Matthew Webster-Moore

Matthew Webster-Moore – Editor

Proofreader of the otherworldly and spooky (sci-fi, fantasy, and horror) | Ensuring readers get lost in your worlds, not your words.

Overview

I'm a professional, CIEP-trained proofreader who loves nothing more than sinking my teeth into a good horror, sci-fi, or fantasy story. (Although, I'm happy to work on other genres, too.) As your proofreader, I ensure your reader’s immersion doesn’t get derailed because of typos, misspellings, and other errors. You want your reader's attention where it should be: your awe-inspiring world, your tantalising conflicts, your intriguing characters.

When working with me, you won't be getting a judge or examiner, red-faced and tutting – you know the type. I'm not here to judge you if you misspell a word or misuse a colon; I'm here to rid your manuscript of any snags that disrupt the reading experience, all while staying true to your creative vision. Your words and style will be treated with the kindness and respect they deserve. This means I won't meddle if you break a 'rule' or two when it enhances your prose (I'm a fan of some creative rule-breaking).

You'll receive:

• your proofread manuscript (of course)

• a check of your revisions and answers to any queries

• a bespoke style sheet if you haven't received one from your copyediter

I'm experienced with UK and US English and work with Microsoft Word and PDF. I've worked with Bonnier Books, Canelo, Crystal Lake Publishing, Rowanvale, and indie authors. I'm also a Professional Member of the CIEP and a Club Ed member.

I've worked with Matt a number of times, and it's getting to the point where I pretty much just "Accept All Changes." He treats my words with kindness and respect but also helps me boot the unnecessary ones to the kerb! Highly recommend (again!) – Morgan Klein.

It's sometimes a bit of a gamble reaching out to new freelancers, but Matthew was swift and professional from the start. He is meticulous in his proofreading, and a genuine pleasure to work with. I have already recommended him to my colleagues, and I would do the same to anyone looking to broaden their freelancer contact list! – Hannah Taylor, Editorial Assistant at Canelo

Services
Fiction
Fantasy Horror Mystery & Crime Science Fiction
Languages
English (UK) English (US)
Awards
  • First Class Honours in English Literature & Philosophy at Keele University (with award for best dissertation)
Certifications
  • CIEP Proofreading 3: Progress
  • CIEP Proofreading 2: Headway
  • CIEP Proofreading 1: Introduction
  • CIEP Word for Practical Editing
  • CIEP Art of Querying
  • Liminal Pages Developmental Editing: Fiction Theory
  • Liminal Pages Developmental Editing: In Practice

Work experience

AMG Consultancy

Jul, 2022 — Mar, 2025 (over 2 years)

Self-employed

Jul, 2020 — Present

Portfolio

Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading
The Morass: Servant of the Fly God

Ashford, Zachary

Crystal Lake Publishing

Proofreading
The Thing in the Wind

Mullen, Bill

Crystal Lake Publishing

Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading

Matthew has 4 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Beth G.

Beth G.

Dec, 2025

I really want to write a terrible review so Matt won't be booked up next time I need him. Lol. But of course that would be a lie, and I can't do that to him! First, when I was gathering quotes, he was the only one to send me a sample. Next, he worked with me on the specifics of our contract. Thir...
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Matthew W.
Ha! This made me laugh - I'm relieved you didn't write that terrible review! Thank you so much for the kind words, and I'm so glad you're happy with my work and trust me with the rest of your serie...
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Guy S.

Guy S.

Nov, 2025

Working with Matt has been an excellent experience from start to finish. His communication was clear, friendly, and professional, and his comments throughout the manuscript were thoughtful, instructive, and genuinely helpful. I learned quite a bit about grammar and writing just from the insights ...
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Matthew W.
Wow, thank you so much for such kind words, Guy. It was an absolute pleasure to work with you on your brilliant book. I'm so glad you gained so much from my work. :) Best of luck with the next book...
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Travis O.

Travis O.

Sep, 2025

Working with Matthew was great. He did a very thorough job reviewing my manuscript, and met all of my expectations there. But more than that, he was very personable and friendly throughout the entire process. I asked him a LOT of questions, and he had no problem answering all of them. I would ...
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Matthew W.
Thank you for such a wonderful review, Travis. You were so easy to work with throughout, and I absolutely loved working on your story and can't wait for it to be released!
Nathan R.

Nathan R.

Jun, 2025

Quick, professional, and responsive.

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