Proofreading and Editorial Service Sharp-eyed overview – Light creative touch Fiction, Humanities, Academic Papers, English as Second Language, Dyslexia,
Poetry, Nursing|Health, First-time Publishers, Promotional
Proofreading Service
A straight, focused proofread to provide the perfect finish to your project
Bespoke Editing
In-depth editorial work according to your individual request and carried out before proofing
Academic Proofing
Ensuring your dissertation, essay, or thesis is submitted to the highest standard
My Services

Straight Proofreading

A simple but focussed proofread provides the perfect finish to your project prior to publication or submission, be it dissertation, business copy, general fiction or a specialist publication. I will add the same effort through my craft as you have put into creating your work and aim to spot errors and anomalies whilst maintaining a light, non-intrusive touch.

Bespoke Editing

Fuller editorial work is carried out before the final proofreading stage, and if your work requires a more hands-on approach, or this is your first publication, then this is the flexible service for you, sensitive to your style preference and authorial voice.

Essays and Dissertations

I will help you submit your thesis to its highest standard by proofreading it for typos, spelling, punctuation, capitalisation, consistency of line spacing, font, and general presentation. Additionally, if English is not your first language or if you have dyslexic issues, I am able to check your project by looking out for sense and grammar, without intruding incorrectly on the content or organisation of your study.

I accept projects in English from throughout the English-speaking world.

"Dawn, you make my voice come alive, the "maternal voice" that you mentioned. You heighten and prune my real voice to be fuller, simpler, and just better. As I read the edits you've made for me, I knew that you had made my voice more beautiful and stronger. JA"
  • Children’s illustrated stories in verse
  • Poetry edit
"Dawn, words cannot express how grateful I am seeing your edited work. Thank you so much for a quick review and the notes, I'm really impressed with your work and support. NC"
  • Mental health care MA
  • Master's degree social care
"You have done an amazing job! I love the little word substitutions and sentence structuring that you have peppered sparingly throughout. Both the pace and fluidity of the whole book flow much better now, and your knowledgeable input has transferred my story into a much more readable piece of work. SH"
  • Irish social history and memoir
  • Structural edit, copy-edit, and proofread.
"You have given me an idea of levels and parallels I had not seen. "
  • Memoir
  • Early developmental edit, DSG
"How fantastic to have another pair of eyes looking at my work, in a constructive manner. This whole experience is like a master class in editing. It’s blowing my mind in the best possible way. DC "
  • Contemporary novel, DC
  • Developmental editing
"So, thank you again, those were by far the best-spent money in all my life. It was wonderful working with you, and I was actually amazed at how well you understood my requirements. "
  • Romanian Conflict Archaeology
  • Post-doctoral publication in Romanian Conflict Archaeology RTR
"Dawn's editing job was really amazing and satisfying. Her editing was extremely professional, thoughtful, thorough and effective. The readability and layout of my essay were improved, main points clarified without changing the meaning of text content. Dawn was also willing to give professional advice regarding English grammar, punctuation, paragraphing, flow and usage. I wish I had known about her incomparable services much earlier."
  • Nursing (Mental Health) BSc(Hons)
  • NV, Registered Nurse, Mental Health
"Dawn proofread the entire content of our website. We supply copy and marketing strategies so accuracy in our own presentation was crucial. She worked quickly, finding various errors, and made several useful suggestions for improving the tone and quality of the site in general. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her and would certainly engage her in the future. "
  • Website editing
  • V B, Company Director
""Thank you" is grossly inadequate for your response and generosity of your input here… All your suggestions and the change in the central tone are appropriate and welcome. JL Dieppe "
  • Business Tender
  • Copy-edit
"Thank you so much for the proofs you sent through, I’m glad to confirm they arrived with us today and the mark-ups looked great. The level of amends you applied is just what we were hoping for."
  • First Story

About Me

Dawn Austin Locke
With a passion for languages and literature, I support writers of diverse identities and cultures, including those writing in a second or third language. I work with independent publishing houses and academics across the arts and humanities, most recently enjoying fiction, international culture, novels in translation, and psychology. I have mentored groups and conferences from which authors have published novels, histories, and award-winning poetry. Beyond editing (CIEP), my qualifications are in Drama (L.G.S.M.), Creativity in the Arts (BA Hons., Sussex, 1st class), and health education (R.G.N., H.V Dip.). 
 
I am a professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders (CIEP), registration no. 12544
 

Vanessa Blackledge

 

ProofPerfect is excited to welcome associate editor, Vanessa Blackledge, MA., a CIEP member, who has worked extensively, both in-house and freelance, as a writer, editor and proofreader across the creative industries and social sciences. She has extensive experience in fiction, non-fiction, journal articles, poetry, and children’s literature, and always enjoys collaborating with writers and academics to bring out the best in their work. Vanessa’s postgraduate thesis examined women’s literature and psychoanalysis (University of Sussex), and her additional interests include horticulture, music, and psychotherapy. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Contact Information

Email: editor@dawnproofperfect.co.uk