Welcome to my website. I can help you to improve your prose writing.
I started my editing career while I taught research methods and supervised research students at Curtin University from 1981 – 2002, and continued when I retired from Curtin and took up a part-time position as writing consultant at ECU – whereupon for 18 years I provided editorial support for staff and postgraduates’ publications and thesis writing.
However, I am not just an editor of academic writing. While working at ECU I was also a freelance editor, supporting non-academic authors with everything from their CVs to their life stories. Now I continue as a freelancer, working with authors on a very broad range of written documents.
John’s way of editing
At the start of each editing contract, I listen as carefully as possible to what the author wants me to do, and then explain and negotiate how we could best work together. What follows is a brief description of the kinds of editing I do.
• First, I can be a sounding board for authors in the early stages of their project, on structure (e.g. book with chapters or pamphlet), voice (e.g. first or third person), and style (e.g. formal or informal).
• Second, once authors have completed one or two drafts of their document, I can give them feedback on all aspects of their writing; technical aspects, such as punctuation and grammar, and substantive matters like clarity, coherence, and readability. (Of course, with all feedback the author has the last word.)
• Third, I can provide proofreading of the near-finished document to make sure that it goes to the publisher (and readers) without blemishes, such as typos, misspellings, punctuation errors, formatting inconsistencies, and lack of clarity or coherence.
• Finally, here is my promise to you: I will respect you and your writing from start to finish; I guarantee satisfaction with my work; you will find the cost of my service very reasonable.
