Arts, Humanities, Academia and Fiction – Dawn Austin Locke
Professional Member| Location | Brighton, UK |
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| Website | www.dawnproofperfect.co.uk |
| Phone | +441273 306950 |
About you
Are you an academic in the arts & humanities, an independent publishing house, a fiction, poetry or non-fiction author of memoir, travel, well-being or psychology?
Your book, thesis, novel, or specialist-cultural writing is unique so, when I help polish it for publication, my editing, at whatever level, will always tune in to your voice and support your originality.
You are welcome to email me a sample for assessment.
About me
My background is in writing (Sussex, 1st class), and the psychology of the creative process. I have established ongoing writing projects, and supported manuscripts from their earliest, fragile stages through to line editing, copy-editing and final proofreading.
I relish the vigour of independent publishing and personal interaction with small publishing houses, and am excited by fresh academic and creative concepts. It is my privilege to work alongside you on these rites of passage from head and heart to page and press.
Skills
- Developmental assessment
- Close Line editing
- Proof-editing
- Proofreading
- Bespoke editing
- Grammatical understanding of French, German, Italian.
Fiction genres
- Cultural academia: literature, humanities, arts, social anthropology
- Contemporary fiction
- Literature in translation
- Psychology, counselling, self-help
- Travel writing and social geography
- Life-writing, memoir and biography
- Diaries and letters
- Historical novels or theses
- Myth, religion and spirituality
- Medical writing (RGN, HV Dip.)
- Poetry collections
- Short stories
Non-fiction and academic subjects
I'll always engage with a new angle on the arts! These are a few favourites so far.
- Culture and literature
- Arts and theatre
- Contemporary ethics
- Current affairs and human rights
- Social and cultural anthropology
- Comparative religions, theology and spirituality
- Mythology
- Buddhism and Judaism
- Travel writing and worldwide viewpoints
- Wellbeing, self-help and lifestyle
- Diet and nutrition
- Psychology and counselling
- Education and health education
Qualifications and training
- CIEP Proofreading Headway
- CIEP Efficient Editing
- CIEP Practical mark-up of PDFs
- Chapterhouse Proofreading and Editorial Skills
- Creativity in the Arts BA Hons 1st Class, University of Sussex
- Creative Writing Certificate, University of Sussex
- Foundation Year, Institute of Psychoanalysis, London
- TEFL certificate
- Licentiate of Guildhall School of Music and Drama (LGSM Teaching)
- Registered General Nurse and Health Visitor (RGN, HV Dip.)
Software
Microsoft Word
Adobe Acrobat Pro
PerfectIt Pro, Intelligent Editing
Testimonials
"I am so very grateful to all of the women authors contributing to this book and especially to Dawn Austin Locke for her loving care and wisdom in giving this book roots to ground and wings to fly…"
Laura Topper, author of Mama on a Mission.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mama-Mission-permission-mother-creative/dp/1549649108
I wanted to thank you again for your wonderful work! I have combed through it this morning and it completely surpassed my expectations! Your attention to detail is just incredible, and your feedback/comments are so useful. Being dyslexic, I can't tell you how helpful it is to have someone read with such a sharp eye. Now I feel confident moving forward with my PhD, using the tools and knowledge I now have from your comments. So much I've learned! Can't wait to put it all to use in my work.
CM, PhD in Middle Eastern Studies, University of London (UCL)
"I am very pleased with the quality of Dawn's work. Her insights were right on the spot, and her notes incredibly helpful. Clear and relevant, she made great recommendations on my use of rhymes and choices of words. She truly has a feel for poetry." A.T.
Aurélien Thomas, A Vow – A Collection of Love Poems.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vow-Collection-Love-Poems/dp/B08KHCR5WC
I love the little word substitutions and additions that you have peppered sparingly throughout, as well as your restructuring of some of the sentences. You grasped the lilt of the dialogue perfectly. Both the pace and fluidity of the whole book flow much better now and it's a much more accessible piece of work.
The Missing Pieces of Mum, Sally Herbert
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-missing-pieces-of-mum/sally-herbert/9781914451010
“I wish I had found Dawn's incomparable services sooner. Her editing was thoughtful, thorough and effective. She improved readability and layout of my thesis and clarified it without intruding on the content. She not only addressed grammar and punctuation but also my usage and flow of my 2nd language.
Victoria N. MA in Nursing Management
The fact that we have reached the end of that journey and I have the end product sitting in front of me is thanks to my good fortune in finding you over two years ago, which in retrospect seems like a lucky win on a roulette wheel since I had little to go by other than a list of names on the Society's website.
David Beatty, The Island: A Mirror For the Soul. Journey towards the heart of Dhamma.
https://booklife.com/project/the-island-a-mirror-for-the-soul-57641
"I gave Dawn a play that I had been working on for months. She offered pertinent comments on how I could build a more effective climax. She has a deep interest and expertise in stagecraft through her theatre experience. Dawn suggested ways of highlighting the dramatic relationships, allowing me to discuss various options yet retain the integrity of my portrayals while accepting her guidance. She provided a perfect balance of suggestions on which to base my decisions."
Alanna McIntyre, Between the Covers, a play.
"Thanks so much for your editorial support - your edits really improve the quality and clarity of my thesis!"
A Huang, PhD in Music and Modern Literature, University of Edinburgh.