
Exclusive Services
At First Draft and Beyond, we provide editing services for all kinds of academic documents in addition to one-on-one consulting. Choose the best option for your project to learn more about service scope and price.
This one-on-one consulting service is hourly and fully tailored to your specific needs, wherever you are in your academic journey. Maybe you're preparing for a job interview. Maybe you're stressed about an upcoming conference presentation. You're unsure how to write a strong letter of recommendation, or you're teaching your first course and want your syllabus to shine. Or perhaps you need a thought partner for brainstorming your next article or book project. Whatever the challenge, we can work through it together. Book your session today.

On this page, you’ll find our group programs designed for academics working on specific documents. To receive information about program enrollment and start dates, please subscribe to our newsletter.
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Regardless of our disciplines, almost all of us enter the world of academic publishing through a peer-reviewed journal article. Whether it's for promotion files or job applications, every academic is expected to have at least one published article. Yet despite its importance, article writing is rarely taught in master’s or PhD programs.
Most academics write their first article through trial and error, using the articles they've read as rough guides. As a result, it’s quite common for early submissions to be rejected by prestigious journals. Even if it’s not your first article, if you're aiming to publish in reputable journals in your field, consider investing in a developmental editing service.
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* This service requires at least 3 rounds of revision, with each round taking 7-10 days on our part. Please leave ample time for revisions before your submission deadlines.
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** Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about group programs.​​​
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You have a brilliant book idea. Or perhaps you believe your doctoral dissertation makes a significant contribution to the field. After all, you've spent years collecting data and conducting analysis. But how will you reach the readers you’ve envisioned? How will you convince publishers to take on your book?
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Like other academic documents, book proposals are highly technical. But unlike them, they also involve marketing. To bring your book, possibly the most important project of your career and the one you've devoted a significant portion of your life to, to the world, we can craft the ideal proposal together. My own proposal convinced two out of three publishers. Why shouldn’t yours do the same?
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* This service requires at least 3 rounds of revision, with each round taking 4-7 days on our part. Please leave ample time for revisions before your submission deadlines.
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** Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about group programs.
One of the most stressful aspects of academic life is applying for fellowships and grants. Unfortunately, winning a grant often requires being rejected many times and, ideally, continuing undeterred despite those rejections. That’s because having a strong research topic alone isn’t enough to succeed in this highly competitive process.
Writing a strong grant application is (unfortunately) a technical skill. To apply confidently for research grants, which are often essential to conducting your work, you need to tailor your application for each institution and find an experienced reader who can provide feedback on your proposal. Yes, you're in the right place!
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* This service requires at least 3 rounds of revision, with each round taking 4-7 days on our part. Please leave ample time for revisions before your submission deadlines.
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** Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about group programs.
Congratulations! You’re just steps away from holding your book in your hands. Let us support you in this final stretch by creating a thorough, accurate index for your manuscript. Your work is in expert hands.
Free Resources

On this page, you’ll find free resources designed to help you improve your academic writing and boost your productivity. Simply add them to your cart and check out at no cost. Your email will be automatically added to our subscription list, but you can unsubscribe at any time.
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The big day has finally arrived. You have either completed or are about to complete the PhD program you’ve been dreaming of. Now it's time to step into professional life and reveal your craft. Of course, the competition is fierce. To stand out among hundreds of applications, you need a strong CV that conveys your achievements to the committees in the best possible way. Drawing on my extensive experience serving on search committees, I’m here to refine your CV.
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* This service requires at least 2 rounds of revision, with each round taking 4 days on our part. Please leave ample time for revisions before your application deadlines.
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** This service is highly recommended for individuals who are at early stages of their graduate studies to enable long-term CV strategizing.
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*** Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about group programs.​​
One of the most strategic components of any academic application is the cover letter. Your CV lists your achievements; your cover letter tells the story behind them. It adds context, prioritizes key points, and helps search committees understand why you’re the right fit.
This document is both highly technical and deeply personal. It must be tailored to each position, striking a balance between academic formality and genuine voice, confidence and humility. I'm here to help you find that balance and your voice.
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* This service requires at least 3 rounds of revision, with each round taking 4-7 days on our part. Please leave ample time for revisions before your submission deadlines.
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** Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about group programs.​
Writing an academic book is less like a sprint and more like a marathon: it requires patience, strategy, and sustained effort. One of the most valuable assets in this process is a developmental editor who can bring an outsider’s perspective with an insider’s understanding of academia. You need a long-term collaborator to help shape the structure of your manuscript, ensure coherence across chapters, refine your voice, and guide the work toward its intended audience.
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Developmental editing is designed for exactly this kind of partnership. I work closely with you at every stage of the project, not just editing sentences, but helping to shape ideas, narrative flow, and intellectual architecture. If you’re ready to share your scholarly insights with a wider world, I’m here to walk that path with you.
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* Because of the length and complexity of book manuscripts, this service follows a flexible timeline tailored to the needs and schedules of each author.
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** Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about group programs.
Congratulations! Your research is gaining recognition: institutions and colleagues are inviting you to share your work, expand your network, and increase your scholarly visibility. This is an exciting milestone, but it can also be overwhelming. Preparing an invited talk involves more than just content; it requires strategy, clarity, and confident delivery.
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I’m here to support you through the entire process. We can work on your presentation structure, script, visuals, and delivery style along with any other communication challenges that may arise. With the right preparation, your talk can be impactful and memorable. Let’s make sure you walk into that room ready.
Academic careers involve a wide range of high-stakes documents beyond articles and job applications, such as tenure and promotion files, diversity statements, teaching philosophies, research agendas, and more. These texts must be strategically crafted to reflect your values, impact, and trajectory. I can help you shape a clear, compelling narrative that speaks to your audience and advances your goals.