Jayne Lewis – Editor

I have worked as a proofreader and copy editor for the past eleven years, having completed my training with the Publishing Training Centre. In a previous life I worked in marketing for a number of blue-chip leisure companies, where, as part of my remit, I was responsible for the production of brochures, a broad range of promotional material, and advertising. I have experience of fiction (particularly crime, including a bestselling one-million-copies author) and non-fiction (from JFK to Polar Exploration and Script Editing to Studio Ghibli); I also work on magazines (including Historic House) and within market research (reports and presentations).

Even before my venture into proofreading and copy editing, my children would roll their eyes as I corrected them (or the radio announcer, shop sign, etc.), but they do now admit they do something similar within their own spheres. Why get it wrong when you can get it right? Having said that, I am aware that I am able to do what I do because (luckily for me) proofreading and copy editing are not a strength for everyone – just as I struggle to understand a chemical equation and basic physics or put together a piece of flat-pack furniture!

So, I love what I do and want to do the best job possible for my clients, whether that’s by asking questions and making suggestions or following strict house style (in conjunction with grammar and spelling of course) – or any combination. I work with the help of our lab retriever who gets me away from screen and desk for a break every now and then. It’s all about teamwork…

A couple of comments from clients I have worked for in the past or currently work with:

I am very happy to recommend Jayne L. She has been working with us at Oldcastle Books/No Exit Press for over seven years now and has always completed the editing and proofreading tasks we have worked on, efficiently, extremely conscientiously and on time. I have no complaints.

Claire Watts, Production Director, Oldcastle Books

Jayne worked on a variety of materials for Age UK, and we could tell she was going to be good from the outset. Not only did she follow the brief attentively and picked up the house style without difficulty, but she always got the work done within the (sometimes demanding) deadline. And her infallible common sense meant that the ambiguities in the copy were quickly identified and cleared up – a great asset that you’ve either got or you haven’t!

Sarah M. Hall, Copywriter and Editor at Age UK, April 2009 – April 2013