Finding the right editor for you.

Hello! I’m Lizzie Gowans, a proofreader and copyeditor, based in Ayrshire in Scotland. Thank you for visiting my website. I hope I can help you.

I support indie authors, businesses, and creators of educational content to present their words in the best possible way.

I 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 your perfect match.

Some things to consider include:

• your budget

• your timescale (editors can get booked up far in advance)

• the editor’s qualifications, experience and specialisms

• their communication style and personality

You will get a sense of whether you and an editor are compatible by looking at their social media and website.

A professional editor should offer a sample edit - whether free (I currently don’t charge for this) or for a small fee. This will help both you and the editor find out if you are well suited.

The sample edit will allow the editor to see your writing style and assess how much work will be involved. In turn you will see their feedback style, including their comments and which parts of your writing they are commenting on.

Are you wondering whether you need an editor or proofreader?

You put effort and passion into your work so doesn’t it make sense to have it polished before it is published?

It is vital that your writing is appropriate for your readership. Your message should convey the desired tone and be clear and accurate.

First impressions matter 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. 

To demonstrate credibility, it makes sense to have your document professionally copyedited and have that final proofread too.

Yes, it’s hard to know what kind of edit is needed.

You might be a small business, a charity, or an indie author, wondering how an editor or proofreader might improve your document. There are different levels of editing and it can be confusing to work out what you really need, especially if you are working with a tight budget.

Some editors are trained to offer developmental editing, (I will be offering this service in the future) some focus on proofreading and some are trained to copyedit and proofread.

Put simply, proofreading is the final stage your writing will go through - the end polish to catch any small but important errors that might stick out.

Copyediting is more involved as at this stage the editor is looking for consistency and sense. For example, this is where an editor might pick up things like a character wearing a jacket at the start of a chapter and mysteriously wearing a jumper by the end.

What about using an AI tool for proofreading?

If you prefer to use an AI tool, 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.

Your message should be clear, easily understood, and appropriate for its readership. This is where a human editor can help you.

A human editor will check your project for sense and consistency as well as errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation.

With the right human editor your message will be as transparent, readable and relatable as possible.

What kind of editing services can Lizzie Gowans offer?

I edit and proofread a range of writing, including:

• all kinds of content for business or charity

• proofreading of bids

• newsletters, leaflets or brochures

• web content

• blogs

• educational resources

• children’s books

• CVs and cover letters

• fiction and non-fiction — with the exception of horror, science fiction and anything which includes extreme violence.

I want your work to be the best it can be. I will treat your words as I would wish my own to be treated - with respect, kindness, honesty, and professionalism.

Do you think I might be the editor for you?

Please get in touch and we can find out!

I will do a free sample edit with no obligation on your part.