Josh Grapes

I offer editing and proofreading services to writers of fiction, poetry, personal essay, memoir, and song lyrics. My focus is on moving your work toward completion by working on story structure, character development, scene, pacing, imagery, tone, and style. I will share my ideas on how to clarify and deepen character and story without imposing a voice that is not your own. My comments are meant as suggestions that open up possibilities. I enjoy the collaborative nature of editing, and believe that listening to writers articulate their intention and vision is an essential part of the process. I also hope to provide you with skills that empower you as you revise your current work and begin new projects.

I’m a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, where I studied literature and writing, in addition to history, French, philosophy, and music, but my interest in writing is lifelong–– at the age of 10, I began seeing plays by classical and contemporary playwrights, absorbing the structure and language of great storytelling the way one learns a second language through prolonged immersion. In addition, I grew up in a household in which conversations about writing and literature were central, and certain principles from that time inform my editing today, such as: the spoken voice is innately compelling, and that voice creates character, and character creates plot. Additional skills include French and Spanish, improvisational theatre, research, script coverage, and music composition and performance.

Contact Information
(323) 376-1303
6535 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 110,
Los Angeles, CA 90048
[email protected]