Academic writing and non-fiction
APA, MLA, Chicago are specific in their requirements for punctuation, grammar, references and in-text citation styles. They have unique idiosyncrasies, and we can handle them all.

Academic styles are based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), the MLA Handbook, Chicago Manual of Style, and the AP Stylebook.

Marketing and Web site copy
The language of advertising requires an altogether different style from other writing. It allows short, punchy sentences and even sentence fragments. Designed to reach an audience that is scanning quickly for information, grab people's attention, and encourage a response, it often consists of bursts of information.

Personal and professional correspondence
Your letters deliver an unspoken message about you. Your intelligence, your concern for accuracy, your sincerity--even your education level-- show right through the words. If you send a cover letter with an application for school or employment, it must be perfect and represent you in the best possible light. If you are selling a product or a service, your language and message must be flawless.

Business documents
It is critical that business documents, even everyday correspondence, deliver a message that reflects both the quality of the company and the integrity and intelligence of the writer.

Fiction
Writing that comes from the heart is incredibly personal, and we respect your need to retain your own "voice." What we have amassed is vast reading knowledge of a broad array of the many genres of fiction--from the classics to screenplays, from Steven King to Toni Morrison, and most things in between. So from broad reading, we know how things should sound, if they ring true, and if they have that essential air of authenticity. We work particularly closely with writers of fiction.

Grant proposals
There is little room for creativity in documents that ask for money, and your greatest energy should be focused on crafting a lean, strong, well-researched statement of need. Even though clarity and honesty are essential, there are language tricks that can enhance your message. At the same time, there is a lot of stock jargon you want to avoid--and funding agencies have seen every cliché and tired bureaucratic phrase.

The other important elements in your proposal are usually the credentials of those who will manage the money, how you plan to sustain the effort after the grant runs out, a timeline for completion of tasks, and other details. Even these uninspiring sections can be enhanced by our experienced, successful grantsmen.

Spelling and usage decisions made by New Eyes editors are based on the online version of Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.