Editing and proofreading

I’m an unabashed pedant who loves to fine-tooth—whether it’s a report, an academic paper, or a Facebook post, nothing is safe from my crosshairs.

I offer proofreading and copyediting services to help writers hone meaning.

Editing focuses on structure, grammar and expression – does this say what it wants to? – and proofreading pays attention to style and consistency (did you spell out ‘per cent’ or use % on the previous page?). I’m often doing both at the same time.

My approach pays close attention to detail and expression, and aims to educate and explain my edits. In a document coming back from me you can expect both tracked changes and chatty comments mulling over the editorial decisions.

My proofreading and copyediting services are flexible to your project – I don’t have prescribed, packaged services or minimums – and I can usually turn work around quickly. If you need a fresh set of eyes to look over a grant due tomorrow, or the annual report that’s still not on the website, I’m your gal.

ACFID

I’ve had the pleasure of writing and editing the Australian Council for International Development’s annual report five years in a row.

This work is always collaborative – involving masterful coordination from ACFID’s wonderful staff to bullet-point an outline of content, which I then go in to write, finesse, and proof as it moves through approvals. The final stage is a massive, marked-up pdf following a forensic read to spot spelling errors, stray spaces, and consistency in capitalisation, before the report goes to print.

In 2021, I also edited a COVID-19 impact report and series of evidence-rich policy briefs ahead of the 2022 Federal Election.

ActionAid

I’ve worked with ActionAid Australia on three research reports and one annual report since 2021 and can safely say I’ve never learnt more from any other editing assignment.

These reports are thoroughly researched and powerfully framed when they arrive in my hands for de-jargoning, proof-reading, and to asses as reader without subject matter expertise whether the argument has landed. I’ve learnt about just shares of climate finance and the challenges facing garment workers, and hope my edits helped other readers feel similarly informed.

IWDA

My work with the International Women’s Development Agency began five years ago writing website stories about their Timor-Leste partners while living in Dili, and happily, continues today – my most recent IWDA task was proof-reading a short guideline for best practice in feminist philanthropy in June 2024.

Since 2019 I’ve has the pleasure of interviewing activists in Timor-Leste and Myanmar, summarising a 20,000-word participatory research project, and editing grant proposals and program evaluation reports.