Michael Smith

I'm an independent copy editor, proofreader, and technical writer with over two decades of experience — though I didn't start out in editorial work. For almost twenty years I ran the technical services team at an IT company in Costa Rica, overseeing infrastructure projects and a team of developers and hardware specialists. Along the way, I realized what I was actually best at wasn't the technical work itself, but explaining it clearly to the people who needed to understand it. That realization became my career, and eventually my business. I spent nearly three years as a Technical Documentation Writer and Editor for a software company in British Columbia, building two knowledge bases from scratch in WordPress and writing the tutorials, procedures, and training materials that came with them. Today I run my own editorial practice, mlsmith Editorial, offering proofreading, copy editing, technical writing, and content development to small businesses and marketing teams who care about how their words land. Recent client work includes a full website copy write and proofread for a manufacturing company in Costa Rica. Past experience includes writing and editing for an English-language magazine covering Costa Rica for an expat and international readership. I'm a native English speaker (American English), based in Costa Rica with full overlap with US business hours. My technical background means I bring real subject-matter understanding to every project, not just a sharp eye for grammar. I take on freelance and contract work of all sizes — one-off proofreading jobs, ongoing content partnerships, or ghostwritten technical documentation. If you need someone who asks the right questions before touching your document and delivers on time, every time, let's talk.