Dr Jenny Cattermole | Non-fiction Copyeditor & Proofreader

An experienced proofreader and copyeditor, I specialise in a range of non-fiction topics from biomedical science and sustainable development to meditation and spirituality.

I started my freelance editorial business in 2010, making full use of my previous experience as a postdoctoral research scientist to help academic authors and publishers produce text that is accurate, consistent, grammatically correct and as error-free as possible.

Much of my work still involves medicine and the life sciences. I have substantial experience of copyediting and proofreading pre-submission manuscripts for Japanese and Chinese scientists for whom English is a second language, medical and veterinary textbooks for publishers, and an interesting sideline in medical transcription.

Alongside the science, my business has expanded to include other subjects that I am passionate about: the environment, sustainable development and climate change, meditation, mindfulness and spirituality. In addition to publishers and scientists, my previous clients include businesses, agencies and independent authors.

I aim to provide a flexible service based on each client's individual needs, and to develop good working relationships with all my clients. I focus on working to high editorial standards, fine-tuning and polishing text and language while helping the author's voice to clearly shine through.

Qualifications and training

• BA (Hons) class 2.1 in Natural Sciences (Cambridge University)
• PhD in Immunology (Southampton University)
• Proofreading Today – distinction (Editorial Training).
• Welcome to Copy-Editing (Publishing Scotland)
• Brush Up Your Grammar (SfEP)

Some of my clients

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics, Scriptoria Ltd, MCL Corporation (Japanese translation company), British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) Publications, Thieme Medical Publishers (Stuttgart and Delhi), Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology (journal), Oxford Science Editing, eScienta, and independent authors from the UK, Japan, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Thailand and Malaysia

Testimonials

I have had the opportunity to work with Jenny on different projects during my tenure in Thieme. In all the freelance copyediting and proofreading assignments to her, Jenny demonstrated meticulousness and was very conscientious as regards providing quality output, meeting deadlines, and responding in a timely manner, despite the time difference. She is diligent and attentive to detail, which makes her an excellent editor. She has great sense of the publishing industry and maintains excellent professionalism.
The quality output I have seen in her work is simply extraordinary and conforms to high, editorial standards. I could perceive her passion for perfection in her works. Jenny would be highly instrumental and a valued addition in any editorial assignments to her.

Rupnaryan Das, Project Manager at Thieme Medical Publishers, Delhi

My colleague Annie from Editorial had a look at the page proofs you sent. She is very pleased with your thorough work. Thank you very much!

Thieme Medical Publishers, Stuttgart

Jenny has done proof-reading and editing work for me on a number of occasions. I highly value her meticulous attention to detail and eagle eye for inaccuracies of any type. On one occasion I have used Jenny as editor for a book translation from German into English. Jenny's clear thinking and uncanny ability to get inside the author's head, combined with finely tuned linguistic skills, resulted in the English translation being much more intelligible than the German original.

Gisela Stewart, translator

Please let me extend our sincere appreciation for your great jobs you have done for us so far. We really appreciate it.

MCL Corporation, Japan

I briefly checked the recording and your transcription and I found your work was absolutely wonderful.

MCL Corporation, Japan

What you have kindly said to us is what exactly we would like to say to you. You are such a very nice person to work with - even at such a great distance!

MCL Corporation, Japan

Thank you very much for your kind and meticulous revisions. I appreciate that all your comments and suggestions are pertinent to the manuscript and very useful to me. I am looking forward to having my next paper revised by you again and soon.

Client of MCL Corporation, Japan

I highly recommend Jenny Cattermole as a book editor. She demonstrated through her professional approach a willingness to engage with my words. I perceived a total involvement with the content without any interference in the expression. Working with her was a work of hearts and minds in which there was always an ease of finding the perfect solution. Every detail was re-visited until that which wanted to be said was found in an exact, balanced and effective way. She enhanced the original manuscript through her editing skills and made it into a book. Our collaboration and co-creating was a pleasure and in considering any further writing projects she would be my first port of call. Thank you Jenny

Cyrus Bruton, spiritual teacher and author of Mud Lotus Mystic: The Poetry and the Practical, Methods of the Inner Journey

I love Jenny's editing. It's professional, considerate and mature. It helped me to reflect, to refresh my perspective, and to appreciate my work more as she has an unique way to protect my writing voice. Thanks Jenny.

Grace Tan Cheng Man, speech therapist and writer, Malaysia

Working with Jenny has been a real pleasure. Very good and clear communication all throughout the process. Jenny was very respectful of my unique voice as an author, while also optimizing the grammar and offering suggestions and possible improvements. I feel that my book has definitely improved a lot through the services that Jenny offered. It has improved not only grammatically, but also in the strength and flow of it's message. I would wholeheartedly recommend Jenny's services to anyone looking for a proofreader with skill, integrity and the ability to improve your message, while also preserving your unique voice as an author.

Arian Mateo Tabatabai, independent author, spiritual teacher and coach

It was a real pleasure to work with Jenny on my book How to be: A Guide to Spiritual Development. The manuscript was initially so bad that some people recommended me to find a professional translator first. In some points it was even hardly understandable, but thanks to Jenny's dedicated care and patience we could solve all the issues and the result is now excellent. I would recommend Jenny as a copy-editor for anybody, but specially for non-native English speakers.

Tõnn Sarv, independent author

• Editor
• Proofreader

• Allied health & nursing
• Alternative & complementary medicine
• Body, mind & spirit
• English as a second language
• Environment & nature
• Environmental science
• Medical & dental
• Life sciences
• Self-help
• LGBTQIA+
• Veterinary

• Transcription