ABOUT

Heartful Editor was created by Dr. Sara Kathleen Henry, a university administrator turned entrepreneur with a deep commitment to empowering academic and career success in others. Raised by a librarian who instilled in her a love of books at a young age, Sara was a voracious reader and thrived as a writer throughout her academics. She first learned how to edit her own work at the age of 13, writing on an IBM Lexmark Wheelwriter 1000 typewriter and using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (4th edition) as a formatting guide.

In Spring 2016, she started working with graduate students as a freelance academic editor to make ends meet while working on another entrepreneurial endeavor. One referral led to another, and then another, and eventually she was editing a full 40+ hours per week. It became evident that there was a need in the community for this work, and within a couple of months, Sara determined that what would benefit students even more than an editor was a coach who could provide caring support and guidance on individual writing projects or throughout the student’s entire academic program. On a rainy day in Portland, OR, Sara sat at a café looking over a list of potential names for the company. She wanted to help students, faculty, and academic and career professionals learn and become more confident writers, and she wanted them to feel supported and encouraged. The name needed to reflect this purpose. Sara looked up from her laptop and noticed shelves filled with items for sale, all bearing the word “Heart” for Heart Roasters where she was spending the afternoon.

Heartful Editor was born that day and has since grown to include a team of 40 doctorate-educated faculty and career professionals who are deeply committed to the success of the students, faculty, and academic and career professionals with whom we work. The work we do is grounded in our core values:

  • LOVE: Our practice is grounded in love and a wholehearted commitment to weaving care and tenderness into every edit, every interaction, and every project. Our work is a practice of the heart through which we help writers find and refine their voice.
  • INTEGRITY: We strive to uphold the highest ethical standards in our work with students, faculty, and academic and career professionals. We are educators first, and we nurture writing skill development through our practice.
  • ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: We offer impeccable editing skills, meticulous attention to detail, and up-to-date knowledge of formatting guidelines and the mechanics of writing. Our goal is to work collaboratively with students and faculty to advance academic excellence.
  • DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: We honor the voices and diverse backgrounds of the individuals we support, meet them where they are as academic writers, and focus on setting and achieving goals that are unique to them.
  • CHALLENGE AND SUPPORT: We believe that we grow and learn best within a loving and supportive community of peers, coaches, and educators who care about us and challenge us to reach our highest potential. We give this care and support to each individual with whom we work.
  • TRANSFORMATION: We see our coaching and editing services as a medium through which we can contribute to individuals’ growth and development and nurture their desire to effect positive social change in the community through research and scholarship.
  • PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION: We embrace imperfections with empathy and compassion, and we see them as opportunities to grow and learn. We view writing as a developmental process and one that requires patience and persistence.
  • ACCESS: We are committed to keeping our rates as low as possible so that cost is never a barrier to someone getting the support they need. We are attentive to financial considerations and provide options whenever possible to minimize this burden.
  • SELF-CARE: We are committed to and promote wellness as a lifelong practice and one that contributes to our overall health and productivity as students, faculty, and academic and career professionals.

Heartful Editor reviews and provides guidance on theses, course papers, proposals and dissertations, resumes, CVs, cover letters, academic journal articles, academic books and book chapters, conference presentations, grant applications, policy manuals, student-friendly dissertation guides, and more!

Learn more about OUR TEAM!