Hello there!
First things first, my name is Brandi Baker and I promise coffee is not my whole personality. However, I enjoy it immensely and have had fun incorporating it into my brand.
How do I take said coffee? With a splash of milk, of course!
With that settled, I should now introduce myself in a way relevant to why you’ve come to Copy & Cream: Copyediting and Proofreading Services.
As a small business owner for over 15 years, a current nonprofit board member, and an aspiring independent author, I understand the unique challenges of putting your work into the world. I also know the importance of having someone in your corner with the skills and drive to see you succeed.
That’s exactly what I’m here to accomplish. I want to help indie authors and small businesses put their best words forward and make a lasting impression.
I’m new to this business, there’s no sugarcoating that fact. However, we’re all new until we aren’t and I wouldn’t have started this business without the confidence that I can deliver a quality edit. Read more about my experience, training, and wayward path to copyeditor below.
Welcome to Copy & Cream and I look forward to working with you.
Story Time
My career path has been anything but a straight line. Field archaeologist? Check. Wine “slinger” turned vineyard owner in Oregon? Yeah. The all-in-one person for a nonprofit? You bet. What do these experiences have to do with editing other people’s work? Great question, I’m glad you asked.
Attention to detail and the ability to effectively communicate important details landed me jobs within those fields outside the scope of what I’d been hired or trained to do. It became the signature of my tenure with my employers and within our own family business. Long story (ahem, resume) short, it became clear that I felt most fulfilled–and did my best work–when I used my natural strengths to help others succeed.
When it came specifically to editing, I was always that friend with SPaG (spelling, punctuation, and grammar) and helped family and friends look over their work and projects for years. Eventually, as my love of writing and aspirations grew, I began to research (heavily) the indie publishing world, engage with writing groups online, and beta read for others. Ultimately, working with the written word– and helping others while doing it–quickly became a passion and something I wanted to pursue further. Copy & Cream was born of this desire.
Unwilling to go into this business without proper training, I completed two certificate courses (one specific to proofreading and the other to editing) of a CPD-certified program to help sharpen my knowledge and skills. I finished with the honor of Distinction for both courses. You can view those certificates here.