Richard Sheehan | Copyeditor and Proofreader
- [email protected]
- Website
- www.richardmsheehan.co.uk
- Job title
- Copyeditor and Proofreader
- Membership Grade
- Professional Member
About Richard
Web
http://www.richardmsheehan.co.uk
Introduction
Welcome! I am a qualified copyeditor and proofreader, and I have worked on over 350 books. I specialise in fiction and general non-fiction. In fiction, I have worked in a number of genres but I specialise in historical fiction, science fiction, literary fiction, thrillers, fantasy and horror.
As a qualified freelance copyeditor and proofreader, I am meticulous and flexible, and I offer an editorial service covering all areas of written material and publications. I am a Professional Member of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) and have been trained by the Publishing Training Centre and the SfEP. I wrote part of, and act as a tutor on, the Introduction to Fiction Editing course run by the SfEP. I have also provided editing workshops and masterclasses for The Literary Consultancy, The Society of Authors, the Historical Novel Society, Leicester Writes, Writing East Midlands and Leicester Writers' Club.
Services
I offer line editing, copyediting, proofreading and proof-editing.
Clients
The Literary Consultancy, Ebury Publishing, Pan MacMillan/Tor Books, Wellcome Collection, Troubador Publishing, Intuitus Ltd, Hodder & Stoughton, Arvon Foundation, The School of Life, Alliance Publishing Press, The History Press, Biteback Publishing, The Robson Press, Stork Press, Roman Books, Black Library, self-publishing clients
Media
- Books
- Journals
- Company reports
- Newsletters
- Catalogues
Experience
Freelance since 2012, I have worked on over 350 books and many other forms of documentation.
Training
Content, SEO and Editing (Copyediting.com) 2018, Brush Up Your Grammar (SfEP) 2017, Introduction to InDesign (Certitec) 2014, Copy-editing skills (Publishing Training Centre) 2012, Introduction to copy-editing (SfEP) 2012, Basic proofreading by distance learning – merit (PTC) 2011
Subjects
Fiction (general, literary, crime/mystery/thrillers, historical, romantic, science fiction/fantasy/horror, short stories, anthologies), non-fiction (general, history, memoir, biography, self-help/popular psychology), information technology (computer technology/software/hardware, networks, internet, IT security, technical support), literary studies (critical editions, literary criticism), sport (cricket, football, general)
Equipment and software
PC & Mac, Microsoft Office, PDF-XChange, Adobe Acrobat
Testimonials
Richard's copyedits and proofreads are always extremely thorough, comprehensive and professional. A number of our authors have expressed their gratitude to Richard for providing such a high-quality edit
Lauren Lewis, Troubador Publishing Ltd
Richard has provided an invaluable service for me over the years. We have worked together on three books and I have come to value his opinion so much that I would never consider going to anyone else. He has in-depth knowledge not only of grammar and punctuation, but also historical context and plot consistency.
Thomas Brooke, author of Blood of the Raven, 2023
Richard kept me on track and was always available to answer my many queries, which usually arrived at short notice. He picked up inconsistencies, fact-checked, and suggested edits that improved the content and flow of the narrative.
I would definitely recommend Richard and hope to work with him again.
Gavin de Bier, author of Consider It Done, 2023
Richard Sheehan was professional and forensic. He checked every date, name, place and context of the facts. A skilled editor, Richard also communicated clearly and explained changes he suggested, leaving me to make the final decisions. A great team worker, he also connected with what the typesetter was doing. The experience made me realise the value of having a professional editor on your team. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Richard Sheehan as editor and proofreader.
Sammy Stein, author of The Wonder of Jazz, 2022
Richard Sheehan is an outstanding editor. His attention to detail helped improve my manuscript immeasurably. He knows just what to look for and how to fix it. To find someone who knows how to examine every sentence in this careful, focused way is rare. His experience, hard work, and clear way of editing is just what my novel needed. His pleasant way of communicating made it all the easier to work with him.
Michael Pronko, author of Tokyo Traffic and Tokyo Zangyo, www.michaelpronko.com
As a writer of historical fiction it was very important that I found a copy-editor who could work with a manuscript that included dialect, non-standard grammar, phrasing, and spelling, and who would do his job without in any way altering my "voice".
I found the perfect person in Richard. He was extremely professional, meticulous and, importantly, kept to the agreed timeframe. His suggestion that we work out a style sheet together at the outset made the whole process very straightforward, and his careful checking of timelines, locations and historical characters, invaluable. A good copy-editor is worth their weight in gold, and Richard is among the best.
Margaret Skea, author of Turn of the Tide and A House Divided
This is really brilliant – thank you very much indeed. I’ve never seen such detail and clarity. I shall be very pleased to work with you again!
Toby Fountaine, Blue Mark Books, 2019
Richard tackled a long manuscript that included numerous terms from Southeast Asian languages with meticulous dedication. He noted a number of infelicities and embarrassing repetitions – thus improving and refining my work enormously
Christopher Hale, non-fiction writer, producer and director
Richard is the consummate professional and an absolute joy to work with
Marisha Pink, author of Finding Arun
Service(s)
Specialisms
Client types
Disclaimer note
The CIEP Directory of Editorial Services should be considered a point of first contact and prospective clients must satisfy themselves that members are capable of the work on offer. The Institute cannot be held responsible for the quality of work provided by any member listed in the directory. The members themselves are responsible for the maintenance and accuracy of their entries in the Directory and the CIEP has not made any attempt to vet them. The institute cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in the Directory. Inclusion in the Directory as a freelance does not necessarily mean that the member is self-employed as defined by HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions.