Taking bookings for September and beyond.
Do get in touch if you’re going to be ready for a copyedit or proofreading around then.
Email - info@lizziegowansediting.com
I’m Lizzie.
I was a teacher in a previous life.
I have retrained as an editor and proofreader and am busy building my editorial business.
The transferable skills I bring from my teaching days include:
Attention to detail
Audience awareness
Time management
Strong communication skills
Ability to feedback with empathy
Coaching mindset
I am proud to be a member of Glasgow Editors’ Network.
We are a group of independent professional editors and proofreaders. Our editors are all members of the CIEP and offer a wide range of freelance editing services.
When we check our own writing, we might read what should be there.
Skimming and scanning is helpful when we are trying to find information quickly.
It’s not so good if we miss our own errors. Especially when we are trying to present ourselves credibly.
And that is where your professional proofreader is useful.
Let me help you bring out the best in your writing.
Your words, in your voice and style, strengthened for your audience.
How to find the right editor or proofreader
Hello! I’m Lizzie Gowans. I’m a native British English speaker, from Scotland.
I’m based in Ayrshire and have up-to-date training with the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and the Publishing Training Centre (PTC), both highly regarded organisations in the publishing industry.
How to find the right editor for you.
It’s important to find the right editor to match your needs.
You should consider things such as budget, timescale (availability of the editor), editor’s qualifications and experience, communication styles and personalities, and emotional compatibility.
A sample edit will help both editor and client find out if they are well suited.
Why does proofreading matter?
With the effort and passion that goes into your work, doesn’t it make sense that it is tip top before it is published? Wouldn’t you prefer your message to convey the desired tone and be clear and accurate?
It is vital that your writing is appropriate for your readership.
First impressions do count and if your reader finds annoying errors in your work they could be distracted from the intended message. Consistency is essential and without it your writing will be confusing to your audience.
I will treat your piece with the care and attention it deserves so it is ready to be seen out there in public.
If you want to demonstrate credibility, it is a great idea to have your document professionally proofread.
What does a proofreader actually do for the text?
You might be a small business, a charity, or an indie author, wondering how a proofreader might improve your document. I will check your project for errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation.
It is important that your message is clear, easily understood, and appropriate for the readership it is aimed at. This is where I can help.
We all know how easy it is to make a spelling error or use the wrong word. Our brains tend to see what we think should be there, so it’s tricky to spot our own mistakes.
Why can’t I just use an AI tool?
If you prefer to use an AI tool, of course you can! But be aware that the human proofreader can watch out for nuance, tone, and common sense in context, in a way that a robot just can’t.
I can bring reassurance that your message will be as transparent, readable and relatable as possible.
What kind of texts should be proofread?
A range of writing can benefit from a professional proofread.
For example: an academic essay, a business or charity report, a newsletter or leaflet, web content, a blog, a brochure, an educational resource, children’s books, a creative piece, CVs and cover letters, and all kinds of fiction and non-fiction.
Let me bring more sense and sparkle to your writing
Are you wondering if I can support your writing? Please get in touch and I will let you know.
Lizzie is a skilled proofreader with a keen eye for detail. She works quickly and efficiently and has proven to be a very valuable member of our team, when required. I would have no hesitation in recommending her for sub-editing work.
Gerry Cassidy (Editor of Maclaurin Gallery Magazine and River Garden Magazine)
Thank you so much to Lizzie for her meticulous proofreading of my dissertation. She saved me such a lot of time and caught all my silly typos. So friendly and responsive and flexible to work with too.
Rebecca Duncan (Post-Graduate Student)
I have really appreciated Lizzie's proofreading work and her professional, responsive communication. I was impressed by Lizzie's attention to detail. As well as providing an excellent proofreading service she made sense of my text which at times was over complicated. Lizzie was very easy to work with and exhibited a real interest in my work and brand. A real pleasure to work with, thoroughly recommend you do too.
Georgios (Photography by Georgios)