Professional editing in Victoria, British Columbia and beyond is the name of the game for David Eso: the owner and head editor of Fine Line Edits.
As one of his many clients have said, “David Eso is a consummate editor. His left-brain and right-brain seem to fire on all cylinders at the same time, making him an ultimate pragmatist and an ultimate visionary.”
Read on for more about how Fine Line Edits was founded, what motivates David as an editor, and what clients of Fine Line Edits can come to expect from his services.
What does your business specialize in and what kind of demographic do you serve?
“Fine Line Edits provides writing and editing services, mostly to professionals and small-business owners. Sometimes clients ask me to create documents from scratch. Other times, my work takes their drafts from poor to acceptable, from acceptable to excellent, or from excellent to publishable.
“I have extensive experience working in different genres: technical, business, academic, and creative writing. That background allows me to greatly increase writers’ precision, consistency, and style. Clients appreciate that Fine Line Edits’ revisions enhance the writer’s unique voice, rather than alter it.”
Tell us about yourself. What first got you working in your industry? What motivates you to do the work that you do?
“Artful language has been my passion since I first learned to read (we’re talking mid-1980s here). After high-school, I studied literature at UBC and then became active in Canada’s poetry scene. After ten years of running my own small publishing house and organizing hundreds of literary events, I returned to education as a mature student. Formal studies in Canadian literature led to my MA (UCalgary, 2015) and PhD (UVic, 2021).
“Immediately following my doctorate, I launched Fine Line Edits as a way to put my talents to work here in Victoria. Poetry and scholarship do not play a huge part in my life today; I mostly work on business documents. But my background lets me add a lot of depth and clarity to my clients’ writing. I love strengthening someone’s public image by polishing the communications they generate on their own. In terms of editing and feedback, a small investment goes a long way. When I’m not at my desk these days, I’m usually playing with my one-year-old daughter, Clara. Watching her discover language, books, and humour for herself brings a lot of joy to a word-nerd like me.”
What is your biggest accomplishment as a service provider?
“In terms of accomplishments, at this early stage, I would point to the organic growth of Fine Line Edits. Work on a given project has invariably led to referrals or to an expanded role working with repeat customers. One notable surprise has been the global component of my clientele.
“Writing and editing online-course content (a quickly growing industry) has led to me working for organizations in Europe and Australia. That feels like an accomplishment, considering that I’m working from a home office in Victoria–but people abroad definitely know about this part of the world and its beautiful landscapes.”
What are three things clients should know about the value you provide?
“First, I’d say that consulting with an editor before writing begins can save you a lot of time. I often help clients determine what kind of structure their final version will have, which gives them a strong starting point for creating the content. Second, I see the editor’s role as involving coaching. Ideally, clients will not only accept my revisions but understand why I made them. That way, clients can take learning forward into their future writing projects.
“Lastly, I’d say that feedback on your writing is always valuable. Family and friends who do not work as writers or editors will likely offer valuable comments if you show them a document in-progress. When you hire a professional editor, however, feedback is based on industry standards and a deep knowledge of the techniques that make communications effective.”
Where else can people find your business?
A note from The Wee Writer team:
While we now work with clients all around the globe, we owe our initial success to the kindness of our local community. That’s why we’re giving back!
If you’re a Canadian business who would like to be a part of the Nifty Networking community and showcase your story, contact The Wee Writer team today to see if you’re a fit. We’d love to have you on.