Skills, training and life experience

I am a native British English speaker.

A long time ago, when my children were younger, I tried selling DK books at Book Parties. (Dorling Kindersley back then.)

The thing was I ended up buying more than I sold. I was rubbish at selling those lovely books!

Now I’m delighted to be involved with words in a totally different way.

Before ‘editing life’, I taught in Inner London, Spain and then back home in Scotland.

As a teacher my specialisms included supporting children and young people with autism, ADHD, and social, emotional and behavioural issues.

I live with my husband and puppy in Ayrshire.

My editing interests

Fiction Editing

I am keen to support indie authors, especially women writers who have found writing later in life. Having discovered my own passion for writing I understand the feelings you might have about your words being considered.

I am a member of my local writers’ club. We have weekly workshops and competitions, which are judged by published authors.

Waiting for feedback is quite a feeling. This has helped me understand the importance of giving kind but honest feedback to an author.

Editing of education-related content and children’s books

My teaching experience lends itself to working with education-related projects and children’s books, including:

children’s picture books

early readers

children’s fiction and non-fiction

  • educational materials

My Training

As a CIEP member (entry level) I comply with the Institute’s Professional Practice Code as an editorial professional.

My training includes:

  • Proofreading: Introduction, CIEP (2024)

  • Proofreading: Headway, CIEP (2024)

  • Proofreading: Progress, CIEP (2025)

  • Copyediting: Introduction, CIEP (2024)

  • CIEP Conference (2024)

  • Louise Harnby Style Sheets for Fiction Editing (2024)

  • Publishing Training Centre, E-Learning bite-sized courses in: Publishing - Copy-Editing - Editing Fiction - Proofreading PDFs - An editor’s guide to working with typesetters - A copy-editor’s guide to working with authors.

  • Publishing Training Centre, Essential Grammar (2025)

  • Publishing Training Centre, Essential Copy-Editing (I am currently taking this course)

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