Hi! My name is Lindsay Corten, and I am a copy-editor and proofreader – based in Burton-on-Trent – primarily assisting authors with fiction and non-fiction books, but also specialising in business-related written content and providing services in academia (to students up to PhD level and for academic journal articles).
Since I took the challenge to work on a freelance basis, and established Corten Editorial in April 2015, I have worked on a wide range of projects for many different clients. I love the variety of my job! Some of these projects include copy-editing and proofreading various books (fiction and non-fiction, across a wide range of subjects – some quite technical), proofreading marketing brochures/flyers, copy-editing/proofreading website wording, copy-editing/proofreading policy documents, copy-editing/proofreading newsletters translated into English, and editing/proofreading academic essays (often written by those for whom English is a second language, mainly in UK English, but in US or Australian English occasionally too).
I honed my skills in my previous career; I spent 20 years working in information technology (IT), ultimately as a business analyst and bid writer/manager. Since the beginning of my career, I have spent a considerable amount of time editing and proofreading my colleagues’ documents, as well as writing my own. My thoroughness, diligence and meticulous attention to detail were appreciated by many, but possibly not so much by those who did not share my love of a professionally written and grammatically correct document! I gained something of a reputation that it was not wise to ask me to review a document unless you wanted it done very thoroughly. Particularly in my final role as a bid manager, I was often used as a ‘baptism of fire’ to check the bid documents written by new members of the team; poor things!
My current and previous roles have all helped me to recognise the importance of good customer services, and open and honest communication. Therefore, I work hard to provide all of my clients with a friendly, professional and high-quality service at a fair price.
Although I love working with local businesses and individuals in and around Burton, Derby and Lichfield (mainly in Staffordshire and Derbyshire), the nature of my work means I am more than happy to work remotely; I have regular customers throughout the UK and even have international clients too!
As you would expect from my previous career, one of my key areas of expertise is in proofreading/editing IT-related business documents. I am comfortable working with documents written in both technical and business language; in particular bid proposals, business requirements documents and business process documents. I have worked with a wide range of clients over the years encompassing the retail sector, more than one government agency and manufacturing/engineering in the aerospace sector.
My many interests outside of work also serve to give me insight into such varied topics as handicrafts (card making, jewellery making, knitting and crochet to name a few), the equestrian world, fancy rat keeping and Christianity, amongst other things. Therefore, if your business touches any of those areas, I will be able to add an extra dimension to any copy-editing/proofreading I do for you.
I am able to offer proofreading using standard BSI 2005 proofreading symbols, if required.
Qualifications:
First Class (Honours) Degree in Management Science – University of Kent at Canterbury
Distinction in The Publishing Training Centre (PTC) Basic Proofreading by Distance Learning