Editing Services
Authors
You've spent months, even years, on your manuscript and now you're ready to self-publish or send it off to an agent. But wait. Don't spoil your chances by submitting your manuscript before it's ready. I can help your writing shine by cleaning up slips of grammar, punctuation, spelling, layout and formatting. Remember, automatic spelling and grammar checkers don't catch many common mistakes.
For a more detailed copy-edit, I can check your manuscript for inconsistencies such as characters' names and appearance, timeline errors, ambiguities, unintentional switches between first / third person and problems with tense.
Academics / Students
I can edit your dissertation, thesis, essay or term paper so that your ideas, not the mistakes, shine through. I can clean up issues relating to spelling, mistyping, grammar and structure, many of which would be missed by automatic spelling and grammar checkers. Finally, I can check that your citations and references are correctly formatted.
But can't I just use an automatic spelling / grammar checker?
No, because they don't pick up everything. Here are some things which commonly slip through the net:
Homophone mistakes Like sewing / sowing. The first is what you do with needle and thread, the second is what you do with seeds. But they're both correctly spelt words, so an automatic spelling checker wouldn't pick this up.
Awkwardly phrased English Sometimes there are no mistakes in a piece of writing, but if written by a non-native speaker, it can often help to edit the piece so it reads naturally and smoothly, with correct use of English-language idioms.
Wordiness and jargon Again, sometimes there are no mistakes, but the writing isn't clear and concise. Here's an example:
Before: "Please note that it will nevertheless take several weeks in order to deliver even the prioritised orders due to the ongoing very high backlog situation and the relatively low number of pieces available per month."
After: "Please note, it will take several weeks to deliver orders, even prioritised ones. This is because of an existing backlog and the low number of pieces available each month."
Publishers
I can edit against copy or blind, on paper using BSI symbols, or on screen using Word Track Changes or Adobe PDF proofreading tools. My specialist areas include law, fiction, sewing and craft. I will deliver work on time and to budget.
Businesses
I can proofread or copy-edit your brochures, marketing materials, press releases, manuals and annual reports. Don't risk turning off potential clients by putting out material containing errors. A single spelling mistake can cut online sales in half (read this if you don't believe me). I'll check your document for errors of grammar, punctuation, spelling, layout and formatting, many of which would be missed by automatic spelling and grammar checkers.