Holly Lynne Smith
Substantive Editor, Copy Editor, Proofreader
Holly Smith is that friend who uses hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes correctly even in text messages; who crafts her grocery lists with aesthetically pleasing typographic hierarchies; and who physically cringes when you end a sentence with a preposition—but who tries her very hardest to be sweet about it.
Holly is a two-time graduate of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, having graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts in Biblical Archaeology and subsequently with a master of arts in Biblical Exegesis. Holly’s career as a freelance editor began soon after completing her graduate degree, when she was selected to review the Old Testament portion of Zondervan’s award-winning NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. At this time Holly also worked
as the Publications Coordinator for the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon—an archaeological excavation in Ashkelon, Israel, sponsored by Harvard University and Wheaton College.
In this role, Holly facilitated all aspects of the excavation’s publication projects—from corresponding with researchers and authors to editing and typesetting manuscripts in preparation for their final publication. Holly resigned from this role in 2016 preceding the birth of her first child.
Several years and another baby later, Holly now spends the majority of her days at home chasing after her two young boys, but between diaper changes and boo-boo kisses, she still exercises her passion for the publication process on a freelance basis. Over these years, Holly has gained experience in substantive editing, copyediting, and proofreading nonfiction manuscripts, with a special focus on and fondness for editing academic monographs and other Christian living resources for adults.
Holly has extensive training in biblical Hebrew and Greek and has additionally taken coursework in French, German, Ugaritic, and Akkadian. Holly’s interdisciplinary training and experience in biblical studies, archaeology, theology, and graphic design set her apart, and she adapts easily to the stylistic preferences of individual publishers.
Holly is married to Chris and the mother of Frederick and Simon. The Smiths live in Louisville, Kentucky, in a little red house with a big flock of chickens.