When it comes to editing and proofreading it would be unethical to promise perfection. This is because the process is both subjective and multi-layered.

 

What one person sees as correct, another might question. We learn different styles, the rules of grammar change from generation to generation, some have a preference for the informal whilst others prefer a more formal approach. In the realms of syntax, content and typography, many factors play a part in what we perceive as perfection. I will follow your style and brief but not everybody reading the edited/proofread text will agree with the result.

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Where only one set of eyes has looked through a manuscript which is filled with formatting, consistency, style and typographical errors, it is possible, no matter how expert those eyes are, that something could slip through. There is so much to juggle, so many layers to manage, and new errors can creep in when suggested editorial changes are made by the client. The publishing industry puts text through several rounds of editing before publication because experience has proven that one pass is seldom enough. If it was they wouldn't be wasting their money on multiple editorial passes. The more eyes, the better. In the self-publishing world, budget and time constraints often mean that one set of eyes have to be 'good enough'.

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This is what I can promise:

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• To give your work my utmost best in terms of accuracy, diligence, professionalism and integrity,

• That the quality of any text which I review for you will be considerably better than before I worked on it, even if time and/or budget ensure that I am the only editorial professional you hire,

• That I will follow the Code of Practice set out by the CIEP,

• That all of your work will remain confidential before, during and after I am commissioned,

• To refuse any commission for which I am not sufficiently placed, in terms of time or specific expertise, to improve upon with my editing and proofreading skills.

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