Kerry Boettcher

Kerry Boettcher – Editor

An experienced editor, writer and publishing professional with 20+ years' experience of copy editing, development editing and proofreading.

Overview

Are you a writer, academic, professional or expert in your field who doesn’t know where to start with your writing? Or perhaps you’ve written something and wonder whether your sentences could be sharper, your chapters tighter, your novels more compelling?


You send me your manuscript possibly feeling a little nervous. But don’t worry, you’ll be in good hands. I love editing and writing and I will make the process not just painless but fun.

Mission: I like to think of myself as a natural-born editor. Even from an early age I was niggled by ungrammatical signs and inconsistencies in my school workbooks, and later, badly written documents. I’m still dismayed every time I find a mistake in a best-selling novel, the national news and major websites. I have made it my one-woman mission to establish excellent and flawless editorial standards, and giving full respect to the author's voice and style.

Education: I love the idiosyncrasies of grammar and the subtle nuances of language, which is why I studied languages and literature, receiving my BA in French from University of Connecticut, USA, and the Superior Diploma of French Studies for Foreign Speakers from University of Rouen, France, and my MA in modern comparative literature from University of Sussex, UK.

Career: My passion for words led me to seek a career in publishing. Over the past 20 years I worked my way up from junior editor on children’s magazines and comics, through to travel brochure copywriting, health and social care magazine and journal editing, complex academic arts and humanities books project managing and editing, through to managing editor at a multi-media publisher of health and social care materials. I have worked on a wide range of formats and subject matter, including arts, humanities and social sciences, as well as general fiction and erotica. I am extremely adaptable and happy to turn my hand at any subject.

I was born in the United States and have spent half my life living and working in the UK, so I have an in-depth knowledge of both British and American usage.

Bilingual editing: I am fluent in French and Spanish and can also provide bilingual editing of English translations to verify that the translation is true to the original French or Spanish source text, and that the English language usage is correct.

Membership: Professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
Services
Non-Fiction
Architecture Health & Wellbeing Humanities & Social Sciences Travel
Fiction
Historical Fiction Mystery & Crime Women's Fiction Young Adult
Languages
English (UK) English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2015 — Present

* Online World Architecture News - writing, editing, generating and researching relevant online news stories in international architecture
* Duffy London furniture and product design - writing web content and press releases for
* Pavilion Publishing and Media - book editing, article writing, journal proofreading
* Oxford University Press - copy editing
* Policy Press - copy editing and proofreading
* Jessica Kingsley Publishing - copy editing and proofreading
* BBC educational and children’s magazines - writing and sub-editing

Pavilion Publishing and Media

Jun, 2009 — Dec, 2014 (over 5 years)

I managed a team of two editors and three designers, overseeing publishing strategy and departmental operations. In my first year I increased team productivity from 10 to 40 print and digital titles per year. I also worked closely with the marketing team to develop new catalogues, blogs, website content, social media and marketing materials, and communicate metadata. I have brought in extra revenue from foreign rights sales and copyright licenses, have implemented the ebook strategy and established the company editorial style guide.
Duties included:
* scheduling workflow, monitoring workload and activity
* commissioning, and assessing new proposals for commercial viability
* issuing contracts
* setting up and briefing new projects
* budgeting and business planning
* copy-editing, proof reading, and writing and editing online and offline content and copy
* liaison with authors, designers, editors, typesetters and printers

Pavilion Publishing

Jun, 2006 — Jun, 2009 (about 3 years)

Project managed three monthly magazines, four quarterly journals, books and training materials.
Duties included:
* copy-editing, proof reading and writing content and copy
* co-ordinating the correction, receipt and delivery of proofs and manuscripts
* co-ordinating peer review process
* organising and chairing editorial board meetings
* liaison with designers, typesetters and printers

Panorama Holiday Group

Feb, 2002 — Aug, 2006 (over 4 years)

Managed a team of two co-ordinators, two photo-co-ordinators in an in-house travel brochure production studio.
Duties included:
* monitoring workload and activity
* editing and overseeing the quality of travel brochures
* liaising with relevant departments, repro houses and printers
* writing and researching content and copy
* copy-editing and proof reading

Egmont Fleetway

Apr, 1999 — Sep, 2000 (over 1 year)

Edited the popular fortnightly Thomas the Tank Engine magazine and oversaw creation of covers and local pages of the UK editions of Egmont’s co-publications Winnie The Pooh, Disney and Me, and Disney’s Princess.
Duties included:
* planning content
* commissioning stories and artwork
* overseeing design and doing layouts
* writing content, sub-editing and checking proofs
* dealing with licensor approvals
* managing budget

Marvel Comics

Jan, 1997 — Apr, 1999 (about 2 years)

Contributed to Art Attack, Thomas the Tank Engine and Sooty magazines.
Duties included:
* Commissioning artwork
* Writing copy
* Overseeing photo shoots
* Sub-editing
* Checking proofs

Yes Educational Centre

Jun, 1993 — Sep, 1996 (over 3 years)

Teacher of English as a Foreign Language at an Eastbourne-based summer school for young people and adults.

Portfolio

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
The Flat on the 7th Floor

Emma Barry

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England. Storytelling with a twist of personal development. One path leads to happiness, the other to disaster! Which will she choose? When Josie... read more
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Pigeon Boy on the Roof

Faughnan, Karen

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Copy Editing Editorial Assessment
Copy Editing
Editorial Assessment Query Letter Review
Copy Editing
Games and Activities for Attaching with Your Child
Copy Editing
The Piper

David Boyle

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
This book aims to give staff a framework for understanding and addressing the problems that arise when an individual has both learning disabilities and personality disorder. After reading this... read more
Copy Editing
This drama syllabus will help children on the autism spectrum develop their communication skills, life skills and self-confidence. Level 1 is intended for use with low functioning autistic chi... read more
Copy Editing
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's (RCPCH) Diploma in Child Health is intended to recognise a doctor's special knowledge and experience in the medical care of children, and to... read more
Proofreading
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's (RCPCH) Diploma in Child Health is intended to recognise a doctor's special knowledge and experience in the medical care of children, and to... read more
Proofreading
This revised 3rd edition examines the current issues of those using and delivering services and support. The book takes an optimistic stance, striving to renew and extend the enthusiasm of the... read more
Proofreading
This handbook is a collection of chapters written by experts in the field of older people's mental health.
Copy Editing
"SEX, DEATH, AND NOISY NEIGHBOURS" A killer has come to town. The victims are connected; each pointing to the next, as if in answer to the question: Who is The One? Is it Peter Reynolds: mild-... read more
Copy Editing
This resource contains 23 chapters on aspects of spirituality and mental health written by experts in the field. It promotes an understanding of people's belief systems rather than a mechanist... read more
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
This illustrated, multi-media resource offers a theoretically coherent, practice-based model for the application of attachment theory in working with any adults, including those who pose a ris... read more
Copy Editing

Kerry has 6 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Emma B.

Emma B.

Aug, 2022

This is my second experience working with Kerry as The Cottage on the Hill is my second book in the Josie Jackson Mystery series. I was very pleased with the work Kerry had done with my first book, The Flat on the 7th Floor, and this book experience has been wonderful also. The timings for the project were perfect and the comments and changes Kerry made were just what the book needed to get it...
Read more
D K.

D K.

Mar, 2022

Kerry was amazing to work with. They're work is very high quality at a very affordable price. They offered constructive feedback and communication. They are incredibly easy to talk to and answered questions throughly and respectfully. I have only good things to say about Kerry and am very grateful for the good work they did with my book.
Kerry B.
D Kokko-Powell is an excellent writer and storyteller and it was an absolute pleasure to work on their novel. I hope to collaborate with D again some day.
Rikki C.

Rikki C.

Sep, 2021

Kerry's edits were worth EVERY penny. The excellent communication, punctuality, and professionalism were the cherries on top of an editing job that I couldn't be happier with. I'm so So SO happy that I chose her as my editor. Her enthusiasm and critical eye were much appreciated and the formatting and punctuation of my book is now on point; I wrote it, but Kerry made my book ready for its debut...
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Kerry B.
It was a real pleasure to work with Rikki on her fantastic and much-needed book. She was a great client and a very good writer who really knows her stuff. I have a feeling that her book will sell ...
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Emma B.

Emma B.

Aug, 2021

I was impressed with Kerry's experience on her profile and I was very happy with the edits, comments and feedback provided for my work as part of this project. I would definitely work with Kerry again - thank you!
Daniel E.

Daniel E.

Jun, 2017

Kerry is a very detailed and helpful editor. Her comments were really helpful and made me aware of things I would otherwise not seen. Overall, I can highly recommend Kerry as an editor.

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