Sue Browning | Experienced, adaptable editor of linguistics and fantasy/sci-fi

What can I do for you?

Whether your purpose is to inform, persuade or simply entertain, I can help ensure your writing is correct and clear so that your readers get your message without distraction.

I am a flexible and friendly editor and will always try to combine sensitivity with the rigour of an editor’s eye.

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Who do I work for?

Variety is the spice of my life, and I love to work on all kinds of projects, from books, both fiction and non-fiction, and journal articles to newsletters, magazines, websites and blogs. My clients include publishers and academics, businesses and indie authors.

• Publishers: While I specialise in language and linguistics, I have experience in other humanities and social science subjects too, including sociology, international relations, politics and economics, philosophy and education.
• Academics: I edit journal papers and books for academics in the UK and across the world in a range of subjects, including linguistics, speech technology, politics and economics.
• Businesses: I can edit your report, blog, magazine article, website, leaflet, brochure, or in-house communication to ensure it is clear and compelling and fit for purpose.
• Indie authors: I love to work with independent fiction authors. As well as the usual editing for language and style, I enjoy hunting down continuity slips and inconsistencies that might jolt your reader out of your story.

>> Drop me an email to discuss how I might help you.

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Who am I and how did I get here?

I’ve been lucky enough to be able to use my love of language throughout my changing career. After gaining a degree in Linguistics from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, I worked in speech technology research, first in academia, then for a government research establishment.

Moving on from there, I now apply my love of all things wordy to editing, and I get a great deal of satisfaction from helping authors prepare their work for publication.

I live on the western slopes of the lovely Malvern Hills, on the borders of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, but thanks to the internet, I'm available to work for anybody, anywhere.

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Subject areas

My non-fiction subject specialisms include:

• linguistics: phonetics, phonology, morphology, accents, dialects, grammar, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, discourse
• sociology and other humanities and social sciences; politics
• environment: nature, green issues, organic gardening, wildlife

My fiction specialist areas include:

• science fiction
• fantasy
• detective
• humour

>> Visit my website to find out more about what I can do for you.

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How I keep up my skills up to date

I'm always looking to improve my skills and the services I can offer you through a mixture of formal training and informal learning.

Recent training includes:

• Word Styles and Templates (Cadman Training, 2023)
• Tea and Commas: The Foundations of Line and Copy-Editing Fiction (Liminal Pages, 2023)
• Efficient Editing: Strategies and Tactics (CIEP, 2020)
• CIEP conferences 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• SfEP conferences 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
• Editing for fiction: professional development day (SfEP, 2016)
• Introduction to fiction editing (SfEP, 2015)
• On-screen editing 1 & 2 (SfEP, 2008, 2014)
• Introduction to web editorial skills (SfEP, 2010)

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Some typical clients

• Publishers and PM companies: Cambridge University Press | Newgen (formerly Out of House Publishing Solutions) | Orphans Press | SRA Books | Tickly Whiskers Publishing | Crux Publishing | HotHive Books | Word4Word | Exeter University Press
• Commercial (editing and proofreading): Call Centre Helper Ltd. (formerly Clearly Presented Ltd.) | Tree Ring Services | Sidney Phillips | On the Sauce Again (blog) | Aachen University | SafeLane Global | Aspire Consultancy | Woodland Heritage
• Fiction (editing): a large number of independent authors, including Ted Dunphy | AJ Marshall

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See what my clients say about working with me

Thanks for the diligent and (imo) inspired editing etc.

I have done a bunch of books and this phase of the process has always been unpleasant (at best). This time I looked forward to your emails and suggestions. ... It was a pleasure to get to know you even if it was epistolary and at a distance.

— Professor Norbert Hornstein, author of The Merge Hypothesis (Cambridge University Press, 2024)

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One of the most intelligent and attentive proofs I’ve ever received

I can’t express how much I appreciate this edit. It is one of the most intelligent and attentive proofs I’ve ever received. So glad your linguist-classicist experience came in handy! Seriously, this edit has improved the text and I’m grateful.

— Jae Emerling, author of Transmissibility: Writing Aesthetic History (Routledge, 2023)

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Everything a gifted copyeditor should be: pragmatic, supremely knowledgeable, and dedicated to consistency

Writing for the Reader’s Brain benefited enormously from your expert guidance. You exemplify everything a gifted copyeditor should be: pragmatic, supremely knowledgeable, and dedicated to consistency. I’m so grateful to have you as an editor! Your advice has been terrific and I’ve gone with every suggestion with only a few amendments. I wish I’d had you working on my last two books.

— Yellowlees Douglas, author of Writing for the Reader's Brain: A Science-Based Guide(Cambridge University Press, 2024)

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I couldn't have asked for a better experience with a copy editor

Thank you, Sue!! I can't even begin to express my gratitude and couldn't have asked for a better experience with a copy editor. Many thanks for your amazing attention to detail, thoroughness, clarity, and overall professionalism. If I could assign you a grade, it would be A+++++++.

— Rajiv Rao, editor of The Phonetics and Phonology of Heritage Languages (Cambridge University Press, 2024)

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The most reliable and sensitively attuned copyediting I have encountered

In your respect for the detail, and careful consultations with me on everything, you have been confidence-instilling at every turn. I have 3 other things at proof-stage at the moment, and can say without hesitation that yours is the most reliable and sensitively attuned copyediting I have encountered.

— Judith Buchanan, author of Shakespeare on Silent Film (Cambridge University Press, 2009)

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You add a large touch of humanity to the isolating activity of writing

I still marvel at the sharpness of your eye in finding the errors. I appreciate your comments – some of them make me smile … All your comments make me think and you make very sensible suggestions. … I am confident in publishing this one knowing that errors and inconsistencies will not mar the writing so giving the book a chance to be read without distraction.

You actually add real value to what I do, are so professional, never make demands, and add a large touch of humanity to the isolating activity of writing. And I love your asides in the comments you make and deeply treasure when you say you like the book.

— Ted Dunphy, independent author of Rowing Down the World to Auckland (Canaan-Star Publishing, 2015), Don't Poke the Fire (Canaan-Star Publishing, 2015), The Devil to Pay (Canaan-Star Publishing, 2015), Snuff O'Brien's Private War (Canaan-Star Publishing, 2017), and A View from the Boiler House Door (Canaan-Star Publishing, 2018)

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The most problem-free and pleasant copyediting I have ever experienced
Let me join the other editors to thank you again! It was the most problem-free and pleasant copyediting I have ever experienced.

— Susan Gal, co-editor of Language in Culture by Michael Silverstein (Cambridge University Press, 2022)

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You found omissions where previous book and journal editors did not

WOO HOO! I’m done! Thanks again for your very careful reading/copy-editing, Sue. Like I said, you found omissions where previous book and journal editors did not, and I’m grateful for that (as future generations of scholars, will also be, hopefully).

— John R Rickford, author of Variation, Versatility and Change in Sociolinguistics and Creole Studies. (Cambridge University Press, 2019)

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You saved our bacon!

On behalf of the editors, I would like thank you for the excellent job you have done as copy editor. We couldn’t have asked for a better one, and on occasions you 'saved our bacon’ (well my bacon, then!) and in doing so helped us to avoid some glaring errors. We couldn’t have asked for a better copy editor. You were truly outstanding.

— Brian Hopkins, principal editor of The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Child Development (Cambridge University Press, 2017)

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Sue not only identified problems, but also suggested solutions that were always completely consistent with the style and content of the book

Sue provides excellent, proactive copy-editing services. She just completed work on a new book of mine, and was fast, thorough and easy to work with. A particular characteristic of her work is that she not only identified problems, but also suggested solutions that were always completely consistent with the style and content of the book. Great work, and I'm certain the book will be much better as a result.

— David Cropley, associate professor of engineering innovation at the University of South Australia, author of Creativity and Crime (Cambridge University Press, 2013)

>> Think I might be able to help you too?  Drop me an email to discuss what I can do for you.

• Editor
• Proofreader

• Non-fiction
• Fiction
• Action & adventure
• Crime, mystery & thriller
• Humanities
• Humour & satire
• Linguistics
• Narrative non-fiction
• Science fiction & fantasy

• Formatting/layout