify and address most technical issues without relying solely on real-time listening. My goal is clean, natural-sounding audio that meets publishing platform requirements. This work is billed per finished hour.
Editing of translated technical text
I have edited numerous academic journal articles translated from Asian or Romance languages or written by authors whose first language was not English. I specialize in making such text read as if written by a native US or UK English speaker. Beyond normal editing, this often requires rewriting and occasional restructuring while respecting the authors’ tone, expertise, and voice.
Portfolio Books Mark worked on
Work samples
IMGI will provide a sample edit without charge.Read sampleClose
IMGA Table of Contents that Word won't create.Read sampleClose
IMGNote manual text flow, no marginal hyphens, and footnotes.Read sampleClose
Experience
- Freelance Copyeditor, Private Individual2016 to present
Education
Certificates and memberships
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