My story
After leaving university I joined a training scheme to learn about interview skills, undertake a work placement and gain experience. The final task was to write a report to show what I had learnt. By chance, the training company was recruiting; they had read my report and invited me in for a chat.
‘You clearly enjoy writing and working with words,’ they told me and then asked, ‘Would you like a job?’ That afternoon set my career path.
Bid writing and project management: training and employability sector
I took the job and for the next eight years wrote bids to win and renew business for the network of JHP Training work-based-learning centres. This gave me a strong grounding and an understanding of how to build an argument, write clearly, and coach and support new team members with their own writing.
I ensured that grant applications were accurate, had a narrative flow, clear messages and made a positive impression. These are core skills – reviewing text, raising queries and providing feedback to authors – that I have used for over 25 years.
I spent over seven years within the Further Education sector at North Warwickshire and Hinckley College, where I started as a bid writer, before adding the management of projects won to my portfolio. This involved working with stakeholders and challenging ideas to ensure that delivery models were robust, managing large and complex projects – including MG Rover/supply chain (£1.3 million) and Peugeot Ryton plant (£3 million) redundancy recovery packages – and writing detailed progress and evaluation reports.
Although I had become a project manager, my experience with writing and editing continued to be integral. When managing the development of 117 e-learning lessons in my NTC Training role, I not only coordinated the work of authors, but also edited content to ensure thematic style.
Managing and editing: European Commission research projects
For Coventry University I managed three highly regarded European Commission funded (cultural heritage) research projects – RICHES (€3 million), Europeana Space (€5 million) and REACH (€1.5 million) – with 10, 29 and 7 European partners respectively. As well as ensuring contractual and financial compliance, keeping partners’ work on track, organising events and technical reporting, I oversaw the quality of all deliverables/reports and text produced by partners to detail activities and findings.
Through editing 67 project deliverables I gained extensive experience of working on multiple-author reports, often written in a second language. I adapted my level of developmental and copyediting intervention to meet each document’s requirements – offering suggestions to improve content and language to ensure that messages were clear.
Former project partners have subsequently asked me to edit project books and review/edit a Horizon Europe proposal for them.
Evaluation and knowledge exchange: Coventry UK City of Culture 2021
As a member of the UK City of Culture 2021 independent monitoring and evaluation team, I worked with university research teams to developmentally edit and copyedit their reports and optimise findings.
I also organised several knowledge exchange events, including the Coventry Cultural Challenge hackathon and the Walking Through Coventry Data digital exhibition
I created and populated the Evaluating Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 website and wrote text for 76 pages that presented the results of evaluation activities for use by interested stakeholders.
Sharing my experience
I was told in that meeting all those years ago that I clearly enjoy writing and working with words. That has been apparent during each stage of my career.
I am now a freelancer based in Coventry, but work with individuals and organisations based within the UK, EU and internationally.
I enjoy working with non-fiction authors, report writers and project partners to manage activities, refine texts and provide strong results. If I can help you, please get in touch.
Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
Professional editorial recognition
My editorial experience has been recognised by the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP). I have achieved the highest level of CIEP membership – Advanced Professional – which is not awarded easily.
The stated criteria are that you have:
- been working as an editorial professional for several years, with at least 1,500 hours of work experience, and can provide at least two references
- broad core skills training and up-to-date CPD
- specialist skills or expertise
- validated your non-traditional work experience by passing the CIEP editorial test.
Supporting the editorial community
Having gained so much from my own membership of the CIEP, I am now a co-coordinator of its Warwickshire/Coventry local group.
This voluntary role involves organising and facilitating in-person and online meetings to bring local editors and proofreaders together. The group is both social and supportive and provides a relaxed and friendly environment for members to discuss their work, describe their challenges and share advice.
Interests
Like most people, I have a love–hate relationship with the gym. I do, however, realise that it is the price I must pay for enjoying cakes and ice cream! To be fair, I am fine when I get there.
I walk each day (to ease my guilt when I don’t go to the gym). This is my opportunity to listen to a podcast, as I love to keep up to date with news, current affairs and sport.
At weekends, when not following sport, I indulge my interest in cultural heritage by following Treasure Trails. These are trails that use buildings, signposts, information boards and even gravestones to hide clues that need to be solved. It is a fascinating way to explore and learn about a place.
Not only have I completed over 90 trails, but I challenged myself to create the Allesley – park, village and garden trail. I researched the history of the area, mapped a route and designed challenging clues. I donated it to Treasure Trails for people to enjoy.
I am also a Treasure Trail Tester and provide feedback to keep clues, routes and photographs up to date for people to enjoy.
Degree
My degree in International relations and history broadened my knowledge and understanding of the world. That interest and fascination continues today.
Training and qualifications
Editorial training
- Copyediting 1 – introduction (CIEP)
- Copyediting 2 – headway (CIEP – passed with merit)
- The art of querying (CIEP)
- Tested the Handling large editorial projects course (Better Edit/Word Stitch Editorial)
- Passed the CIEP editorial test
- Non-fiction developmental editing (CIEP webinars)
- Getting to grips with grammar and punctuation (CIEP)
- Word for practical editing (CIEP)
- Auto-number tables and figures in Word (Cadman Training Services)
Management training
- APM Group/Raj Khanna Associates: PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner (2010)
- Chartered Management Institute (CMI): Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership (2013)