Training & Certificates

• Distinction achieved in Becoming a Proofreader through Knowadays
• Certificate of Completion of High-Level Proofreading and Copyediting Pro through Edit Republic
• An Introduction to Proofreading through Alison
• Editing and Proofreading Made Simple through LinkedIn Learning
• Word 2016 Essential Training through LinkedIn Learning

Highlights of what I’ve worked on

2023

• I edited and proofread over 132 106 words on a specific project, and the work involved editing fictional texts that have been translated from Chinese into English. The substantive editing involved having the text sound as if a native US-English speaker wrote it. Localizing the language and cultural nuances making it accessible to a broad audience. Besides the standard proofreading to correct any grammatical or punctuation errors, the editing involved eliminating repetition in the text using synonyms or rewording sentences making the text more colloquial, and ensuring it has a natural flow between dialogue and the narrative text.
• Although I was only a part of this project for a brief period, it made me get out of my comfort zone and pushed me to show my skills and capabilities as a copyeditor and proofreader. I am now more confident and determined to work on any kind of project in the future. I thoroughly enjoyed the editing work, and I am proud to have been a part of it. 
• Approximately 23 academic documents
• Roughly 15 other professional documents
• Blog posts
• Essays
• Business profiles and marketing materials
• I’m currently a freelance proofreader for Proofed and have worked with a diverse array of written materials, such as journal articles, essays, blog posts, press releases, reports, and research papers.  
• Due to working for an agency and having an NDA with them, I’m unable to show any sample work however I’ve added another relevant sample and therefore I also don’t have any testimonials to convey that I have the skills and expertise to deliver great work.

2024

• I had the opportunity to work with this amazingly talented, almost self-published author, Abbie! She hired me for a complete copyedit on her epic fantasy manuscript ending with a final word count of around 95k. Copyedited, proofread, formatted, and ready to be published by the end of June 2024. Here’s what she had to say about working with me! And yes, after reading through her email several times, I still get teary-eyed about her feedback. Plus, the mention in her acknowledgement means the world to me!

Testimonial

“I absolutely loved working with you, Carien. You were so easy to chat to, and enthusiastic about helping bring my story to life. You went above and beyond for me, and I’ll be forever grateful to you.

I didn’t have any hesitations in hiring you, one, because we met online first, and two, the video chat was a great way to talk things out and see what we could achieve together. 

I loved sharing my book with you and got excited to get my feedback from you. You helped me believe in my story and to see I had something good under all the grammar mistakes. Your feedback was helpful but never too critical, so I still felt I had something special here to share. 

I have a much better understanding of what is involved in the editing process now and the kind of style/sentence structure that is recommended for my genre, helping me tweak certain sentences to create a better-sounding novel. The process was pretty straightforward, and you worked with me to any deadlines, keeping me in the loop with where you were at each week. You also answered the many questions I had about the process and my book in general.

I would recommend you particularly to my fellow indie authors. You are both very professional and knowledgeable about what you do. This was so important to me as a first-time indie author, who had no real idea what I was doing. You can certainly help so many people out there bring their own novels to life.

Just want to add that it was so wonderful working with you, and I can’t wait till next time.” Abigail Mader – The Crystal Dynasty

Featured Portfolio

Blurb

For a millennium, the prosperous land of Ethos revelled in the protection of the Divine Spirit and the unshakeable bond of the Royal Family. But all that changed with a devastating betrayal within the Royal family unit.

In the wake of treachery, the young twins are forced to flee, finding refuge in the care of their mystical grandfather. The looming question is whether he can shield them from the clutches of the ruthless traitor Queen or if the twin’s mother, Cecilia, being held prisoner in the castle, can escape to reunite with her children.

Meanwhile, the new Queen, firmly seated on her throne, fixates her ambition on reassembling the long-lost magical crystal shards scattered across the realm generations ago. If these shards were to fall into the wrong hands, unimaginable chaos would be unleashed. As the quest to recover the four elusive crystal shards unfolds, the lines between good and evil blur, and a once-unified family itself is torn asunder. With the fate of Ethos hanging in the balance, who will emerge victorious in this epic struggle?

Please note I have received permission from my client to use the cover and blurb.