Merle Read | Experienced non-fiction & academic editor | History specialist | Working with Word, PDFs & WordPress
Glasgow
- [email protected]
- Website
- read-edit.co.uk
- Membership Grade
- Advanced Professional Member
About Merle
I specialise in editing academic and general non-fiction texts, including books, journal articles, large-scale reference works and websites. Online skills include Word (former CIEP tutor), PDF markup, expert web research, and HTML and WordPress editing. SfEP/CIEP web content editor (2015 to 2024). I have particular experience in history but cover a wide range of subjects. Attention to detail assured.
Enquiries welcome! Please email me to discuss your project.
Core skills
- Copyediting
- Proofreading (English, Greek, Russian)
- Website editing/proofreading/updating
Media
- Books, including multi-author books, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, illustrated books
- Journals
- Content management systems
- Exhibition materials
Recent clients
CIEP, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, Oxford University Press, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Qualifications
MA Greek & Russian; Postgraduate Diploma in Librarianship & Information Studies
Experience
Freelance editor since 1993
Subjects
- Art (ancient Greek)
- Bibliography
- Biography (historical, literary)
- Classics
- Design (typography)
- Disinformation and propaganda
- Heritage
- History (ancient, general, the Holocaust, military, modern German, Russian/Soviet, Scottish)
- Human rights
- Information science and technology
- International relations
- Languages (classical and modern Greek, Russian)
- Libraries/librarianship
- Literature (classical Greek, Russian, Scottish)
- Sociology
- Strategic communications
- War
Recent training and CPD
- CIEP conferences (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
- Efficient Editing (CIEP, 2022)
- ACES conference (2021)
- WordCamp Glasgow (2020)
- various SfEP conferences and miniconferences
- German language classes (intermediate)
Testimonials
'It's you again. Good.' (SAGE author)
'An excellent copy-editor: extremely thorough and at the same time to the point.' (Cambridge University Press author)
'I wonder if these two volumes will ever again be read with as much understanding, care and attention to every detail.' (Thames & Hudson author)
'Tremendous work ... the book is vastly better because of you. There were a lot of errors and inconsistencies that I hadn’t picked up on and these would still be in the book without your diligent work. I am deeply grateful.' (Society of Antiquaries of Scotland author)
'We are currently in the middle of the last steps of preparation for the typesetting and are benefiting enormously from all the changes, requests and comments that you have made to the texts.' (Institut für Zeitgeschichte editor)
'Superb copy-editing.' (Palgrave author)
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.