About Me
My name is Chris Chan, and I’m a scholar and teacher of English literature by training. After over ten years of working with colleagues and students, I’ve discovered what I enjoy most: helping others achieve their targets through concise, compelling, and elegant communication.
My experience as a copyeditor and writing consultant began in childhood. The son of two Chinese American artists in New York City, I became the ‘family proofreader’ almost by accident: I loved studying English grammar and fixing sentences. That’s how I started correcting my parents’ emails, business letters, web copy, and so on.
Since then, I’ve earned my B.A. in English and chemistry at Rutgers University, and my M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English literature at the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, I teach courses and conduct literary research as a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University in Ghent, Belgium. Other stints have included proofreading for a pharmaceutical company and advising international applicants to top-tier university programs in North America and the UK. In every case, I’ve thrived in working with students, scholars, and writers who have big ideas to share with the world.
For more, check out my personal LinkedIn page.
What does “ABC” stand for?
Achieving Better Communication
My mission is to help you communicate your research as clearly, confidently, and compellingly as possible. I work closely with clients to craft and fine-tune their writing, offering detailed feedback from the perspective of a careful, expert reader.
America, Belgium, China
These are the three countries where I met my first clients and honed my editing skills. They are also the places which, for different reasons, I am very proud to call “home.” From Ghent to Guangzhou, and from Central New Jersey to East Flanders, I’m grateful to have reviewed the work of writers from all backgrounds, and to have made lasting connections with them through close consultation.
What others say
“I have known Dr. Chris Chan for several years, and he has provided me with excellent editing services for all of the scientific publications and letters I have sent to him for review. With degrees in English and chemistry, and fluency in multiple other languages (Cantonese, Mandarin, Dutch, French), Chris reads and writes with confidence, power, and an impeccable knowledge base. As he edited each paragraph of my drafts, he helped me expand upon the central ideas in my manuscripts and transform them into well-written publications. His meticulous sentence-level checks, coupled with his attention to logic and structure, ensured that I could best communicate my findings with my readers. Moreover, Chris was able to visualize my focus in each manuscript and thus enhance the individuality of my writing.”
“Being a Ph.D. student in English literature is a challenge, especially if you are not a native speaker. Chris’ editing skills have managed to accommodate my personal writing style to a more proper academic English register. What I appreciated most about his work is the way he allowed me to keep my “voice” while improving the clarity of the text. The care and respectfulness with which he has approached my academic writing is beyond outstanding and I would recommend him to anyone!”
“If you are looking for a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and educational editor, look no further. Chris is a do-it-all editor who can assist with all of your academic needs. I am convinced that I would not have done so well in graduate school without his help in improving the grammar and tone of my assignments. Through his work, I have become a much more concise and thoughtful writer in recent years, an achievement I directly attribute to Chris’s help over all those assignments. I will forever turn to him when I need editing done.”
“Chris has given me so many invaluable suggestions regarding the conceptualization, structure, and language of my scholarly article. He is the most patient reader with the sharpest eyes, and he has the remarkable ability to provide consistently precise comments and encouraging feedback. For anyone who is struggling with academic writing or needs a careful editor, here is the person you should turn to.”
“In my thirty-years of translation and writing career, I’ve worked with various proofreaders and editors. Even though Chris is young, he is thorough, knowledgeable and conscientious. He has helped me complete several writing projects and is still my most important editor.”
Want to learn more?
Learn more about our services and rates, or get in touch about your project.