Overview
I have this uncanny ability (I think) to put myself in an author's shoes, so I do the necessary editing without taking away the author's voice.
The work I'm most proud of is the secondary school textbooks I helped create at Oxford University Press, all of which were published. I also enjoyed editing and proofreading higher education books for Van Schaik Publishers (a huge publishing house in South Africa). It is a massive compliment that editors at both publishing houses recommended me to each other, based on my ability to improve the flow and style of text, and my talent for picking up errors others have missed.
Another project I worked on earlier in my career was "Wild flowers of the Limpopo Valley", a beautiful book on plants indigenous to the Limpopo Province in South Africa.
Apart from editing and proofreading, I co-authored some textbooks for OUP, which was also an extremely satisfying job. One builds your pool of knowledge with every job you do.
People I've worked with appreciated me for my meticulous work and the fact that I would go out of my way to ensure that content is correct. I do give honest but objective feedback. Finally, I have been known for my great sense of (darkish) humour that intensifies as a deadline draws nearer!
Services
Non-Fiction
Languages
Awards
- Certificate for excellence in communication for the JuniorTukkie magazine in the annual competition of the South African Publication Forum
Certifications
- National Diploma: Language Practice
Work experience
Self-employed
• Oxford University Press (OUP): Authored (parts of books), edited and proofread secondary school textbooks, all of which were approved for publication by the various countries’ departments of education (a complicated process).
Formulated style sheets, checked front and back matter, collated changes from authors and (other) editors,
proofread typeset pages, selected images, and compiled artwork lists.
• Van Schaik Publishers: Edited and proofread higher education textbooks.
• University of Pretoria: Edited and proofread study guides, and papers for publication in journals.
Janine Smit Editorial Services
• Edited and proofread a non-fiction book on wild flowers.
• Edited a manuscript of a novel (unpublished).
• Wrote feature articles for several magazines, and academic and corporate reports, and edited and proofread these publications.
Portfolio
