I’ve been a full-time freelance editor and proofreader since 2013.
A safe pair of handsI’m an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP). Here’s my entry on the CIEP directory. I’m committed to follow our code of practice, Ensuring Editorial Excellence, which assures high standards of editorial work and customer care.
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As part of my active involvement in the CIEP, I’m one of the tutors for its training courses and the coordinator of its Liverpool group. I’ve also previously had two-year spells as the Manchester group coordinator and as an online forum administrator, and been part of a team that helped to expand and improve the Institute’s information resources.
Background
I worked in IT for 26 years as a programmer, analyst, project manager and team leader, working for organisations in the transport, financial services, government, retail and telecommunications sectors. This gave me great experience of working in a well-organised, methodical way, with an emphasis on thoroughness and attention to detail – which has been valuable in my editorial work.
In another guise as an author, I had a sports history book published (later self-published as an ebook), and had a number of articles published in magazines and online.
In another guise as an author, I had a sports history book published (later self-published as an ebook), and had a number of articles published in magazines and online.
Skills
- Copy-editing
- Proofreading
- Business editing
- Plain English editing
- Microsoft Word, using Track Changes, macros, PerfectIt and Editor's ToolKit Plus
- BSI (BS-5261) proofreading and copy-editing symbols
- PDF mark-up with Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (using the Comment functions) or PDF-XChange Editor (using stamps for BSI symbols, or other mark-up as required)
- Style guide development
Training and education (selected)
- Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP): Web Editing | The Art of Querying
- Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP – now the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading): Introduction to Proofreading | Introduction to Copy-editing | Proofreading Progress | Copy-editing Progress | Mentoring for Proofreading | Mentoring for Copy-editing | Efficient Editing: Strategies and Tactics | Editing Digital Content | Plain English for Editors
- Publishing Training Centre (PTC): Basic Proofreading | Copy-editing | Rewriting and Substantive Editing
- The Writers Bureau: Comprehensive Writing Course | Proofreading and Copy-editing
- Online Content Training: Online Content: Writing and Editing Skills
- PRINCE2 (project management) accreditation at Foundation level
- Loughborough University: BSc (Hons) in Data Processing, 1987
Specialist subjects
I can work with most subjects, but these are my specialist areas of knowledge:
- Technology and its use in business
- Sport and its history, particularly football and cricket
- Music: rock, pop and related genres
CPD: continuing professional development
Although I’ve had the core training that an editorial professional needs, I’m still committed to the continual improvement of my skills, knowledge and methods. Here are some of the ways I’ve been doing this:
- Further training – please see the list above
- Involvement in local groups of the CIEP, including attending many meetings and coordinating two groups (Manchester from 2015 to 2018; Liverpool since August 2020)
- Attending the CIEP’s conference each year since 2015
- Regular participation on the CIEP’s online forums
- Following other editors and language professionals on social media
- Reading articles and books on editing, proofreading and related subjects such as plain English and writing style
Download a brochure
Legal note
I provide these services in a self-employed, sole trader capacity.
Find out about how I can help you in the What I do section.
