Laura Hayes
Fulfilling your proofreading needs...
Academic essays Business reports
Fiction novels Journal articles
Non-fiction Transcripts
Website blogs Tailored requests
Proofreader
Clients
I have had the pleasure of working with: Danny Lenihan Emily Windsor Home-Start UK I-Spectrum Magazine JP Ceark
KR Davis Paul Stretton-Stephens Society for the Environment Stephen Collier The History Press Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
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Academic
Fiction
Non-fiction
Business
SERVICES
I am a qualified proofreader with a friendly and professional approach to all my work. Contact me to find out how I can help you with your proofreading requirements.
I provide an on-screen proofreading service, accepting work in Microsoft Word format where I use track changes or as a PDF using the comments facility.
Proofreading
I check the spelling, grammar and punctuation within your document. Another part of this service is to check format consistency, page numbering and that your contents wording matches that in the main body. A light-touch proofread might be required or a more intense proofread - this will be decided using a 1,000-word sample in advance.
Proof-editing
A combination of proofreading and copyediting that is done at the same time. All the elements of proofreading plus sentence level checks and restructuring to help your work flow. I will also focus on style consistency, clarity and readability of your document. I aim to make your project sound more elegant, providing alternatives to frequently used words and phrases.
For UK and international students, I provide a thorough grammar and spelling check for essays, dissertations and theses, ensuring language is clear and coherent. All new student clients will need to sign a project agreement before work commences.
For fictional writers, I will proofread your novel or short story, ready for self-publishing. You may wish to seek a developmental editor and/or copyeditor before this stage. Alternatively, I can proof-edit your novel, offering a copyediting and proofreading service simultaneously. Clients in this area are required to sign my Terms & Conditions before entering a working arrangement.
For non-fictional writers, I provide proofreading for eBooks, magazine articles, blogs and website content.
For businesses, charities and academic professionals, I will look through your reports, policies, journal articles or training materials to bring them up to a high standard.
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ABOUT ME
For most of my working life leading up to my proofreading career, I was involved in PA, communications and marketing roles. Whilst producing charity newsletters I became enthused about my editing role, ensuring documents were free of spelling and grammatical errors and fit for readers to understand and enjoy.
So began my journey, in 2014, towards becoming a qualified proofreader ...
Firstly, I completed and passed the Publishing Training Centre's recognised PQB course in Basic Proofreading. I was then fortunate to get on a voluntary proofreading work experience programme in 2015, whilst securing some unpaid work as a Contributing Editor for a scientific magazine and a proofreader for an international travel blogger.
Other work soon came after, such as proofreading university rankings reports and students' dissertations, mostly from international writers for whom English is not their first language. Following some pro-active marketing I started to build up a client base and expand on the genres of work I could proofread.
Based in Bedfordshire, my work now also includes on-screen proofreading and proof-editing services for fictional writers, should they wish to self-publish. For a full list of the work I can offer, please see my Services.
TESTIMONIALS
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TESTIMONIALS
Laura was brilliant for my novel – before the project even started she laid out to me her expectations and time requirements and read through a sample chapter before providing a quote. Her communication was great throughout, and by the time my manuscript was handed back, there were hundreds of easy to work through track changes, suggestions for edits on clunky lines, and continuity corrections. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her, and will be using her again for future books.
Danny Lenihan, Writer (June 2021)
I needed to have a proof read of my typeset manuscript with a tight deadline. I am grateful that Laura contacted me and completed the work before the deadline had passed. Her work on my MS was finished with precision and efficiency and I have no problem recommending her for your MS. In fact I have commissioned her for more work.
Stephen Collier, Writer (January 2022)
Laura worked with us on a report earlier this year and her proofreading undoubtedly led to an improved report. Her proofreading not only met the deadline but was excellent and thorough, and she provided clear comments to explain suggested edits/ changes which were really helpful in the review process. Many thanks to Laura and we would undoubtedly approach her in future for further proofreading work.
Sarah Ridgeon, Society for the Environment (April 2021)
"We are a national charity and were seeking a proof reader to help with proofing of our national training materials. Laura was extremely quick at responding to my request. She was very diligent and turned around the work very quickly. I would definitely recommend her and would be happy to call on her again for future work."
Jenny, Home Start UK (April 2020)
"I was extremely pleased with the proofreading that Laura did for me on the Plastic Paradigm and Shades of Loyalty. Her attention to detail was second to none. She understood the project well and respected my work as the author while suggesting notable improvements. I can without hesitation highly recommend her work."
Paul Stretton-Stephens, Writer (May 2018)
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CONTACT ME
Please contact me for a quote
Just fill in the form and I will contact you ASAP
Please feel free to send me a sample of your work.
I offer a free 1000-word proofread before providing a rate per 1,000 words and a timeframe. This will vary depending on the length, complexity and nature of the work.
07815 747366
Bedfordshire, England, UK