Ann Aubrey

Editing



Fine Art • Non-Fiction • Academic • Fiction



“The English language was carefully, carefully cobbled together by three blind dudes with a German dictionary.” Dave Kellett

Fine Art Book Editing


Among her ongoing endeavors, Ann is the Editor of Via Lucis Press, the publishing entity of Via Lucis Photography.



Via Lucis Photography and Via Lucis Press are part of a long-term project to document Romanesque and Gothic churches in France and Spain. The projects include the photographs that are represented on the site, an initial book called Light and Stone which is currently in preparation, and custom art prints. Light and Stone is illustrated by these photographs by Dennis Aubrey and PJ McKey, with text by Dennis Aubrey, edited by Ann Aubrey Hanson.

Academic Editing


In the academic realm, Ann has edited and proofed numerous and diverse academic books, in both UK English and US English, among them:
  • O Rare Ralph McInerny: Stories and Reflections on a Legendary Notre Dame Professor, by Christopher Kaczor (2010, St. Augustine Press)
  • The Ethics of Abortion: Women's Rights, Human Life, and the Question of Justice, by Christopher Kaczor (2010, Routledge Press)
  • Hellenisms: Culture, Identity and Ethnicity from Antiquity to Modernity, by Katerina Zacharia (2008, Ashgate Variorum)
  • Genocide in the Middle East: The Ottoman Empire, Iraq, and Sudan, by Hannibal Travis (2010, Carolina Academic Press)
  • Between Religion and Culture: Three Generations of Iranian Jewish Women from the Shahs to Los Angeles, by Saba Soomekh
  • The Church: Christ in the World Today, author and editor Ann Aubrey Hanson (2010, St. Mary's Press)
  • Assyrians and the Iraqi State: Identity, Persecution, and Nation-Building from the Ottomans to Saddam, by Sargon George Donabed (2011)
  • Gulag Voices: Oral Histories of Soviet Detention and Exile, by Jehanne M. Gheith and Katherine R. Jolluck (2010, Palgrave Macmillan)
  • The American Bourgeoisie: Distinction and Identity in the Nineteenth Century, by Sven Beckert and Julia Rosenbaum (2010, Palgrave Macmillan)
  • Political Culture in Panama Democracy after Invasion, by Orlando J. Pérez (2010, Palgrave Macmillan)
  • Placing the Modern Chinese Vernacular in Transnational Literature, by Gang Zhou (2010, Palgrave Macmillan)
  • Letters of the Divine Word: The Perfections of God in Karl Barth's Church Didactics, by Robert P. Price (2010, T&T Logo/Continuum)
  • Nobility, Faith and Masculinity: The Hospitaller Knights of Malta (1580-1700), by Emanuel Buttigieg (2010, Continuum)
  • Re-assessing the Theatre of the Absurd, by Michael Y. Bennett (2010, Palgrave Macmillan)
  • Mathematics, Ideas and the Physical Real, by Albert Lautman (translated by Simon Duffy) (2011, Continuum)
  • Education and Democracy in Senegal, by Michelle Kuenzi (2011, Palgrave Macmillan)
  • Islam, Modernity, and the Human Sciences, by Ali Zaidi (2011, Palgrave Macmillan)
  • Refugees and the End of Empire: Imperial Collapse and Forced Migration in the Twentieth Century, edited by Panikos Panayi and Pippa Verdee (2011, Palgrave Macmillan)
  • Kurdish Identity, Discourse, and New Media, by Jaffer Sheyholislami (2011, Palgrave Macmillan)
  • John Calvin's Ecclesiology: Ecumenical Perspectives, by Gerard Mannion and Eduardus Van der Borght (2011, Continuum)
  • The Guattari Effect, edited by Andrew Goffey and Éric Alliez (2011, Continuum)
  • The Zaza Kurds of Turkey, by Mehmed S. Kaya (2011, I.B. Tauris)
  • Making the Progressives Case: Towards a Stronger U.S. Economy, David Coates (2011, Continuum)
  • Melville and Aesthetics, edited by Samuel Otter and Geoffrey Sanborn (2011, Palgrave Macmillan)
  • Early Greek Thought: Before the Dawn, by James Luchte (2011, Continuum)
  • King Lear: A Critical Guide, edited by Andrew Hiscock and Lisa Hopkins (2011, Continuum)
  • The Inquiring Mind, by Jason Baehr (proofing; 2011, Oxford University Press)
  • Children's Literature in Context, by Fiona McCulloch (2011, Continuum)
  • e-Lexicography: The Internet, Digital Initiatives and Lexicography, edited by Henning Bergenholtz and Pedro Fuertes-Olivera (2011, Continuum)
  • Sex Scandals in American Politics: A Multidisciplinary Approach, edited by Alison Dagnes (2011, Continuum)
  • Rock 'n' Roll Dances of the 1950s, by Lisa Jo Sagolla (2011, ABC-Clio/Greenwood)
  • Empathy in Education, by Bridget Cooper (2011, Continuum)
  • Words, Images and Performances in Translation, edited by Rita Wilson and Brigid Maher (2011, Continuum)
  • War and Governance: International Security in a Changing World Order, by Richard Weitz (2011, ABC-Clio/Praeger)
  • Positive Classroom Management Skills for School Librarians, by Kay Bishop and Jenny Cahall (2012, ABC-Clio/Libraries Unlimited)
  • Multimodality and Active Listenership, by Dawn Knight (2011, Continuum)
  • New Technology and Education, by Anthony Edwards (2011, Continuum)
  • Between Religion and Culture: Three Generations of Iranian Jewish Women from the Shahs to Los Angeles, by Saba Soomekh (2011, SUNY Press)
  • Global Energy Innovation: Why America Must Lead, by Woodrow W. Clark and Grant Cooke (2011, ABC-Clio/Praeger)
  • School and System Leadership: Changing Roles for Primary Headteachers, by Susan Robinson (2011, Continuum)
  • Personhood and Presence: Self as a Resource for Spiritual and Pastoral Care, by Ewan Kelly (2011, TT & Clark)
  • Plastic Surgery, by Lana Thompson (2012, ABC-Clio/Greenwood/Praeger)
  • The Historical Jesus: A Guide for the Perplexed, by Helen K. Bond (2012, T&T Clark/Continuum)
  • Assyrian History, edited by Tomas Isik (2012, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis/Uppsala University Press)
  • Comparative Politics, by David Samuels (2012, Pearson/Longman & Co)
  • Case Studies in Comparative Politics, by David Samuels (2012, Pearson/Longman & Co)
  • The Oxford Handbook of Modern and Contemporary American Poetry, by Karen Jackson Ford (proofing: 2012, Oxford University Press)
  • Yinyang in Early Chinese Thought and Culture, by Robin W. Wang (2012, Cambridge University Press)
  • Christ among the Messiahs: Christ Language in Paul and Messiah Language in Ancient Judaism, by Matthew V. Novenson (proofing: 2012, Oxford University Press)
  • The Secret Reasons Why Teachers Are Not Using Web 2.0 Tools and What Librarians Can Do about It, by Peggy Milam Creighton (2012, ABC-Clio, LLC)
  • Advocates of Realpolitik: Sweden, Europe and the Helsinki Final Act, by Aryo Mako (dissertation)
  • Medical Tourism: A Reference Handbook, by Kathy Stolley and Stephanie Watson (2012, ABC-Clio/Greenwood/Praeger)
  • The Assyrian Heritage: Threads of Continuity and Influence, edited by Önver A. Cetrez, Sargon G. Donabed, and Aryo Makko (ACTA Universitatis Upsaliensis: Studies in Religion and Society 5, 2012)

Non-Fiction Editing


Non-fiction editing projects have ranged from memoirs to professional books, among them:
  • Lessons Learned: How Family and Farm Life Guided My Future Success, by Len Kube (2010)
  • Eldercare: Precious Presence, by Dr. Alex Kodiath (2010)
  • Policies and Procedures: Social Services Handbook, by Dr. Alex Kodiath (2009)
  • Precious Legacy: A Family’s Flight from Hungary, by Maria Csanadi (2009, Grafikus)
  • Biking across America, by Steven Garufi (2011)
“Ann Aubrey Hanson really deserves my gratitude for patience, guidance, and professionalism in writing and editing this manuscript. She put forth an extraordinary effort to help me to understand the things I missed in my narration of the stories.” Dr. Alex Kodiath, author of Elder Care: Precious Presence

Fiction Editing


This category ranges from crime thrillers to mysteries to children’s books. As an editor, I am part cheerleader and part teacher/guide. I always find a way to encourage my clients, while guiding them in the ways to improve their writing in preparation for publication. My editing includes line-by-line editing, story editing, and stylistic editing (grammar, punctuation, etc.) With fiction, I understand that it is vital to retain the author's voice, while guiding the author in ways to improve and empower that voice.

Why Editing?


While many people can write, not all writers can edit. Editing takes a sharp eye and an excellent grasp of the intricacies of English. It also takes a love of the language. Editors do not edit because they thrive on correcting writers; they choose to edit because they love the written word and its latent power and drama. Ann is a grammar and punctuation geek. She loves books like The Transitive Vampire and Eats Shoots and Leaves, mainstream grammar books that delight the true language aficionado.

Editing takes careful, constant study and an innate awareness of the rhythm of language. This is especially true today, when even television newscasters (who one would think would know better) mix up their use of “I” and “me.” People often use “I” instead of the required “me” because they have a sense that the more-formal-sounding pronoun is the correct one. They have forgotten the simple rule of dropping “the other”: when in doubt, drop the other person and check your grammar. For example, take the sentence, “Ted gave the puzzle to Nick and I when he was finished with it.” Correct, or not? To test, drop Nick from the sentence: “Ted gave the puzzle to I when he was finished with it.” See, simple. Obviously, “I” was used incorrectly in place of “me.” (And, please, NEVER refer to the first-person possessive as I's, as in, "He took Sharon and I's guitars and used them as golf clubs.")

When Ann edits books and other documents, she doesn’t merely read for content and continuity. Instead, she instinctively seeks to correct any errors in the following:
  • punctuation
  • spelling
  • grammar
  • vocabulary and word use
  • sentence structure
  • subject and verb agreement
  • clarity
  • consistency
  • redundancies
Ann is an expert at punctuation and has frequently been called “The Commakaze” because of her insistence on correct use of that particular punctuation (whether UK or US style).

Levels of Editing


Ann offers various levels of editing:

PROOFREADING: This involves the correction of misspellings, punctuation errors, and formatting errors. When proofreading, it is assumed that the document is complete, that all information is correct, and that it has been edited at the highest level.

COPYEDITING: This includes all of the tasks mentioned in Proofreading, but includes correction of grammar, word usage, capitalization, and formatting. At this stage, it is assumed that the document is complete and all information is correct, but that the document has not yet been edited at this level, including consistency of word usage and style throughout the document.

EDITING: At this level, it is assumed that the document is complete, that the information is correct, and that little or no editing has been completed. Depending on the quality of the writing, Ann may do moderate to heavy rewriting, reorganizing, and sentence analysis. At this point, it is her task to make your writing as clear and coherent as possible, which means she will often question exactly what you meant to say in a particular sentence, paragraph, or chapter. Along the way, she is compelled to proofread and copyedit, since those are inseparable from the primary editing task.