Overview
Whether it’s a novel, a collection of short stories, a memoir/autobiography, or a business book, all your hard work deserves a final polish.
How I can help you:
Every writer needs a fresh set of trained editorial eyes: someone to experience their manuscript as a first-time reader would, someone to clear up any spelling, punctuation and grammar issues as well as smoothing out your sentences. I will ensure your manuscript is formatted according to industry standards – it's all part of the service! My aim is to make your writing shine.
* As an author I understand the process, and the challenges involved in writing and being edited
* As an editor I edit with a light touch, always respecting the author’s voice
* As a proofreader I read with a nit-picker’s meticulous eye for detail
I’m friendly, helpful, thorough and always professional – and I love what I do!
As one client wrote:
"Shuna copy edited my latest crime thriller. I’m in no doubt that she has massively improved the manuscript with her thoughtful, thorough, and professional changes. I’m stunned by the quality of her comprehensive process, achieved in an impressive turnaround time. I’ll want to use her again."
I have recently worked in the following areas for small publishers:
Non-fiction: • business books • online learning • grammar • sentence diagramming • B2B and B2C marketing • memoir • autobiography
Fiction: • thriller • crime • short story collections • anthologies •
I’m British and married to an American. I'm equally comfortable editing in UK English and US English.
How I can help you:
Every writer needs a fresh set of trained editorial eyes: someone to experience their manuscript as a first-time reader would, someone to clear up any spelling, punctuation and grammar issues as well as smoothing out your sentences. I will ensure your manuscript is formatted according to industry standards – it's all part of the service! My aim is to make your writing shine.
* As an author I understand the process, and the challenges involved in writing and being edited
* As an editor I edit with a light touch, always respecting the author’s voice
* As a proofreader I read with a nit-picker’s meticulous eye for detail
I’m friendly, helpful, thorough and always professional – and I love what I do!
As one client wrote:
"Shuna copy edited my latest crime thriller. I’m in no doubt that she has massively improved the manuscript with her thoughtful, thorough, and professional changes. I’m stunned by the quality of her comprehensive process, achieved in an impressive turnaround time. I’ll want to use her again."
I have recently worked in the following areas for small publishers:
Non-fiction: • business books • online learning • grammar • sentence diagramming • B2B and B2C marketing • memoir • autobiography
Fiction: • thriller • crime • short story collections • anthologies •
I’m British and married to an American. I'm equally comfortable editing in UK English and US English.
Services
Fiction
Anthologies
Mystery & Crime
Thriller & Suspense
Women's Fiction
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Management
Education & Reference
Languages
English (UK)
English (US)
Awards
- Professional Member SfEP
Certifications
- Society for Editors & Proofreaders
- MA English, St Andrews University
- Proofreading & editing, College of Media & Publishing (Distinction)
- Self-publishing, College of Media & Publishing (Distinction)
Work experience
Self-employed
May, 2017 —
Present
I’m Shuna Meade, the copy editor and proofreader behind Final Polish Editorial. I’m also a published author. I write fiction and non-fiction and have been a bookworm all my life (and yes, my house is overflowing with books).
After investing in editorial training to ensure my skills were up-to-date, I set up Final Polish Editorial to help authors cross the finish line.
Sample of work undertaken:
NON-FICTION
Business is Personal - copy editing, Panoma Press
Corporate Citizenship - copy editing, Panoma Press
Human Resources - copy editing, Panoma Press
How-to book - copy editing and proofreading, CreateSpace
Grammar course - proofreading, Grammar Revolution, CreateSpace
Distance learning course material (marketing, journalism) - copy editing and proofreading
Memoir - copy editing and proofreading, CreateSpace
FICTION
Crime thriller - copy editing and proofreading
Anthology - proofreading, Firedance Publishing
Short Story Collection, Harbour Lookout Publishing
Crime - proofreading, private client
The Diary of a Divorce - copy editing, Panoma Press
CORE VALUES
Professionalism • integrity • dedication • reliability
Portfolio
Research shows that successful businesses are those where employees are really engaged - how do they achieve this? Complex organisation initiatives or something more personal? In today's world of work, with all its jargon, processes, KPIs and technology, we ha... read more
Private companies and multinationals have been around since the beginning of recorded history. For both good and ill they have done an immense amount to shape human culture around the world. We have just come through a period in history when communist and soci... read more
Business is Personal. A statement on life as a business owner. Being the leader of your own life is the greatest lesson in business. Your business is personal as it is yours. We live in a fast paced, over-connected world. Relying on your own instincts and know... read more
Storm in a D Cup! is a blow-by-blow account of Debbie Paton's journey through breast cancer. It is a candid account of the year between her initial diagnosis and her full recovery. When she was first diagnosed, Debbie wrote notes in a diary, but her daughter G... read more
What do we do when God becomes an unwanted houseguest, you’re in love with the wrong girl and aliens decide to eat California? Take a wild ride with 15 writers from around the globe to discover their version of a broken world… and the humour, compassion and lo... read more
Firedance: Words that BurnA searing selection of short stories from the circle of Firedance authors on the theme of "Firedance", a collection bound to paint pictures in your mind, tug on your heartstrings and whisper in your ear."The child, the girl, slowly ro... read more
Whether it’s an enchanting tale set in West Africa or selling real estate on Mars, an interview with a Golden Labrador or a widower’s surprise on Father’s Day in 1963, many stories share a common thread – of love, loss, and the hint of something on the other s... read more
(This student workbook does not contain the answer key and is to be used in conjunction with the Stay Smart Answer Key.) Did you know that many students today aren't taught grammar? It's true. That was my experience through high school, and it lead me to feel ... read more
Knowing grammar will help you write and speak with confidence, and sentence diagramming is an amazing tool for mastering grammar. This book includes definitions, examples, and sentence diagrams of the eight parts of speech, phrases, clauses, gerunds, infinitiv... read more
Do you and your students already know how to diagram sentences? If you're looking for a fun, easy way to keep your grammar and sentence diagramming skills sharp, these daily advanced sentence diagramming exercises are for you! In this answer key, you'll find o... read more
These exercises teach you step-by-step how to diagram the eight parts of speech, independent clauses, dependent adverb clauses, dependent noun clauses, dependent adjective clauses, verb phrases, prepositional phrases, gerunds, infinitives, participles, and mor... read more
Secrets, Lies & Homicide is the second book in the Claire Marshall trilogy. Claire’s construction company has a celebrity client. Tony Burke is a well-known racecar driver, perhaps better known as a playboy. He wants to restore his family house in New Orleans’... read more
B&B may sound like a great idea. But how do you turn that dream into reality? Is it really as simple as it seems? Where do you start? What about planning permission and regulations and whatever else Brussels has thought up to stop a citizen making an honest cr... read more
