Welcome
Clear, polished writing builds credibility.
Whether you're submitting a PhD thesis, publishing research, preparing a government report, or refining a creative manuscript, EW Editing & Writing Services helps you communicate with confidence.
Every edit is tailored to your purpose, your audience, and your voice—improving clarity, flow, and consistency while preserving the elements that make your writing your own.
About
Led by Krista Schmeling, Essential Words provides personalised professional editing and writing support for academics, researchers, businesses, government, and creative writers.
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Krista has edited a diverse range of content, including academic journal articles, PhD theses, annual reports, government documents, website content, and creative manuscripts. She works to enhance clarity, structure, consistency, and readability while preserving each author's unique voice.
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The service offers substantive editing, copyediting and proofreading at IPEd-recommended rates, including discounted rates for students.
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All Government work adheres to the Australian Government Style Manual, the Australian Editing Handbook, and department-specific style guides.
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Krista has been a Member of the Canberra Society of Editors since 2018.
Services
Which service you choose depends on where you are in the process of writing and, often, the style guidelines of where you are planning to submit your work. Here's a quick overview of the types of editing I offer.
Substantive Editing
This is a holistic edit, which addresses the substance and structure of your document. It aims to improve the overall integrity of your writing, including consideration of your target audience, your goals, your argument or plot, while respecting your voice.
Copyediting
Copyediting addresses consistency of language and format, including spelling, grammar, and punctuation at sentence and word level. Includes error and formatting checks for bibliography and reference material, according to required or chosen guidelines.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the last, detailed "port of call" before a document is finalised for publication. Also known as a line edit, this is the check that includes typos, missed words, and formatting glitches.
"I believe the best results come from collaboration. By taking the time to understand your objectives, audience, and voice, I deliver writing and editing that helps you communicate your message with precision and confidence."
—Krista Schmeling, Essential Words Founder
Testimonials
I have worked with a wide variety of clients over the years.
Dr Ian Tay, Doctorate of Business Administration
Extremely relevant and helpful. The thesis went through multiple examiner reviews, and your work ensured the final submission was polished and professional. Given the technical nature of the research (mixing quantitative and qualitative methods, integrating psychological safety theory with cultural dimensions), having clean, consistent prose allowed the academic contributions to shine rather than being obscured by mechanical issues.
Libby O'Loghlin, Author (Fiction and Nonfiction)
I come back to Krista again and again. She has such a great depth and breadth of experience with words, and an ability to see through the blah blah to the essence of a story. She is also highly attuned to the contemporary contexts around different types of content, so I know my work is in safe hands. Her advice and feedback are always grounded in best practice and a genuine appreciation for the art and logic of story construction and the power of the written word.
Dr Yogi Vidyattama, University of Canberra
I worked with Krista as an editor for my article published in International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (a Q1 journal) titled “Aceh tsunami: Long-term economic recovery after the disaster”. It was not an easy article to edit as it relied on descriptive statistics rather than empirical results. Krista helped me to make the narrative flow well and logically.
