General non-fiction

"Heartfelt thanks are also due to Jack Alexander, who did a terrific job of copyediting the manuscript from Japan ... Your feedback was not only prescient, timely, and thorough, it also made me laugh."
Esther Rutter
Author of 'This Golden Fleece'

 

I provide copyediting and proofreading services depending on the stage of completion of your work. 

Copyediting

“Copyediting … is the process of revising written material (copy) to improve readability and fitness, as well as ensuring that a text is free of grammatical and factual errors.” (Wikipedia)
 
I ensure that your text is fit for publishing by checking the spelling, grammar, and punctuation, and also the accuracy (if you say that it’s 10,000 km from London to Tokyo, I will check that it is). I take a “deep dive” into your work, making sure that you don’t repeat or contradict yourself and that your terminology is consistent by creating a style sheet. Any problems with flow, clarity, tone, and copyright are flagged, and I often suggest solutions, while making every effort to retain your voice.
 
After your work has been copyedited, it will be of high quality and ready to publish.
 
I take on jobs of all sizes, from blogs of a few hundred words to full-length books. See here for a list of books I have worked on.
 
For a more detailed description of what a copyeditor does, please click here.
 

Proofreading

“[As a proofreader], you are the last line of defence before the document goes ‘live’. Your task is to eliminate the blunders that no one saw, without making unnecessary changes.” (CIEP)
 

I carefully check through everything in your text in detail, correcting spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors; ensuring consistency of style and format; making sure figures and tables are correctly labeled¹ and cited in the text; and checking that headings and page numbers on the contents page match those in the text.

I read your work actively and raise any queries where a typo might have led to a factual error (“London hosted the Olympics in summer 2912”).

I also try to retain your wording as much as possible and not change things unnecessarily.

For a more detailed description of what a proofreader does, please click here.

¹US English spellings are used throughout this website.

How do I correct your work?

Corrections are usually made on a Word file using the Track Changes facility, with all corrections and comments visible to you. All you have to do is accept or reject the changes.

Watch this video for a helpful guide on how changes and comments are made and how to accept and reject changes using Track Changes.

For proofreading jobs, I can also make corrections on Google Docs, on PDF files using the commenting tools in Adobe Acrobat Reader, or with pen and paper.

Is it a catch-22 situation, a Catch 22 situation, or a Catch-22 situation? My reference books have all the answers! (It's a catch-22 situation.)

What to know more?

Please get in contact! If you send me a copy of your work, I will look at it without any obligation, assess your requirements, and give you a quotation. I am also happy to have a video discussion with you. All inquiries will be treated in the strictest confidence.