I have worked as a substantive editor, line editor, copyeditor, and website editor in the magazine, education communications, and academic fields for many years.
I have recently launched a career as a freelance editor, and I am available for substantive, line, and copyediting work in a variety of fields. I have particular experience in urbanism, academic writing (humanities), and educational communications, including working with writers whose first language is not English. I also have extensive experience editing and organizing content for websites. In addition, I am available for more substantive editing and managing editorial projects. See my editing work page for a detailed list of recent work.
Experience
Spacing
I am currently the Executive Editor of Spacing magazine. Spacing is a quarterly magazine about urban issues in Toronto and elsewhere in Canada.
I was one of the co-founders of the magazine in 2003, and have worked on both substantive and copyediting for the magazine since then.
I was also co-editor of four Spacing books: 25 Days That Changed Toronto, 25 Toronto Transit Secrets, 50 Toronto Hidden Gems and Curiosities, and The Big Book of Spacing, and have line edited or proofread others.
Academic
Since 2020 I have been a copyeditor for the Essays and Studies series of books published by the Centre for Renaissance and Reformation Studies at the University of Toronto, where I am a Fellow. I am also a freelance copyeditor for the University of Toronto Press.
Since 1996, I have been assistant editor of the academic journal Confraternitas. My duties have included copyediting and proofreading the journal. Confraternitas covers an area of study I have written about in my historical work and is also published by the Centre for Renaissance and Reformation Studies.
I have also worked as a freelance editor for various academic works, both articles and books, including works written in English by academics whose first language is not English. I read French fluently so editing articles written in English by francophones is a particular strength.
University websites
From 2002-2019, I managed the website for the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. I was also the copyeditor for the Faculty's biannual print magazine, Nexus.
As website manager, I established the stylesheet and copyedited all content. I also developed accessibility standards and established the website's structure.
I recently reorganized and revised the Practicum section of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work.
Education
I upgraded my copyediting skills with Ryerson's foundational copyediting course:
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- Copy and Stylistic Editing I, Ryerson University (April 2020).
Other education:
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- MFA in Creative Non-Fiction, King's College, Halifax (2021)
- Certificate in Internet Business and Technology, University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (2001)
- M.Litt., Faculty of Modern History, University of Oxford (1995)
- Honours B.A., History, University of Toronto (1989)
Testimonials
Dylan's editing is right on target. His fine ear for language lets him to catch and solve any glitches in the prose while his wide-ranging knowledge picks up errors in meaning or logic that might have slipped into the text. His editorial touch is light, but effective. I highly recommend him.
Prof. Konrad Eisenbichler, FRSC (University of Toronto)
Series Editor, CRRS Essays & Studies book series
Dylan Reid has all the qualities of an outstanding copy editor, and more. His wealth of experience in editing, along with his decorated background in academic and non-academic writing, gives him a rare set of skills. Dylan works with the principle that clear writing comes from clear thinking. Working with Dylan on my book manuscript was not just a matter of polishing my prose. Dylan got deep into the logic of my text, gently pushing me to clarify my claims and commitments. The result was a much better piece of scholarship. I could then send my manuscript to the publisher with a sense of confidence that I didn't have before. I cannot recommend Dylan more highly.
Prof. Owen Ware
Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto