Dr Mike French |

Brussels

Organisation
Read Panda Editing
Job title
Director
Membership Grade
Advanced Professional Member

About Mike

Featured

I am a freelance editor and proofreader with a PhD in medieval history and a background in publishing.

I received my doctorate in medieval history from the University of St Andrews, where I taught for five years, earning associate fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in the process. Although my expertise lies in medieval history, I've taught everything from the rise of Islam to Marxism.

My experience extends well beyond academia. I worked as a submissions editor for a London-based literary agency and my professional editing experience includes proofreading daily news summaries for the European Commission, copyediting IT textbooks, and editing fiction novels (mainly thrillers), as well as editing academic books and articles. In 2020, I set up my editing company: Read Panda Editing.

I am always delighted to hear from prospective clients. Hopefully something from my professional experience will make me the right person for your project.

Media

Books, news summaries, theses and dissertations, online materials, websites/blogs, articles.

Clients

Recent clients include: the European Commission, the European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD), The Institute of National Remembrance in Warsaw, Martin Palmer, Matthew James Publishing, the novelists Ursula Mirbach and RJ Mitchell, and the University of Oslo.

Subjects

History (British, Church, Medieval, Historiography), Religious Studies (Christianity), English Literature (Medieval), English Language, Biography (Literary, Historical, Religious), Literary Studies (Textual Criticism, Palaeography), Education (Tertiary), Fiction (Crime/Thrillers), Current Affairs, Greek Mythology.

Qualifications

PhD Medieval History (St Andrews)

MLitt Medieval History (St Andrews)

BA History (Durham)

Testimonials

I have had the pleasure of working with Mike for over ten years on a vast range of topics. He has worked on projects to do with the United Nations, with religious traditions, and with key environmental and sustainability issues, as well as on poetry and prose – including a new poetic version of the Bible. He brings to all he does a deep knowledge of history and love of literature which means he becomes a companion in the journey not a corrector of failures alone! I thoroughly recommend him as someone with a profound understanding of language and delight in knowledge.

Martin Palmer (author)

At a hugely difficult time when both my publisher and myself were let down badly by an editor who decided that his brief was to rewrite rather than edit, Mike stepped in and provided a professional, efficient and friendly service that, it is no understatement to say, averted disaster. Accessible at all times via phone or email, Mike’s friendly and calm manner helped make my editorial process enjoyable where it had previously been exceptionally stressful. I would have no hesitation in highly recommending Mike’s editorial services to any writer.

RJ Mitchell (author)

As an author, I have found Read Panda to be an invaluable service to me. They are efficient and courteous and give you the book you want.

Lady Roche-Jefferson (author)





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    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.