Tess Bird
medical anthropologist, writer, editor, consultant
Writing Coaching and Editing
Find your authentic voice.
Hi, I’m Tess! I’m a developmental editor and writing coach with nearly two decades of experience helping professionals find their authentic writing voice.
I work with coaches, therapists, artists, health care professionals, academics, and solopreneurs who are looking to build a public presence while staying true to their unique self.
Working with me is different than just hiring a copy-editor to fix your work. My goal is to build your confidence and skill in communicating what you offer so that the more you work with me, the less you’ll need me in the future!
Website content development.
Short-form articles for blogs, newspapers, magazines.
Reports and grants.
I offer a range of services.
Authenticity Package for Solopreneurs
Struggling to find the right tone for your website or marketing materials? Want it to be authentic to who you are but also capture your intended audience? I can help!
Writing Coaching
Do you want to write more but feel like your lack of confidence is getting in the way? I am highly skilled at helping you break through personal barriers and learn the skills necessary to bring your writing to the next level.
English-Language Editing
I work with universities, academics, and professionals to make sure their documents or manuscripts read well in English. I have worked with Danish, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, and Chinese speakers.
Editing for Academics
More than just a line edit: I make sure your argument is sound and your supporting evidence is clear and succinct. I specialize in the social sciences, design, and humanities.
Why hire me?
I’m a professional editor, a former academic, and trained in entrepreneurship.
- PhD and MSc. Medical Anthropology, University of Oxford (2011 and 2018).
- Former Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Writing for the Social Sciences at Wesleyan University (2018-2020).
- Current managing editor of Caring for the Ages, the official news publication of the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association (since 2021).
- Certificate in Creative Writing, University of Connecticut (2008).
- Business training at University of Oxford Entrepreneurship Centre (2017) and Connecticut Small Business Development Center at the University of Connecticut (2021).
I look forward to hearing from you!
TESTIMONIALS
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After using Grammarly Pro and spending time editing my website content with fellow female social entrepreneurs, I started working with Tess. This decision might easily be my smartest business move yet. Tess not only makes my content clear and compelling, but she also gives the writing my voice, and I see my personality coming through in her edits. Working with Tess brought me back ease and joy when thinking about how to tell my story and how to reach my clients. It allows me to focus on what I love to do and what I’m good at. She is asking me all the right questions, tuning into me, as well as into my clients, which leads to an abundance of accepted edits, instead of more work for me. Receiving her edits and comments is always a rich experience that helps me grow and see something from a new angle, as much as it is encouraging and nurturing.”
— Carina Schmid, Resonant Healing Practitioner, Nurse, MPH
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“I highly recommend Tess Bird for her exceptional editing work on my book, “Type Tricks: User Design”. As a PhD holder, Tess has the academic skills and expertise necessary to bring a high level of professionalism and precision to her work. Throughout the editing process, Tess demonstrated a keen attention to detail and a deep understanding of language and communication. She was able to identify areas that needed improvement and provide insightful suggestions for how to make the content more clear, concise, and engaging. Her contributions helped to elevate the book and make it a more valuable resource for readers. Overall, I believe Tess would be an asset to any editorial project.”
— Sofie Beier, PhD, Professor and Head of Centre for Visibility Design; author of Type Tricks: User Design.
Resources I like
Research
Resource: “Is there a better way to write your academic papers? New research says yes,” Elsevier Connect, 2023.
Style Guides
Resource: Purdue Owl, a well-known resource for writers, including style guides (MLA, APA).
