Trista Emmer - Freelance Writer/Editor

09/05/2025

16/04/2021

I've been so busy editing and creating and mothering that it's been a while since I posted on this page. If you're interested in something I've been working on, click on The Inky Wild and check out some of my creative writing.

13/12/2016

:)

30/11/2016

An example of how style guides and copy editing help to defend clarity and truth.

Recent developments have put the so-called "alt-right" movement in the news. They highlight the need for clarity around use of the term and around som...

13/10/2016

Have you ever wondered how to pronounce pwn? My brain tends to skip over the the word because I couldn't pronounce it in my head. Now I know! http://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/pwn-what-it-means-and-how-you-say-it

And how do you say it?

30/09/2016

This is brilliant. From one copy editor to another, I salute you, sir.

One of The New Yorker’s copy editors looks at a transcript of the Presidential debate and attempts to make some of Trump’s answers clearer.

23/06/2016

More compliments on my work! This time on a resume and a grad school application.

"I am always pleased with your feedback and work... Did I tell you that your help last time was very appreciated? I got into Johns Hopkins and UC Davis for Grad school. Thank you for helping me better convey my message." -- Maritza

16/06/2016

Today I'm taking advantage of a lull in editing work to catch up on administrative tasks. As I'm sitting here I am watching the robin feed a couple of yawping mouths I can see just over the edge of her nest. Her activity makes a mundane task feel like a moment of vibrant participation in a living web: both of us mothers working to feed our babies.

24/05/2016

It's dissertation and thesis season! I'm busy formatting the results of years of hard work on the part of soon-to-be PhDs, while right outside my office window a robin is busy building a nest for her own labor of love and life. One year ago today I moved into this office; there was another robin nest outside my window, with a fledgling nearly ready to leave. This year I'm getting to watch her technique as she builds the nest, and I'm hoping I get to see a little one, too, before long.

26/04/2016

I love getting compliments in the email!

"I worked with Trista proofreading and formatting my Master’s thesis, and she was absolutely amazing to work with. She demonstrated thorough knowledge of Thesis Office guidelines often daunting to students who are submitting manuscripts for the first time. My experience with the Thesis Office was made incredibly easy with Trista’s help. Her willingness to accommodate a very short timeline and her attention to detail during proofreading and formatting was priceless." --M. Dorcheus