Copy Editing
& Proofreading
Specialising in academic writing in English as a foreign language
Services
Copy editing
Copy editing can be divided into two main areas — mechanical and substantive.
​
-
Mechanical editing concerns consistency in format and style, and attention to grammar and punctuation.
​​
-
Substantive editing deals with the readability and clarity of the text, and involves rephrasing, reorganising, reducing or simplifying.
​
A 'heavy' edit (calling for many changes) or a 'light' edit (few changes) would be employed for both mechanical and substantive editing, depending on how familiar the writer is with English.
​
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final correction of small typographical errors on a text that has already been fully copy edited.
​
It is the vital last step in ensuring that errors are spotted and eliminated.
​
Proofreading, thus, can sometimes be confused with the process of mechanical copy editing, which deals with similar issues, especially since today both editing and proofing are mainly carried out in digital format, rather than on paper.
​
Whether it's an academic paper or proposal, a dissertation, a factual book or novel, a covering letter or a term assignment, all types of writing are welcome.
​
Research
Research is the systematic enquiry into a subject in order to discover new information, or reach a new understanding of facts.
​
Often in the course of copy editing, research is required to ascertain whether content is factually correct.
​
Testimonials
“
"With a sharp eye for typos and a fine sense of style, Penny works fast and has a dauntless spirit when faced with the most tricky of texts. She's the first person I turn to when I need help with a difficult project!"
“
"Penny is a highly experienced copy editor, researcher and proof reader, with an innate talent for spotting inconsistencies and errors. The high quality of the books and publications she has worked on, over the past three decades, are a testament to her skills and dedication."
“
"A very good collaboration with Penny regarding the Harper's Bazaar catalogue published by MAD. She proved to be very responsive and available, despite particularly difficult deadlines."
Ben Young, PhD
Founder of Babelediting
Peter Murray, DLitt
Editor of Volume 5, Art and Architecture of Ireland
(Yale, 2014)
Violaine Aurias,
Editor of Harper's Bazaar, exhibition catalogue (Musée des Arts Décoratifs,
Paris, 2020)
Biography
"I am passionate about my work — transforming raw material into a beautiful piece of prose is like turning a rough stone into a diamond; it is immensely satisfying!"
​
With nearly thirty years' experience in the field, I am a highly proficient copy editor, proofreader and researcher.
​
My background is in history and art but I have carried out editing services in diverse fields, including economics, tourism, ecology, gender studies, education, philosophy and gastronomy, to name just some of them.
​
I have a particular aptitude for editing the work of writers whose first language is not English. This type of editing not only requires great attention to detail, but also a 'feel' for language, involving a creativity that I find especially rewarding.
​
My clients come from all over the world and it has been a hugely enriching experience working amongst so many different cultures.
​
After graduating from Trinity College Dublin in history in 1993, I spent the next decade working in a variety of history-related scholarly roles, including researching for the Georgian Society of Ireland, under Desmond Fitzgerald, Knight of Glin, and also copy editing and researching for the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork.
I went on to become copy editor for Margaret Gowan & Co., one of the leading archaeological consultancy companies at the time.
​
Throughout the 2000s, I continued to work as a researcher and copy editor for various publications. Between 2008 and 2013, I was employed by the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, as project assistant and copy editor for Volume 5 of what became the most significant publishing event in Irish art history, the five-volume Art and Architecture of Ireland (2014, Yale)
​
I have also copy edited and proofed for the National Gallery of Ireland and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. In recent years, I have focused on editing and proofing papers for academic journals, as well as dissertations and books.
​
I graduated with a BA in History from Trinity College Dublin in 1988, and was later awarded an MLitt in Medieval History. My thesis focused on 'The Position of Women in Medieval Lucca based on Testamentary Evidence.'
Fees
€40 (euro) per hour.
Discounts are available, depending on circumstances (e.g., student, regular client) or the length of the work. Please ask for a quote.
​
I charge a premium if you require work to be returned within 24 hours.
​
​
The time a project requires depends on the length, and level of changes the text needs.
It is hard to give an exact quote upfront without first seeing an example of the text. To give you an idea of how long a project might take, here are some example speeds:
​
-
Proofreading:
4,000 words per hour -
Light copy editing:
2,000 words per hour -
Heavy copy editing:
1,000 words per hour