Some writers prefer an editorial service to a commentary. This means that I work through your manuscript (or the parts of it you want to be looked at), changing, rephrasing and restructuring it. It can be painful for a writer to see his work altered in this way, but for a person short on time or not sure he could take action on a commentary, this is often a better option.

Just as in the written commentary option, this service is provided through Track Changes in Word compatible format, which gives the writer the ability to accept or reject changes to the manuscript, meaning that ultimate control remains with the author.

I have been asked why I provide proofreading without editing, but not editing without proofreading. The reason is this – it is possible to check a manuscript for spelling, punctuation and grammar errors without delving into issues of tone, style, audience address, nuance… and so on. It is not possible to edit a manuscript for tone, style, etc. without also ensuring the accuracy of the language. To create an analogy, it is possible to eat raisins without making a fruit cake. It is not possible to make a fruit cake without using raisins.

Charged at £40/hour.