Editing
I am a freelance academic/nonfiction copy, language, and line editor, specializing in the humanities, especially religious studies and philosophy, with over twelve years of experience. Though specialized, I am also diverse, having edited academic works on literature, cinema, Africana studies, East Asian studies, and folklore, for example, as well as general nonfiction in the genres of self-help and memoir. As a historian by training (PhD) and a published author, I know the ins and outs of publishing from the perspective of writers and publishers. This helps me streamline the process for my clients.
- I meticulously correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar
- Adjust to Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), other major guidelines, or in-house styles
- Adjust sentences, word choice, structure, and overall content for consistency, concision, clarity, and logical flow
- Fact check
- Use track changes and inserted comments in Microsoft Word, making the entire process transparent and reviewable
- Create clean copy
- Proofread
I have worked with a ton of authors with English as a second language and can professionalize your writing. Contact me for availability and rates.
I have worked with Stanford University, the University Press of Mississippi, McFarland, the Journal of Religion in Europe, the Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies, and Numen: International Review for the History of Religions, among many others. I have additionally edited for authors who published with Brill, De Gruyter, and numerous journals.
I would love to edit your general interest nonfiction, creative nonfiction, and fiction! I am an avid reader of fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative fiction and alternative/indie writing, as well as microhistory, intellectual history, and philosophy of science and of mind. I am confident that my skills as an editor can translate to new fields and genres.
Praise
"I owe Laura Vollmer tremendous thanks for proofreading and copyediting my dissertation, including the three articles. Thank you for greatly improving my writing while, at the same time, relieving me of a lot of work."
—Nanna Eve Nissen, Forensic Theology and the Evaluation of Blasphemy Offences, PhD diss. (University of Copenhagen, 2022)
"Special gratitude goes out to ... JRE's editorial assistant Laura Vollmer, whose precious competence deserves special mention."
—Valerio S. Severino, "Reconfiguring Nationalism," Journal of Religion in Europe 10 (2017)
“This book would not be possible without the support, enthusiasm, and guidance from … Laura J. Vollmer.”
—Lauren Rocha, The Sinful Maternal: Motherhood in Possession Films (University Press of Mississippi, 2024)

"I am eternally grateful to my copy editor, Laura J. Vollmer. The amount of detail in this book is overwhelming and the opportunities for error are immense. Laura identified countless mistakes and oversights."
—Carl Rollyson, Sylvia Plath Day by Day, Volume 1 (University Press of Mississippi, 2023)
“Special kudos to copy editor Laura J. Vollmer for being so accessible. St. Louis folks are just that way.”
—Lee Hendrix, Peep Light: Stories of a Mississippi River Boat Captain (University Press of Mississippi, 2024)
“I also want to thank Laura J. Vollmer for copyediting with such care and attention to detail.”
—Tom Scott-Smith, Fragments of Home: Refugee Housing and the Politics of Shelter (Stanford University Press, 2024)