Jennifer B.

Editor and proofreader with 15 years' experience

My background encompasses a wide range of online and print work for corporate, government and higher education organisations in both the US and UK. I’ve edited and proofread everything from website content, customer brochures and blog posts to articles and press releases. I'm also an Intermediate Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP). An editor once said I can ‘make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear’. I enjoy the challenge of breathing life into a piece that may be a little technical or flat and turning it into something that will really grab an audience. Equally important, my words are accessible while avoiding trivialising or over-simplifying complex issues. Capturing an organisation’s tone of voice is also a crucial part of my work, and I have a proven track record in effective and consistent communication that stays true to the ethos of my clients. I believe in working with my clients in an open and honest manner, offering experience and advice where I can—and learning from them in equal measure. Beyond editing and proofreading, I also bring project management skills and the flexibility to work independently or as part of a team. I'm well-versed in using content management systems (WordPress, Squiz, Tridion) and can review your text from an SEO (search engine optimisation) and a web accessibility standards viewpoint. And I’ve never failed to meet a deadline. So what needs to get done gets done—on time. I was a Miami Herald columnist at 16 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. After I moved to the UK in 2005, my work expanded to include writing and editing print and digital communications for private sector companies and UK government (including the Office for National Statistics and National Strategies). I've recently worked with universities such as Cardiff University, Swansea University, UWE Bristol and Middlesex University London. I’ve also written for Slate, Stylist, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Nerve, The Guardian: Cardiff blog, among others. My short stories have appeared in Open Pen and The Timberline Review.