Words and Deeds was set up in October 2010 to provide proofreading services with a focus on academia. The name of the business was chosen to reflect my two main areas of interest: working with words to enable people to communicate effectively with their target audience, and volunteering. It also reflects the ethos of Everything Possible (written by Fred Small, and as heard sung by Roy Bailey):
“And the only measure of your words and your deeds
Will be the love you leave behind when you’re done.”
I now have over sixteen years’ experience as a self-employed academic proofreader, working on a wide variety of theses, dissertations, journal and conference papers, and other academic work for both students and academic staff; the majority of this work has been for non-native English speakers.
The business now also provides a critiquing service to writers, based on my own experience and skills in this area. In the past, I have written factual pieces for a number of publications, but now focus on fiction. My creative writing includes a poem, Sitting with Sparrowhawks, which was awarded first place in Anxiety UK’s 2022 poetry competition on the theme of nature, published flashes, pieces for a number of online writing courses, tales for an online storytelling group, and a blog about my experiences in nature around the local area. I am currently focusing on writing novels for middle grade and young adults, and am finding the input from fellow writers invaluable in the writing process.
My experience and qualifications
* A BA (Hons) degree in English from the University of Leicester.
* A Proofreading and Editorial Skills qualification.
* An Initial Certificate in Teaching Adult Basic Literacy.
* Twelve years’ experience in further and higher education, including drafting complex documents containing information for students; proofreading academic regulations; designing, writing, and editing newsletters; and editing web content.
* A number of years spent in industry, including proofreading advertising material for national campaigns and drafting management reports.
* Training to support students with disabilities, e.g., by working as a study mentor.
* Experience of working with many different types of people, both face-to-face and over the telephone/via email.
* Familiarity with software such as Microsoft Word, Slack and Google Docs.
* Various work for a number of charities and CICs over the last sixteen years, including the Woodland Trust and RSPB, e.g., media/PR work including writing magazine articles and blog posts; proofreading and copy-editing website text; using social media to engage with the public; volunteering on an agro-forestry farm.
* Participated in a number of online creative writing courses and writing groups.
* Participated in an online storytelling group that met weekly and kept alive the old stories as well as creating new ones, sharing songs and generally having a great time.
* Presenting talks and leading walks focusing on birds and other local wildlife.
* Immersing myself in the wider local nature and history of the area where I live, Liverpool, to help me understand and better engage with the local environment and the challenges it faces.