Hi, I’m Jo Breier. My editing and proofreading experience spans many years and many fields. I have corrected the grammar in reports written by non-English speakers at the OECD, streamlined language and layout in business documentation for corporates and small businesses in New Zealand and the UK, and produced written content for business websites and client communications. More recently, I have enjoyed editing and proofreading books, both print and electronic, especially memoirs and biographies.

 

I have a BA in English language and literature from the University of Canterbury and a Graduate Diploma in Publishing from Whitireia New Zealand.  I can thank the formidable Mrs Cook, my high school English teacher, for a super-solid grounding in all things English. However, it’s life experience and a love of reading that have taught me when any and all of the rules should be broken to preserve the writer’s voice.

 

I bring perception, patience and an eye for detail to the projects I am involved in and I love what I do!

 

Why the blue pencil?

 

Traditionally, editors used blue pencils to mark corrections on manuscripts, as the ‘non-photo blue’ colour does not show up when reproduced.

 

These days, the editor’s tool of choice is the computer, lacking the romance of coloured lead on paper maybe, but providing a more flexible conduit between editor and writer. I normally edit using track changes in MS Word.