Welcome to Murphy Editorial
I'm a proofreader and copyeditor based in Beverley, England.
A professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), my specialisms are editing fiction and academic books. Having worked regularly with publishers, I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with self-published authors.
Proofreading
Books featuring my editing
Hayley Russell, Troubador Publishing
Stephen Barnard,
co-author: All Media Are Social: Sociological Perspectives on Mass Media
Charles Corliss, author of The Rediscovered Psychoanalytic Work of Herbert Silberer
"I was particularly impressed by Martin's ability to scrutinise a somewhat sensitive appendix section in order to find any issues with legality and confidentiality."
"Again, we appreciate all the attention you have given our book. It is already better because of it."
"I am certainly impressed with how thorough and meticulous a job you have done, and I thank you for that."
Let's Work Together
For a quote, please get in touch by using the contact form below. In the meantime, you can also check out my listing over at the York Editors website.
Welcome to Murphy Editorial
I'm an editor and proofreader based in Beverley, England.
Hello, I'm Martin. I provide authors and organisations with meticulous editing services and specialise in mental health topics.
As someone who produces written content, you may well ask – why do I need an editor? Well, to ensure that your writing has the desired impact, demonstrating your professionalism and positioning you as a source of expertise in your field, the quality of the text you produce is crucial. If it contains errors, is unclear or lacks consistency, it risks putting doubt in the minds of readers. If you are unclear on the benefits of professional editing, please watch this CIEP webinar.
Equally, you may be unsure as to whether your content is ready for publication. If so, I am here to help.
Services
Examples of what I work on
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Suggest rewrites to make certain that everything is clear, or to improve the flow or tone in line with your readers' requirements.
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Throughout a document, examine whether timelines are correct.
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Query obvious factual inaccuracies.
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Ask if the the spelling of words, and use of capitalisation, numbers, dates etc., are consistent and correspond with your organisation's house style guide, if you have one. If not, I can build one for you.
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Check the use of abbreviations – are they all defined and used consistently? Where necessary, I can compile a list for you to keep.
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Format references and citations into a chosen style.
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Check and correct names, such as those of people and places.
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Highlight potential legal issues.
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Make sure that the numbering and positioning of figures, tables and illustrations is correct, and edit headings and captions.
What else I offer
Developmental editing
Alongside comprehensive copyediting and proofreading, I now also offer developmental editing services to clients. This focuses more broadly on your work, examining its content, structure, clarity, tone and flow, helping you to identify and potentially develop its central argument.
This process will help you communicate your message to the book's intended audience as clearly and effectively as possible.
Please contact me to discuss how I can assist you in this area.
Where does house style fit in?
The presence of an editorial style guide, or house style, within an organisation offers clear benefits. It provides guidance for writers, limiting the number of inconsistencies that may appear when numerous contributors are used. This, in turn, reduces the number of revisions that need to be made later on, at the point just prior to publication, saving you a great deal of time and effort.
From a reader's perspective, clashes of style may make a document appear disjointed, potentially undermining their confidence in the content. At the very least, they could become a distraction.
I will follow your organisation's house style, should it already have one, or work with you to create such a document.
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Edited books portfolio
Advanced Brief Strategic Therapy for Young People with Anorexia Nervosa
by Giorgio Nardone and Elisa Velteroni
Testimonials
Camilla Erskine, editorial director, PCCS Books
"Thanks again for the copy-edited typescript... Your work is excellent. You have been exceptionally thorough, and I appreciate how carefully you have checked everything, including the texts listed in the further reading section and endnotes."
Madhavi Nawana Parker, author: The Resilience and Wellbeing Toolbox
"Thank you Martin Murphy for your attention to detail in preparing my book for publication. I appreciate the time and effort you put in and what a great job you did."
Stephen Barnard,
co-author: All Media Are Social: Sociological Perspectives on Mass Media
Charles Corliss, author: The Rediscovered Psychoanalytic Work of Herbert Silberer
"Again, we appreciate all the attention you have given our book. It is already better because of it."
"I am certainly impressed with how thorough and meticulous a job you have done, and I thank you for that."
Jill McCanney, co-author: Autism and Managing Anxiety: Practical Strategies for Working with Children and Young People
"Martin was a pleasure to work with and made the editing process very straightforward. He has admirable attention to detail and was particularly helpful in ensuring accurate and consistent referencing throughout the text."
Allow me to simplify the editorial process for you too and alleviate the stress of worrying about 'bigger picture' issues, errors and inconsistencies.
So, what led me to a specialism? Well, a keen interest steered me towards editing books and articles covering many different mental health topics. I have also worked on a number of reports commissioned by the NHS. These include investigations into serious incidents, studies on improving the health and wellbeing of staff, peer-based approaches to mental health care, and recovery plans for metal health patients following the coronavirus pandemic.
My employment history also includes six years spent as a health adviser in the NHS, a role that involved working directly with patients experiencing mental ill health and broadened my knowledge of how the health service functions.
It is this background that I will draw on as part of helping your organisation.
Qualifications and contact
As a Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) , I have undertaken high quality training and completed work to the standard and quantity required by a CIEP panel of assessors. I also adhere to the CIEP's Code of Practice.
More information on my other qualifications can be found via my LinkedIn profile and my listings in the CIEP Directory and on the York Editors website. You can get in touch using the contact form below.
Beverley, East Yorkshire, England
