Elizabeth Ward

Elizabeth Ward – Editor

I am a freelance editor with over eighteen years experience. My skills include proof reading, structural editing and copy editing.

Overview

I am a freelance editor with over eighteen years experience in publishing. My skills include structural/developmental editing, copy editing and proof reading over a range of genres including fiction, historical and academic works.


As a structural editor, I give guidance in an effective yet sensitive way. I have had lots of experience with authors over many genres and I know how difficult it can be to step back from your work and edit it efficiently - so that's what I am here for. With regards to copy editing and proof reading, I have an exceptional eye for detail and can guarantee that the finished manuscript will be error-free, not just in terms of grammar and punctuation errors that can easily slip through, but facts and plot consistency too. I have received extremely positive feedback on the various documents I have edited over the years - I understand how personal writing can be, and I can guide authors through the editing process very smoothly. I also have a background in teaching English as a foreign language, which means I not only have an excellent grasp of grammar, but I can edit text as necessary so it is fluent and coherent but without losing the author's 'voice', which is particularly important when editing a manuscript from a writer who isn't a native speaker .


I very much enjoy editing fiction, and I always try and work on as many different genres as I can. Some of the titles I have worked on over the years include thrillers and crime-based novels by authors such as Andy Maslen and Mark Edwards, 'The Wickwire Watch', an award-winning YA fantasy/drama, stories for children including 'The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse', and most recently 'On His Majesty's Secret Service', a new James Bond novel by Charlie Higson. I was awarded an MA in English Literature in 2018, and I really enjoy editing historical fiction and non-fiction as well.


I also offer sensitivity reading, please ask for further details!

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Fiction
Fantasy Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Mystery & Crime Picture Books Thriller & Suspense Women's Fiction
Languages
English (UK) English (US)
Certifications
  • MA English Literature

Work experience

Self-employed

Jul, 2013 — Present

• Structural editing, copyediting and proofreading of fiction and non-fiction books from various companies including Hodder, Whitefox, Simon and Schuster and Ian Fleming Publishing. Titles include ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’, ‘On His Majesty's Secret Service’ and ‘The Drowned Woods’.
• Writing content for a variety of genres including children’s activity books for Nickelodeon and magazine copy for Experience Travel Group.

Parragon

Apr, 2009 — Apr, 2011 (about 2 years)

• Concept, writing and project management of approx. 80 titles per year including activity, game and story books for ages 0-teen. Titles included ‘Winnie the Pooh Recipe Book, ‘Cars Activity Book’ and ‘Monster High Summer Annual’.
• Responsible for all MTR (material to repo) sign-off across the Disney team.
• Sourced and approved all artwork for list of titles.
• Managed all communication with the licensor (Disney) to ensure timely approval for each title.
• Responsible for structural editing, proofreading, ozalid and running-sheet checks
• Managed the editorial schedule to ensure material went to production on time.
• Mentored the Editorial Assistant including training, supervision and regular feedback.

Robert Hale, Ltd.

Nov, 2007 — Apr, 2009 (over 1 year)

• Project managed all new titles from manuscript to bound copy.
• Responsible for checking and integrating illustrations for all books.
• Managed copyediting, proofreading and author queries throughout the editorial process, including coordinating freelance copyeditors, proofreaders and indexers.
• Managed structural editing where necessary and handled reprints for the department
• Created and updated all cover briefs and copy, ATI’s and catalogue copy.

Hodder and Stoughton

Apr, 2007 — Nov, 2007 (7 months)

• Project managed approx. 8 new titles a year from manuscript to bound copies, including biography, cookery, illustrated gift and theology titles.
• Responsible for sourcing and employing copy editors and proofreaders, checking their work and providing feedback.
• Proofread approx. 6 titles a year in house.
• Wrote and edited all cover, ATI and catalogue copy for our Gift and Inspirational list.
• Responsible for writing and commissioning cover briefs, which included researching current books in the market as well as picture research.

Portfolio

The Retreat

Edwards, Mark

Here To Stay

Edwards, Mark

Kosovo, 1999. In the shadow of an impending NATO bombing campaign, James Palatine of the Army Intelligence Corps has joined an elite unit of the SAS for his first mission behind enemy lines.A woman’s desperate cry for help draws them to a remote farmhouse, whe... read more
The body of a young City lawyer is discovered on an East London building site, assaulted and brutally murdered. Initial enquiries lead DI Simon Fenchurch to a driver employed by Travis, a controversial new app-based cab company. Within days another woman—a Tra... read more
The Great Fire has reduced London to smouldering embers. From the ashes, thief taker Charlie Tuesday is drawn to investigate a string of strange murders. Mutilated corpses are washing up at Deptford, each marked with a dire astrological prediction. But only Lo... read more
Lady Emily Hardcastle is an eccentric widow with a secret past. Florence Armstrong, her maid and confidante, is an expert in martial arts. The year is 1908 and they’ve just moved from London to the country, hoping for a quiet life.But it is not long before Lad... read more
In this honest, daring, and compulsively readable memoir, Reva Mann paints a portrait of herself as a young woman on the edge—of either revelation or self-destruction. The daughter of a highly respected London rabbi, Reva was a wild child, spiralling into a wh... read more
Rose Mathieson knows the only way is up. It has to be. She’s made some mistakes in her life, but almost losing her son is a wake-up call. More than that: it’s a call to action. It’s time to start again.The town of Redemption, Connecticut, seems to offer exactl... read more
1081. William's bloody conquest is over and Britain is under Norman rule. But one bastion of resistance remains: Wales. A divided land where brother fights brother and kings battle for power. The English use this to further their own ends, and while one king i... read more
Love your country? Want to make it truly great? Tired of loud debates and complex arguments which le....
Girl 99

Andy Jones

When Tom’s girlfriend walks out on him the day before Christmas, he feels humiliated but not necessarily heartbroken. Sadie wasn’t, after all, The One. If we’re being precise, she was number eighty-five.And so, for reasons that are only mostly wrong, Tom embar... read more
Lock the Door

Jane Holland

Meghan Smith has always been a protective mother. Her baby son, Harry, has a life-threatening condition and is never far from her sight. But on the evening of her wedding anniversary, as she and her husband celebrate in the garden with friends, Harry disappear... read more
Zoe knows that it wasn t really her fault. Of course it wasn t. But if she d just grasped harder,....
When the body of a man is discovered in woodlands outside Manchester, a ten-year missing-persons investigation can finally be filed away. But this was no ordinary death: gagged, bound and buried alive, he was the victim of a sophisticated and sadistic killer. ... read more
A powerful sorcerer. A forgotten past. Hellequin is back, and the end is near.A terrible storm is brewing in London, and Nathan Garrett, the sorcerer known as Hellequin, is the only one who can stop it.But his enemies have other plans. Harnessing the power of ... read more
Sam is seventeen, starving herself and longing for oblivion. Her sister, Jena, is mentally scarre....
When a desperate king threatens Dion and everything he loves, only dangerous magic can keep him safe.Dion, now king of Xanthos, is finally in command of the naval fleet he’s always dreamed of. But his hopes for peace are jeopardized when King Palemon, in dire ... read more

Elizabeth has 92 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

John H.

John H.

Feb, 2024

Elizabeth did an excellent job, I would thoroughly recommend her
Elizabeth W.
Thanks very much John, I am so glad you were pleased and it was a pleasure to work with you.
Peter B.

Peter B.

Feb, 2024

I work with Elizabeth now on book #4. She adds a lot of quality to the translations and the overall story. I will for sure continue to work with her on the remaining three books of the series.
Elizabeth W.
Thank you Peter, as always it's a pleasure to work on your series with you!
Kevin L.

Kevin L.

Jan, 2024

Liz is great. I don't always agree with her suggested revisions but they are always reasonable and she always catches my grammatical failings.
Elizabeth W.
Thank you Kevin, I enjoyed working on this with you and looking forward to any future projects together.
james M.

james M.

Jan, 2024

Liz proofread a travel book of mine and did an excellent job picking up the pieces after me, raising useful questions along the way that made me reconsider some of the points I was making. The manuscript was delivered back on the agreed date and I very much appreciated her assistance.
Elizabeth W.
Thanks very much James, I am very happy you were pleased and I enjoyed working on your travel book with you.
Peter B.

Peter B.

Jan, 2024

I am working with Elizabeth on my third book and I can recommend her. She enhanced the translations and the overall story significantly. I will work with her on the next novels too.
Elizabeth W.
Thanks very much Peter, I'm so glad you are happy and I look forward to our next project together!

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