Why edit?

It is virtually impossible for anyone – even professional editors – to effectively check their own work. Spotting mistakes usually needs a fresh pair of eyes, and even in this age of digital word processing, simple spell checks are not enough. A computer won’t catch every error, it won’t read for sense, and it won’t be able to suggest ways to improve your writing.

Even minor errors in spelling and grammar can reduce a reader’s confidence in your writing or product. For students, poor writing can lose marks and reduce the clarity of your arguments. For businesses, mistakes can affect your reputation and potentially cost sales.

Good editing can not only eliminate spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes, but also help polish your writing so that your ideas come across in the clearest, cleanest way possible, helping to make the best possible impression on your readers. For non-native English speakers, editing can also be important in ensuring that your writing flows and reads as if it has been written by a native speaker.

Having your writing professionally edited and/or proofread can improve the quality of your work and give it a more professional appearance. My aim as an editor is to help make your writing the best it can be, so you can be proud of and confident in your finished product.

If you would like to find out more about the importance of good editing, there are some useful examples on the CIEP’s “Why edit” pages. In addition, this BBC article explores the impact of spelling mistakes on online sales.

See my services page if you would like to know more about how I can help you improve your written work.