Editing

Have you written a manuscript that needs work? Perhaps it seems ready, but needs copy-editing or a fresh pair of eyes before you press publish. Or maybe your good idea has ground to a halt, and you want to jumpstart it. I can help.

As a writer myself, I really appreciate the value a good editor can add to a project. That’s not just ensuring that everything makes sense and there are no typos. It’s about overall structure, flowing narrative, and engaging your reader.

My editing experience has encompassed everything from self-help books to scientific reports, via 10 years on staff at the Guardian where I edited many special supplements and websites. I love to get involved with the sort of project that really challenges me. For some years after I went freelance, I remained the editor-in-charge of the Guardian’s International Development Journalism Competition. In that role, I helped new journalists write complex features that eventually appeared in one of the UK’s best news publications.

The most recent big project I worked on was The Feminism Book, published by Dorling Kindersley in 2019 as part of its Big Ideas series. I edited much of this book, and also wrote parts of it.

For around 10 years, I was a visiting lecturer at the university of Greenwich, I taught students what makes a good journalism feature, and how they can make their stories the best they can be.

My undergraduate degree is in history, and I have a particular interest in 20th century social history. I also have a masters’ degree in Life History Research. This included oral history, and I am a member of the Oral History Society. I have a special interest in genealogy, autobiography and memoir.

If you’d like me to help with your project, do get in touch with me via the contact form. My rates will be similar to those in the Society for Editors and Proofreaders guidelines.