Kelby Cottenie (they/them)

I am a queer freelance editor who grew up in Saskatchewan, where I continue to live and work on Treaty 4 Territory. I spent my childhood and teen years loving reading and English class (and fastidiously circling any typos I saw in assignment handouts).

  

While attending the University of Regina  to earn bachelor's degrees in English and Psychology and a master's degree in English, I worked as a writing tutor at the Student Success Centre. This is where I fell in love with editing—getting to help writers clarify their ideas, build confidence, and navigate the intimidating territory of style guides and grammar rules was exactly my cup of tea. I knew I wanted to pursue it as a career.

 

Since then, I've been lucky enough to work with countless authors across numerous genres in a freelance capacity. Beginning my freelance work part-time in 2021, I transitioned to full-time in 2023. Throughout this time, I've worked on books published through presses like FriesenPress, with the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild, and with independent authors and researchers. Between my experience as a tutor and editor, I've now been professionally immersed in books, style guides, and dictionaries for over ten years, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Just as inclusion and social justice are important to me in my professional praxis, so are they important in my personal life. I've engaged in advocacy work with other amazing volunteers in organizations like Abortion is Healthcare (2022-2024). For several years now, I've also done grocery delivery and community garden work for Regina's community fridges, and I am a media responder with Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East.

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As for when I'm not reading or editing, I'm also a comic artist and have had works published in numerous zines and run a comics workshop with Planned Parenthood Regina. In addition, I love going for walks and birdwatching, spending time with my cats/home office supervisors Grayble and Frankie, and laughing and eating snacks with my partner and friends.