Services

Why Choose Me?

Because people come first, just like the name First Person Editing says.

I’m your translator

My special talent — known in the business world as a point of difference — is my ability to re-shape text that’s impossible to read into a cohesive manuscript that’s clear, concise and understandable — a joy to read. I’m more than an editor. I take what’s hard to understand and make it easy without changing your meaning. I translate complex jargon into easy-to-follow prose without losing key points. I turn the plainly unreadable into plain English. A lot of editors can’t do this. But over time, I have been exposed to all kinds of writing (including my own when I come back to it six months later) that needs help. I’m especially good at working this way for science and medical writers.

I’m your second pair of eyes

Most proofreaders and editors just look at grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalisation and other language mechanics. But I work a little differently because I’m not a mechanic, I’m a creator. While remaining objective, I have the ability to take what you’ve written personally, in the kindest way possible. I become you and your readers in one body, and I read as if I want something to happen. In fact, I am your second pair of eyes. When you’re tired of looking at the same thing, can’t make any progress or simply don’t have time, I work my magic on your draft copy, making it understandable, appealing and error-free. I go beyond proofreading to make suggestions about structure, content and things you might have missed or could add to achieve a better result.

I’m educated across disciplines

My third point of difference is that I can work with text in almost any discipline or field. I have a strong grounding in both the humanities and sciences, I have worked in practical jobs like farming and conservation, and I have earned higher degrees in conservation and biosecurity as recently as 2014. I have also lived in other countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Canada and the U.S. In New Zealand / Aotearoa, I have been a small business owner since 2012, so I understand where writers from many walks of life are coming from.

What I do

Here is a sample of the projects I have worked on:

• technical manuals intended for use by architects, building designers, engineers, builders and certifiers.
• research articles subsequently published in prestigious science journals such as Crop Science, Nature, Ecology, Pacific Health Journal, Trends in Ecology and Evolution (TREE) and the Journal of Animal and Plant Science.
• funding applications to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment / Hīkina Whakatutuki (MBIE) and district health boards (DHBs).
• confidential medical/psychological case studies.
• reports for government bodies written by multiple authors.
• appliance instruction manuals originally produced by non-English speakers.
• theses and dissertations written by English as a second language (ESOL) students studying at universities across New Zealand / Aotearoa.
• website copy for multiple small businesses around New Zealand / Aotearoa (both copy writing and proofreading).
• financial strategy documents for central government agencies (presented to the New Zealand Treasury / Te Tai Ōhanga).
• autobiographies and other non-fiction.

What I don’t do

• I exclude fiction from my portfolio because editing short stories, novels and poems is a different skill set already covered by editors working with the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA).
• I don’t hire sub-contract editors or employees because editing styles are very different. But I am happy to collaborate with other editors, proofreaders, reviewers and formatters.
• I don’t work on social media copy because that’s also a special skill set. But I can help with LinkedIn profiles and curriculum vitae (CVs).
• I will ghost write for clients where appropriate, but writing student essays, theses and reports for submission to secondary or tertiary institutions violates my code of ethics and university / school rules.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Contact me

If you don’t see what you’re looking for, please reach out and ask. I enjoy special challenges and will go the extra mile to get a result for you if the project is unusual or complicated. I never charge my customers for professional development time. However we work together, I guarantee a quality editing experience.

Referral Group Option

I work closely with a team of 15 other editors spread across New Zealand / Aotearoa, so if I can’t help you, I will try my best to find someone who can. I will always ask your permission in writing before I make a referral. Please be aware that if I refer you to another editor because I am fully booked, you should expect some differences in working style because member editors in the referral group work independently. They charge at different rates and have different editing styles according to their professional experience, areas of expertise and formal / on-the-job training.