Pat Dunn | Educational publishing | English, French, German

Former teacher of French and German with over two decades of freelance editorial experience.

I provide professional copyediting, proofreading and proof-editing services, at a flexible level to suit your needs.

I work mainly on:

• language-learning resources
• bilingual and English dictionaries
• reference materials

… ​in English, French and German. With my editorial experience and background in education, I'm able to engage with your project and take a knowledgeable approach, identifying issues and suggesting sound solutions.

Beyond education and reference, I welcome opportunities to work on other subjects, and take a particular interest in:

• walking and trekking guides
• crafts

Clients tell me they appreciate my thoroughness and attention to detail, high standards, commitment and reliability. See what some of them say in the FEEDBACK section below.

Please read on for more information. Or get in touch to discuss how I can help with your project.

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Services

• copyediting, proofreading and proof-editing in English, French and German

I am happy to work:

• on screen, using PDF mark-up or tracking changes in Word
• on paper, using British Standards Institution (BSI) proof-correction symbols

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Media

• educational materials, particularly language-learning resources, including multi-component courses, student books, teacher guides, workbooks, worksheets, revision guides and exam practice, audio and video scripts, distance-learning materials, digital and online learning materials
• dictionaries and thesauruses
• walking and trekking guides, including route maps

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Subjects

I specialise in:

• languages: English, French, German
• education: general, primary, secondary, further/higher/tertiary, adult, e-learning, distance learning, grammar reference and practice, exam preparation and revision, resources, teacher training
• children's/teenage publishing: educational/informative, reference

I have a broad general knowledge and welcome opportunities to work on other subjects that interest me, particularly:

• walking and trekking
• crafts: step-by-step guides, knitting, crochet, rag rugs, heritage crafts
• countryside and nature
• north of England and Scottish Borders (landscape, culture, history, people)

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Professional membership and subject qualifications

• Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP)
• BA (Honours) French and German
• PCGE (secondary education, French and German)

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Clients and experience

Independent editorial professional since 2000.

I'm proud to have worked with the following clients:

• AQA • Cambridge Publishing Management • Cambridge University Press • CGP • Chambers Harrap • Cicerone Press • Collins • Folens • Galore Park • Just Content • Oxford University Press • Parragon • Pearson (Education, ELT, Longman Dictionaries) • Raintree • Rising Stars • SAM Learning • Schofield & Sims • Scholastic (Mary Glasgow Magazines) • University of London (External Programmes)

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Feedback from publishing professionals and authors

It really was a pleasure working with you on the Teacher Handbook, Pat. Your approach to copyediting and proofreading was extremely thorough and consistent, and it was great working with someone who can be relied upon to deliver such high quality work. I appreciated your progress updates and your sending queries in a timely manner, and the wider team welcomed the fact that you highlighted issues and inconsistencies in the Student Book. Lastly, thank you for being so flexible when it came to the moving of deadlines – again, this was very much appreciated. I look forward to working with you again in the future.

Claire Hobby, Development Editor, Modern Foreign Languages (Oxford University Press)

It is always a pleasure working with Pat as she is lovely to work with and we know we can expect an excellent edit. Our books have benefited greatly from her thoroughness and attention to detail, and she takes the complexities of the projects (for example, unfamiliar place names in languages with lots of local variance) in her stride. We are also extremely grateful for the manner in which she supports our authors: we have had authors request Pat specifically, having worked with her before – testament to the care and quality she demonstrates in all of her work.

Natalie Simpson, Senior Editor, Cicerone Press

You did an excellent (and very thorough) fact and answer check for the GCSE French revision materials, providing insightful and relevant corrections, with accurate and helpful changes suggested. You did the job to an extremely high standard.

Louise Fonceca, Freelance Editorial Manager

It was such a relief when I knew I had someone really capable in place to do the detailed work on the dictionary – a committed person who would take the trouble to review every entry and to look at it with the care and passion that this book deserves. Your stamina in not only keeping going but also maintaining high standards has been fantastic. Thank you so much.

Carolyn Richardson, Freelance Commissioning Editor, The Complete Primary Dictionary (Schofield & Sims)

You have played a huge part in helping to produce such a worthwhile piece of work […] Your enthusiasm has always been palpable. So a monumental thank you to you, Pat, for your dedication throughout.

Michael Janes, author of The Complete Primary Dictionary (Schofield & Sims)

It's been a pleasure to work with you, as ever. Many thanks for everything, especially for being so flexible, patient, and working under such pressure – it has not been an easy project!

Frédérique Jouhandin, Freelance Publisher and Editor

Thank you so much for all your help with this project. Your warmth, good humour, wisdom and common sense have really touched me. I cannot thank you enough for your amazing work and for turning what was looking like a nightmare for me into a real pleasure.

Joyce Čapek, co-author (with Nigel Pearce) of Common Entrance 13+ French Exam Practice Questions and Answers (Galore Park)

I am most grateful to you for your excellent service in bringing focus to the manuscript where I have sometimes seen only the bigger picture.

Nigel Pearce, co-author (with Joyce Čapek) of Common Entrance 13+ French Exam Practice Questions and Answers (Galore Park)

Thank you very much for everything that you have done. Like last time, you made it all so simple, and I really appreciate that.

James Savile, author of Common Entrance 13+ French Revision Guide (Galore Park)

Again, thank you so much for all of your help on this title – you've really gone above and beyond, and it's appreciated.

Hannah Caton, Content Producer, International Curriculum, Pearson

I just wanted to thank you again for the wonderful job you did on the proofs. I'm really so pleased that you were able to take on this proofreading job – it's made me feel an awful lot more confident about the quality of the book as we get closer to final proofs. I really enjoyed working with you.

Editor at UK educational publisher

It has been great working with you over the past few weeks – you've made it easy and pleasant every step of the way. […] told me I couldn't fail to be impressed by your professionalism, and he wasn't wrong. So thank you again for all your hard work on the manuscript. This book has been very special to me in many ways, and having complete confidence in the copyeditor has been the icing on the cake. I genuinely hope we'll be able to work together again in the future.

Vivienne Crow, guidebook author, outdoor writer and photographer

You're an absolute delight to work with.

Verity Russo, Production Editor, Cicerone Press

Reading my advance copy of the book reminds me of the sensitivity with which you edited it, gently nudging me here and there, offering advice and encouragement and making it a much easier book to read now than it would otherwise have been. I'm truly grateful for your many thoughtful comments and suggestions. Let me say it was a pleasure working with you, and I hope we'll have another title to work on together in the not-too-distant future.

Kev Reynolds, outdoor writer and guidebook author

• Editor
• Proofreader

• Non-fiction
• Children & young adult
• Education & training
• Humanities
• Languages
• Reference
• Sport & leisure
• Travel & tourism