How can I help you resolve your writing issues?

17 February 2022

You’ve been to my website so you already know that I’m a focused copyeditor and proofreader who’s meticulous with the details. My job is to make your writing read smoothly, naturally, and clearly whilst retaining your own voice where applicable, so we need to discuss your issues and how I can help you resolve them.

 

Basic rule: never rely on checking your own work! You know what you want it to say, so it’s easy to miss errors you would pick up in someone else’s writing.

 

  • If you’re happy with your content but would like a double-check for any spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors you might have missed and perhaps a sense check, that’s my bread and butter.
  • If you’ve written your material but it doesn’t read quite right or doesn’t get across what you want to convey, then get in touch. We can set up a complimentary initial 30-minute Zoom consultation for an in-depth discussion on what you want to say and how you want to say it.
  • Large pieces of work will certainly require a conversation to discuss your overall needs.

 

In all cases it will be helpful to know whether your work has been reviewed by anyone else, but there’s no issue if that isn’t the case. I’ll also need to know your timescale. Please note – a rush job will incur an additional charge.

 

Following our initial discussions use the Upload File facility on my Contact Information page to send me a sample of your material so that I can work on it. This lets both of us get a feel for whether we’re a good fit as well as confirm what level of support is required. I'll provide you with a quote based on the sample for you to accept or decline. If you accept we'll confirm details by email – if it’s a large piece of work I’ll prepare a contract for your agreement and sign-off.

Why I'm not the editor for you

by The Editor • 23 June 2022
STATEMENT: I am not the editor for you if your content is academic, technical, medical or scientific; these areas require specialist knowledge. I will not work on any material that is grounded in racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia. I will not work with content that promotes or glorifies rape, paedophilia, terrorism, physical, mental or sexual abuse and exploitation, or any kind of hate speech. These principles are not negotiable so please don't ask.

How did I become a copyeditor and proofreader? Let me tell you a story...

by The Editor • 26 April 2022
I’ve always been a lover of words. I was that child with the torch under the bedclothes trying to finish whichever book I was reading, and whilst I liked to have fun with my friends as much as the next child, bad weather and sick days would find me working my way through piles of books from the library. Indeed, a childhood friend recently reminded me that one of her favourite memories of me was being in the library during the summer school holidays and only being able to see my eyes over the pile of books I was carrying :). After college training many moons ago my very first real job was as shorthand secretary to one of four senior partners at small firm of architects in London; in actuality my working day comprised of taking shorthand all morning and then typing it up, getting it out and getting it filed in the afternoon. I was blessed with a lovely boss who was sensitive to the fact that I was straight out of college so inexperienced in the working world, and he was hugely supportive. One of his favourite pastimes was to look up the most complicated words he could find to use when dictating to me, just to see if I understood their meaning and could take them down correctly. After six months I got a job at an international company as shorthand secretary to two managers, one of whom was a challenging individual who insisted on writing out everything he wanted typed and taking back his draft to check any changes I had made. He would get very agitated when I corrected his punctuation, spelling, grammar and phrasing (which was frequently necessary) and more so when I explained my changes. It finally came to a head one day when I was forced to tell him on the office floor that his job was to let me know what he needed me to do and to provide the necessary information, and mine was to ensure it was prepared and sent out correctly written and formatted. I fully expected to be fired that same day but nothing happened, and we had a much better working relationship from that point on once he acknowledged that I knew what I was doing. Thus began the development of my editing and proofreading skills, which were well used and expanded throughout my career working for both small businesses and large corporations, even though they were never considered a formal part of any of my duties. Now retired from the corporate world, I’ve been kept busy informally using my skills to help others improve their writing, so I made the leap and started my own business providing quality copyediting and proofreading services to those asking for help.