Editorial Services for Publishers and Independent Authors

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Portrait of writer and editor Dan Letchworth. Photo by Kristy Walker.

Photo by Kristy Walker

I’m Dan Letchworth, an editor and writer with 17 years of experience, seven of which as the copy chief of San Diego Magazine. I started Desert Owl Press because I love making books and helping people publish great stories. As a freelance contractor I’ve copy edited, fact checked, or proofread over 400 books for young readers; I have also designed and self-published five of my own original books.

Editorial Services

As a contractor, I can work with you through any stage of print and digital book or magazine publication, from interviewing, writing, and copy editing to proofreading and design.

I would love to help bring your project to life! Drop me a line and let me know what you need.

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Books

Phoenix Dawn

Now This Ain’t No Shit

We Flew Out and Walked Back

Telegraph Canyon

More Info

Articles

Science Writing

Theater Reviews

Dansplaining

Interviews

See Samples

Editing

Copy Editing

Product Development

Proofreading

Fact Checking and Continuity Editing

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Clients

“Dan made all of the storytelling at San Diego Magazine better. He saved us on so many levels, so many times, but was also there with a great, new, big idea when we needed it.”

—Erin Chambers Smith, former chief content officer, San Diego Magazine
“During my time at the magazine, I was consistently amazed at how many things Dan would catch during the copy editing process, both in the Word drafts as well as in final layouts on the day the publication was going to press. He has saved us from printing potentially embarrassing mistakes numerous times. I always felt assured that a story was fit to be published after Dan looked at it. “

—Marie Tutko, former editor in chief, San Diego Magazine
“Dan does a superb job at tracking the details of the story and found inconsistencies, both literal and conceptual, that I might have missed even if I looked for them. His understanding of grammar is highly nuanced, and he explains the nuances clearly. As part of my request, I asked him to do any final line editing where needed. He understood the essence of some of the complex perspectives in my most tortured descriptions, and he was able to distill the ideas into simple, effective sentences.”

—Edward Bagby, Reedsy client and author of The Feigned Moon of Entiria

Latest Writing

“Illumina leads the industry in genomic AI”
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“Go big and go ome”
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“A normal life with LQTS is possible—just ask the Hansens”
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How can I help bring your book to life?

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