Stay ahead of the rest with my editing and proofreading services for your novel, nonfiction book or website.
If you’re looking for a friendly editor and proofreader with proven experience and training, I’m here to help.
I specialise in the following but also edit a wide variety of other content:
- books set in France 🇫🇷
- mysteries and thrillers
- historical fiction
- memoirs and autobiographies
- web content
Your book or website is in safe hands with me
It’s natural to feel anxious about engaging with an editor for the first time.
I’m used to working with first-time authors and entrepreneurs. I’m also a writer myself, working on my first novel. I understand how vulnerable you may feel sending your precious words to an editor, who may be the first person, other than you, to read them!
Previous clients have appreciated my friendly, professional manner. I work with you so that, together, we can polish your book or website to be the best it can be.
“Debbie was so lovely to work with. She made sure to customise the editing according to my requests and writing style but still left comments for my consideration. It shows that Debbie has years of experience, and I felt very safe with her expertise.”
Ann-Elizabeth Briars, author of The Stars of Time trilogy
My experience
I’m a trained editor and proofreader based in the UK, with seven years’ experience editing fiction and nonfiction, and over 20 years’ experience editing web content.
I’m a Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) – affiliate link. I’m also a Professional Judge for Writing Battle, a well-established online writing contest.
I love working with first-time authors, and clients seem to appreciate my kind, friendly, expert approach. I have edited over 100 books, many attracting healthy numbers of five-star reviews on Amazon and other platforms (see my portfolio).
If your novel, memoir or nonfiction manuscript is set in France 🇫🇷, you’ll receive extra benefits from my editing service (at no extra cost), as I have a longstanding connection with France and the French language.
Before becoming a freelance editor in 2018, I spent almost two decades in the web industry, creating and editing web content for the University of Oxford, the International Baccalaureate and Cardiff University. Since then, I have edited and proofread web content for many more clients, including The Royal Mint, Boldify and StoryShots.
Professional recognition and training
I’m a Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).
Professional Members of CIEP have to demonstrate several criteria, including high-quality, in-depth training and hundreds of hours of editorial work experience, substantial in quality and over time. I follow the CIEP’s Code of Practice which includes:
- good communication between client and editor
- professional behaviour of editors
- confidential handling of documents.
Being a Partner Member of ALLi means:
- I comply with their code of standards
- my rates are appropriate to service level, reach and my reputation
- I have positive testimonials from credible author clients.
I have also completed several editing courses offered by recognised institutions such as the CIEP, and I have an MA in French and Portuguese from the University of Oxford.
I’m an author too
I’ve written my first novel – a mystery set in the south of France.
I have carefully studied the craft of writing, story structure, characterisation and plot.
My time spent working in the south of France at the age of 19 was the inspiration for the setting of my debut novel, Return to the Auberge, which although entirely fictional, draws heavily on sights, sounds and smells of the region.
I’ve also self-published three nonfiction books: Improve Your Author Website, Improve Your Editor Website and Tricky Quickies 1.
Your manuscript will benefit from all this knowledge if you choose me as your editor.
A bit more about me
I love everything to do with language, from vocab and pronunciation of languages other than my own to the quirky ways of English grammar, spelling and punctuation.
I was born in the mid-1970s in south-east England, the same year that Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors won the Wimbledon singles titles, UK house prices averaged less than £10,000 and Stephen King published his debut novel, Carrie. Many moons ago.
Slightly fewer moons ago, at school I developed a passion for creative writing and the English language, but moved away from my mother tongue at university, choosing to study French and Portuguese at Oxford.
Books have always been an important part of my life, but as a reader, not a writer. It took me until my early 40s to realise I might be able to make a go of this creative writing lark.
I live in South Wales with my partner and two children.
When not editing or writing, I can be found admiring beautiful stationery, watching French series on Netflix, and forgetting dance moves in my gym class.