Helen Castell

Helen Castell – Editor

Meticulous copy editor, proofreader and financial journalist

Overview

Meticulous copy editor and proofreader who also brings to the table more than 20 years' experience as a financial journalist.

My deep understanding of business and finance positions me well to polish non-fiction titles in this field, with a particular interest in global trade, commodities, banking compliance and development finance.

I have copy edited multiple books through Reedsy - mostly on business and finance topics - while maintaining several long-term editing clients, including the World Trade Organization. I have also freelanced as a copy editor and proofreader for publishers including Penguin Random House.

Services
Non-Fiction
Business & Management Economics Finance & Accounting Political Science & Current Affairs Travel
Languages
English (UK) English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Jul, 2002 — Present
Freelance writer and editor. I work mostly as a financial journalist, but also provide copywriting services for corporate clients such as AIG, Aronova and Lloyds, producing market materials, writing speeches or ghostwriting articles. I have also proofread and copyedited a number of Rough Guides travel books, as well as self-published fiction titles.

Portfolio

Trade is being weaponized – and this is not good. As politicians on both sides of the Atlantic raise the stakes, trade is increasingly a tool of coercion to achieve strategic influence. This book looks at the risks for us all as trade becomes an instrument of ... read more
The Rough Guide to Kenya has been the most authoritative guide to the country since it was first published in 1987. The fully revised, full-colour 11th edition covers the country in fine detail. Learn how to cope with and enjoy Nairobi; visit the Maasai Mara w... read more
World-renowned 'tell it like it is' guidebookDiscover Portugal with this comprehensive, entertaining, 'tell it like it is' Rough Guide, packed with comprehensive practical information and our experts' honest and independent recommendations.Whether you plan to ... read more
Discover this vast and varied South American country with the most incisive and entertaining guidebook on the market. Whether you plan to hit the beaches of Rio, take a boat up the Amazon or explore the gorgeous colonial towns of Minas Gerais, The Rough Guide ... read more
A comprehensive guide into the strategies of the executive search professional that can be easily adopted by you and your business. Full of strong ideas and practical solutions that will enable you to lower costs, improve time scales and make sure you hire the... read more

Helen has 12 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

shakorah W.

shakorah W.

Apr, 2025

Pinned
Working with Helen was an absolute pleasure. I was thoroughly impressed by her depth of knowledge and professionalism, especially given the highly specialized niche I operate in. Her questions were clear, concise, and demonstrated a strong understanding of the subject matter. As someone who ha...
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Simon H.

Simon H.

Aug, 2021

Pinned
Helen was fantastic to work with; I would highly recommend her to anyone, particularly non-fiction authors like me. As a copy editor and then a proofreader, she provided detailed, constructive and informative comments and mark-ups on my text. Working with her has been a truly collaborative proces...
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michel I.

michel I.

Jun, 2026

It was a pleasure to work with Helen and appreciate her professionalism and experience.
Jennifer G.

Jennifer G.

Apr, 2026

Helen was fantastic to work with. High quality, attention to detail. No dramas, the work was delivered on time and as expected. Would definitely work with her again. Thanks Helen!
Stefan S.

Stefan S.

Feb, 2026

I cannot even express my appreciation for Helen's services. She was on point, extremely professional, and gave good advice and on-point comments. The task was hard: editing an unprofessional translation of a book with extensive scientific terminology and numerous mistakes. The end result was a bo...
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