Andrew Park, PhD

About Me

I’m a PhD-trained editor, researcher and writer who edits academic research papers,
research theses, general nonfiction, and genre fiction. Although I am experienced at editing a wide variety of subjects, I am particularly interested in projects that deal with
ecology, environmental issues, conservation, resource management and climate change, together with speculative fiction that tackles those subjects. I have secondary interests in environmental economics, art and art history, outdoor recreation, and philosophy.

Editorial Goals

Whether you’re writing academic papers, science fiction novels, or government reports, clear communication between author and reader is essential. My overarching goal is therefore to help clients to tell their stories with elegance and clarity. When assigning undergraduate term papers, my injunction to students was always, “Write this as though you want someone else to actually read it.” 

EXPERIENCE

Freelance editing

As a tenured professor, I edited research papers, theses, term papers and grant applications for over 20 years. I also reviewed over 100 research papers for a variety of respected academic journals, as well as reviewing grant applications for NSERC, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and other organizations.

In 2020, I consolidated this experience by successfully completing the online
Editing Certificate program at Simon Fraser University  (average course grade = 94%). More recently, I completed the excellent
Developmental Editing for Fiction course at Editorial Arts Academy. I also I passed the Editors Canada Editing Essentials test in 2023.

Services Provided

My freelance editing practice includes developmental editing, manuscript evaluation, stylistic editing, copy editing, and assistance with
book proposals. 

Academic and educational projects I’ve worked on include field guides for grade schoolers, botanical history, west-coast exploration, and academic papers in the natural and social sciences Fiction projects have run the gamut from eco-fantasy to thrillers, and historical fiction.

I am familiar with the Chicago Manual of Style and APA style, and have a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.  In my science projects, I use “R” open-source software for statistical analysis and to generate graphics.

You can find out more about my editing practices and how to work with me at www.wordfishereditorial.com or on my LinkedIn profile.

And if you are not yet ready to hire an editor, check out my free e-book,  “Beyond the First Draft: Self Editing Your Way to the Second Draft and Beyond,” available
here from Authors Publish.

Writing and Research

As an experienced writer, I understand the challenges of facing the blank page or spinning up a good idea into a coherent story. Over the years, I’ve authored around 50 peer-reviewed research papers, as well as a number of technical reports for government agencies and non-governmental organizations. I’ve also written popular articles on subjects that include travel, conservation, and book reviews.

For the last few years, I’ve been working on my first novel, a speculative fiction dealing with subjects of species extinction and environmental memory. This is now in its third draft.

TESTIMONIALS

“I hired Andrew from a long list of potential editors to proofread my trilogy, The Wolves of Nootka. ​It turned out to be a much more in-depth review than originally planned. Andrew rose to the occasion by taking on a much greater role than I had anticipated.”

                                                                                      John Kimantas, author: “The Wolves of Nootka.”

“Andy’s constructive feedback pushed me to strengthen my ideas and take my writing to the next level, all while feeling fully supported. His thoughtful reflections and encouragement made me feel like I had a trusted partner in what can often be a solitary journey.”

                                                         Katie Conlon, Ecoseva Institute, National Geographic explorer

“Finding Andy felt like finding a lucky needle in a haystack… He is an honest, straightforward communicator who really cares about the success of the project he is editing. I really appreciated Andy’s willingness to do research and dive deeper into the topics of my project so that he could be an even finer editor. As well as being a superb editor, Andy also felt like a coach or a teammate, which made the experience incredibly enjoyable. Andy is a pleasure to work with, and my project would not be where it is now without him.”​

                                                                                              Ashley Erdely, author: Meet the Wildflowers