About Me
Hi, I’m Hollie 👋
Are you looking for an experienced editor to help review and perfect your content? Or perhaps you’re looking for help with a manuscript. With 5+ years of experience in writing, editing and proofreading, I’m your freelancer. Get in touch to learn how I can help you get the results you want from your writing.
How I became a freelance editor
In 2019, I left my direct marketing role to travel, an adventure that inspired me to channel my professional skills and passion for words into my own business.
Not only did the pandemic put a premature end to my travels, but it also made me take stock and think about what I wanted from life. I had assumed that I’d go back to the UK and find another direct marketing role. But that wasn’t to be the case.
I took some courses in proofreading to brush up on my skills, as well as a grammar course to solidify my knowledge. I started connecting with wonderful clients from all over the world, and the rest is history!
It all began with books and a dabble in direct marketing
People often say that to be a good writer and editor, you need to read. I think that’s true. I’ve always been an avid reader, so I guess something just clicked from an early age. I devoured books in my childhood – Harry Potter and His Dark Materials were firm favourites. Nowadays, fantasy continues to be my favourite genre ahead of historical fiction.
I studied English literature at the University of Southampton, and when I graduated, I took two wonderful jobs in the charity sector. The second was in a direct marketing team where I channelled my love of words into the development of high-performing fundraising campaigns.
A significant aspect of my role was writing, and I had to edit and proofread both my own writing and that of agency copywriters. Attention to detail was critical, and perfection was expected. This experience, along with some dedicated grammar training, gave me the technical and practical knowledge to be able to offer freelance editorial services.
Why trust me with your writing?
When it comes to spelling, punctuation, grammar and consistency, I care a lot. I’ll identify and fix any problems I can. I’m a perfectionist, which is exactly what an editor should be. This might sound like a given, but it’s not. I’ve worked with numerous editors who work inconsistently and let things slide.
When you work with me, you can be sure that I’ll put in 110% effort. I love to provide value and take pride in making a real difference.
I’m also (I think) friendly and approachable. I’m here to answer any questions and help you get the results you want from your writing.
Qualifications
- A-Level English Literature
- BA English and Spanish (University of Southampton)
- The Publishing Training Centre:
- Essential Grammar
- Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP):
- Proofreading 1: Introduction
- Doris and Bertie’s Writing School:
- Proofread Like a Pro
Skills & tools
- Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Adobe
- Slack, Asana, Airtable
- Tracked changes/comments
- Line editing
- Copyediting
- Proofreading (including text or content in its final layout, with tables, illustrations, footnotes, etc.)
- New Harts Rules: The Oxford Style Guide
- Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition
- Bespoke style guide creation
Recent projects
Reviewing and improving the quality of an AI-written business manuscript
Editing and proofreading SEO articles for a digital healthcare company
Editing and proofreading a children’s fictional story manuscript
Carrying out the final proofread for a PDF annual report for one of the UK’s largest supermarket brands
Editing and proofreading an ebook manuscript in the ecommerce niche
Ad hoc editing and proofreading for one of Europe’s fastest-growing software companies
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Jeffrey Rogers
Customer success expert and writer
Hollie was amazing. She was more than I ever expected as an editor. She went above and beyond. If you are looking for a proofreader or editor, SHE IS THE RIGHT PERSON for the job. 5 Stars across the board! She will be my editor from here on out.
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Valentina Perezalonso Figueroa
Content marketing manager
Working with Hollie is such a pleasure and an indispensable part of our workflow.
She’s very responsive and helpful, incredibly attentive to detail and always respects deadlines, usually delivering her edits way ahead of time. Her edits elevate the quality of our content and improve the reading experience. She’s also crafted a style guide that keeps all of our communications and webpages on brand and consistent.
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Cynthia MacNeil
Editorial manager
I highly recommend Hollie for any editing project, particularly those related to healthcare. She is an exceptional editor who can cut through fluff and hyperbole to create reliable content. In addition, she has even identified occasional factual errors that experienced physicians and specialists had overlooked. Hollie’s ability to work well with writers, doctors, and graphic designers, combined with her positive attitude and commitment to maintaining high standards for the brand voice, made her one of our most dependable team members.
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Dr Lindsay G
Non-fiction author
Hollie did an excellent job editing and proofreading my 87-page manuscript. She was very detail-oriented and thorough, She went through every single sentence and made it flow better, and made it easier to read. She had wonderful suggestions and was timely with her responses. She answered all of my questions and was very professional and friendly. I will be hiring her again for editing and proofreading! I would recommend her 100% to anyone!
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Caitlin Burns
Content and SEO lead
Hollie is an editor I can wholeheartedly trust to fix, rework, and improve any piece of content – no matter how complex or niche. Not only is she excellent at her work and very diligent, but she is also an absolute pleasure to work with. Her communication is clear and kind, and she always delivers work consistently and on time. I couldn’t recommend Hollie highly enough.
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Laura Mattuici
Director, marketing
Thanks to Hollie, we have been able to scale our content and prepare our specific style guide for consistency. She has been proofreading our content at the speed of light. Her support has been crucial. Hollie is trusted, accurate, fast and flexible. We love to work with her.
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Lior Barak
Data strategist
Hollie is amazing, from the first moment we started working I realized I found an amazing writing companion who can help me take an ok-ish text into an amazing one. She understands what I try to achieve and just deliver an amazing product by the end of it. I don’t think I worked with so many proofreaders with such quality.
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Anastasia Zelenkova
Direct marketing manager
We’ve a constant pipeline of marketing materials covering a variety of topics on technology and authored by multiple contributors. Hollie returns a copy that reads smoothly, is semantically, stylistically, and grammatically correct—all in line with our internal copywriting guidelines. Instead of just proofreading and correcting, Hollie gives valuable suggestions and rationale about specific linguistic cases. She is very responsive, cooperative, focused, and provides excellent turnaround time.
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Iain Rigby
Fiction author
Working with Hollie has been similar to purchasing a new pair of shoes or slipping into a favourite pair. No matter your writing style, you always feel infinitely better and are encouraged to revisit areas to aid the ebb and flow of your work. Hollie has edited several of my children’s books. The explanations are straightforward and never detract from the essence of your prose. Suppose you are grammatically challenged like me and prefer to spend time writing instead of figuring out the witchcraft of grammar. In that case, Hollie is a fabulous addition to your editorial journey, and I look forward to continuing to work with her in 2023.
