Who I am and what I do…
I’m a writer, researcher, and editor living in coastal Georgia, currently finishing the final draft of a novel. I have a lifelong love for and fascination with history, especially the history and culture of al-Andalus (Islamic Iberia from the 8th through 15th centuries, and the subsequent diaspora of both Mudejares and Sefardim.) I have a degree in Anthropology; while my original goal of being an archaeologist didn’t come to pass, that knowledge has held me in good stead in my endeavors and interests.
I have edited professionally since 2012, primarily as a contract editor of scientific and academic work. I have also edited two graduate theses, a memoir, and some fiction and nonfiction. I am quite experienced with working with writers who speak English as a foreign language.
My working background has made me an adept researcher, both for myself and others.
I offer editing services at very reasonable rates, from proofreading and copy-editing to developmental and substantive work. Please contact me if you are interested.
Maryam Payne, Writer & Editor 