Dawn U

Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

“Make every word count.”

Specialist subjects:

Criminology Education English Fiction Insurance Journalism Language & Literature Law Medicine TESOL

Editing formats:

Education:

C.Inst.F.L.Ex

Professional Legal Qualification

1991–1995

Why I became an editor

My first career was in law (personal injury) and my second in education as an English teacher in China and online.

For as long as I can remember, I have been an avid reader of everything from novels to newspapers. However, when I started writing a travel blog in 2012, I really began to understand the importance of editing and the value of independent scrutiny.

Proofreading is an opportunity to combine my professional skills with my eye for detail and do something I enjoy.

Background and experience

My primary background is in law. I have worked for some major UK law firms and as a legal assistant in the UK and Australia. Working in law involved a lot of drafting and redrafting of documents.

Since I qualified for the Cambridge CELTA certification in 2017, I have been an English teacher in China and, more recently, online. Teaching the language has made me acutely aware of the grammar and nuances in English.

I am also a writer and have been writing a blog on and off since 2012.

Why I love proofreading and editing

The devil is in the detail of any writing, and I enjoy making sure that the details are all necessary, correct, and in the right place. In my legal career, whether you were writing to the judge or client, it was always important to provide the correct information in plain and succinct language.

All writing, not just legal documents, should be fluent and fluid, clear and consistent, and error-free. I enjoy being part of the process that helps a draft document develop into the final product.

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Favorite book:

“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” – C. S. Lewis

Hobbies:

I like to write, do yoga, read, learn languages (currently French and Italian), hike in the hills near our home in Tbilisi, play with our rescue cats, and eat cheese.

Editing tips:

Always, without fail, read through the document at least once without making any amendments. Once you have an idea of the overall style, then go back to the beginning and begin proofreading/editing.

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