Professional quality proofreading and editorial services from Stephen York Editorial, Leicester
General information
If you are looking for professional proofreading and editorial / writing services from a highly experienced British-native editorial freelance / proofreader then look no further. The general information on Stephen York Editorial will detail the quality advice and assistance in various services I can offer in seeking out errors, inconsistencies, and content problems in your document, publication, and website material to give it a polished finish. Please see below for links to key services and information.
The importance of proofreading
Why is proofreading important in business? Well, you only get one chance to impress a new client or subscriber and it is so easy to alienate an existing one with an inaccurate or confusing document. Besides the traditional books, journals, or reports, it is essential that commercial documents, press releases, social media posts, and blogs receive close checking.
For over 30 years I have been offering on-screen / digital editorial proofreading services (comprising proofreading and collation, paraphrasing and rewriting) from an office in Wigston, near Leicester, in the UK to the book and journal publishing industry, commercial companies, design and advertising agencies, and educational institutions. In that time I have proofread over 2000 books, journal issues, and business documents in a wide range of subject areas.
Coverage –what, where, and who?
What?
Rather than reading paper copy, I offer on-screen and online editorial services that include
- proofreading
- proof-editing / light editing
- paraphrasing
- rewriting and condensing.
Working on screen is more environmentally friendly as it saves on ink, paper, postage, and other resources. I proofread a wide variety of media in numerous subjects areas, some of which are specialty subjects.
If you are unsure about the proofreading process then find out here: Marking up the editorial corrections. This will also apply to other editorial services that I carry out.
Where?
I can work from my office in Leicestershire, UK for anyone, anywhere, on electronic files sent by email or FTP sites.
Who?
I can help anyone who works with printed, published, or online text, and welcome enquiries for document correction, proofreading, and rewriting from various client types. Please click on one of the following page links for the type of service that you require:
Be safe, hire a professional proofreader
If you have drafted the document you will often read what you expect to see when checking it back rather than seeing the errors that are there. As famous US author Harper Lee said:
“People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.”
In other words the author of a document or publication will read what they expect to read rather than what is actually there.
How I can help:
- eliminate the spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors, as well as improve your writing
- advise on clichéd writing and inconsistencies of style, spelling capitalization etc.
- recommend better and more efficient ways for you to express yourself and communicate your message.
Benefits and advantages of proofreading
There are further advantages and benefits of proofreading. These include making the document the best it can be, which can also make you a better writer.
General information: Profile of Stephen York
Click the following download link to view, print, or download my CV / résumé in PDF format.
Commercial experience
Before becoming a freelance proofreader I had the following employment experience:
- retail banking
- investment management and residential mortgage lending for a building society
- estate management for a national brewery
- investment management for the same national brewery.
Affiliations
- Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
- Member of the Federation of Small Businesses
- Member of the British Astronomical Association
- Member of the Society for Popular Astronomy
General information on what I can offer
Regardless of whether I am proofreading or rewriting for academics, authors, businesses, publishers, not-for-profit organizations, or students, I can provide:
- friendly, personal, and confidential proofreading and writing services
- long experience in proofreading an extensive variety of documents and publications in a wide range of subjects
- a fresh and objective review in proofreading or revising your document or publication
- a good work ethic, being prepared to go the extra mile to achieve excellence
- good communication links, with superfast fibre-optic broadband (100MB) and Dropbox facilities
- up-to-date computer facilities using Windows 10, Microsoft Office 365, Adobe Acrobat DC, and PerfectIt Pro by Intelligent Editing
- testimonials and feedback from satisfied recent clients – see the Testimonials page on this site
- flexible methods of payment.
Whether you have website material, a book, or a report you have good reasons for choosing particular words. I will always mindful of those reasons. I ensure not only that your writing is as clear, consistent, and error-free as possible, but also that it is free-flowing and that it retains the author’s voice. My dedicated treatment of clients’ words has resulted in a very high level of repeat business over the years from satisfied customers.
“The author for this title is very demanding. Stephen has done a great job coordinating with her and delivering the collated files ahead of the schedule. Job well done!”
Legal status
Sole trader.
Tax status
Freelance self-employed registered with HMRC.
BLOG
I regularly publish entertaining and informative blog articles on the English language, from a proofreader’s point of view. Recent subjects have included tips for writers, acidic quotations from authors on other authors, the working environment, achieving the work–life balance, and much more. Why not pay a visit?
