Building books that educate, empower, and transform
Hello and welcome to UpLit, a professional editorial and proofreading service dedicated to creating Uplifting Literature.1
I’m Swetha, the friendly (and only!) editor here. I help nonfiction authors and publishers craft compelling narratives articulated in the author’s unique voice and presented with clarity and polish. My passion is bringing to life books that contribute to individual and collective education, empowerment, and transformation.
I work across a wide range of nonfiction genres spanning health and healing, exercise/movement, psychology, memoir, finance, philanthropy, research-backed self-help, personal growth, philosophy, spirituality, parenting, family and relationships, leadership, social change, history, poetry, architecture, art, photography, culture, nature, and the environment. Drawing on my Asian Indian heritage and my Iyengar Yoga background (a two-year, 500-hour teacher training and apprenticeship at Adeline Yoga, Berkeley), I also offer subject-matter expertise for yoga-related books, covering anatomy, āsana, and philosophy. My proficiency in the Devanagari script and foundational Sanskrit enables me to provide transliterations and editorial oversight for Sanskrit-to-English translations.
With fourteen years of experience encompassing editorial work, business administration in the yoga industry, and business and tech consulting, I bring a broad array of skills to support my clients’ success. I hold a Professional Sequence in Editing certificate from the University of California, Berkeley Extension, and an MS (with Honors) in Management Information Systems from Texas A&M University. I continue my professional development through the Publishing Professionals Network (PPN), Editcetera, and BAWiP, where I am an active member.
For editing projects: I offer substantive, line, and/or copyediting with detailed, honest, and thoughtful feedback aimed at enhancing clarity, strengthening credibility, and elevating the author’s distinctive style. I specialize in manuscripts with extensive notes and bibliographies that require rigorous fact-checking. Each project includes a custom style sheet for consistency and reference.
For proofreading projects: Beyond word-by-word review for grammatical and typographical errors, I check for accuracy and consistency across typesetting, design elements, and content. I can also assist with collation of author/editor corrections and resolution of editorial queries.
All work follows the house or client-specified style and preferred dictionary. I am proficient in print and digital markup, the Chicago Manual of Style, and essential tools such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Office Suite, and Google Suite.
I’d love to hear about your project and explore how I can help bring your vision to life. Please contact me with your details—I look forward to working with you!
Warmly,
Swetha Rao
- Note to fellow logophiles: Uplit is the simple past tense and past participle of the verb uplight, meaning “to light in an upward direction,” according to the Collins English Dictionary. Merriam-Webster, however, has no entry for either word. ↩︎
