I have been in love with words ever since I was a child. I could read before I went to school (thanks, Mum!) and I ‘published’ my first poetry pamphlet on an old typewriter when I was in primary school. When my first collection, Breakfast at the Origami Café, was published in 2020 it was a long-held dream come true.
My work has always revolved around language and words. Before starting Poems and Proofs, I worked as a TEFL teacher, a teaching assistant in English, and a library assistant. I also spent many years facilitating creative writing workshops for children and young people. The highlight of this work was seeing the children grow in confidence and begin to believe in themselves as writers.
In 2020, with my younger child nearing secondary school age, I started my training in copyediting and proofreading. I loved it from the start – more than any job I have ever done – and wished I had thought of that career earlier in my adult life. I took inspiration from the fact that my grandmother trained as a speech therapist in her fifties!
I’m based in the UK and am fortunate to live between the South Downs and the sea. When I’m not editing, I love walking and cycling locally and, when I can, further afield. In the photo on the left I’m tackling Striding Edge on Helvellyn in the Lake District – one of my favourite parts of the world. I’m also partial to crime dramas and psychological dramas and, of course, reading.
Training and CPD
Non-Fiction Developmental Editing – Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
CIEP Conference 2025, online delegate – Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
Getting to Grips with Grammar and Punctuation – Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
Copyediting: Headway – Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
Copyediting: Introduction – Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
Cadman Training – Introduction to PerfectIt
Word for Practical Editing – Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
Proofreading: Headway – Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
Proofreading: Introduction – Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Education – University of Chichester
Master of Arts Degree in Creative and Critical Writing, Merit – University of Sussex
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages – GEOS English Academy
BA in English Literature, First Class Honours – University of Surrey
Tess has proven to be the ideal copy editor. Working with Tess is wonderful and Space Ranger Fred and the Great Galactic Bake Off was given the polish it deserves. Tess is easy to communicate with and got to grips with the peculiarities of my manuscript in no time at all. Delivering sooner than expected, the detailed notes and explanations make my life as an author easier.
— Children’s book author
You’ve done a FANTASTIC job of finding all the errors and things I missed. I’ve felt in such safe hands with you. Thank you for making my first copy editing experience so supportive.
— Nic Wilson, writer, editor, Guardian country diarist
It was a very satisfying experience with Tess. She was friendly and always willing to give a top service to her client. I would definitely recommend her editing and proofreading services to my other contacts and hope to return again for her services with other planned books. It was a job well done with attention to detail and very useful tips on punctuating children’s rhymes.
— Gaynor Greber, author of Drogo Dragon
Absolutely brilliant – your work is so detailed, clear and helpful and I really value your editorial recommendations, [which were] based on experience and which felt trustworthy and well thought-through. I’m so impressed with your work and will definitely work with you again!
— Katharine Ugeux-Lewis, author of a YA novel
Tess is one of Rethink Press’s regular and most trusted editors, and she is always a pleasure to work with. Tess has a knack for getting to grips with a manuscript quickly and seeing not just the nitty-gritty detail but the big picture. She instinctively understands how to improve the flow for the reader and ensure the text adheres to house style, while retaining the author’s unique voice. She is always open to feedback and, from her very first job for us, has constantly been willing to learn and grow with the company. I’ve worked with Tess on books in a number of very different genres, and she’s approached every job with the same diligence and thoughtfulness.
— Kathleen Steeden, senior editor, Rethink Press
I found your attention to even the smallest details very impressive, as was your ability to work with sensitivity and respect when dealing with emotional or personal aspects of the manuscript. Your insightful comments and suggestions have, on occasion, introduced other perspectives to be considered and sometimes adopted. The professionalism with which you work has made this, my first experience with a copy editor, a smooth and supported venture, especially in the face of my somewhat ‘retro’ computer skills. I am very happy with the quality of your work and its improvement to my book and I would most certainly recommend you.
— Independent author
Working with Tess on the copyedit of The Eleven New Commandments was a genuinely supportive and thoughtful experience. Tess approached the manuscript with great care and a clear respect for the voice and stylistic choices of the work. Her edits were precise and perceptive, and her queries were always collaborative and insightful. I especially appreciated the clarity of her process and the detailed style sheet she provided. Tess brought both technical skill and creative sensitivity to the project, and I would warmly recommend her to other authors.
— Micheál Ó Mathúna, author of The Eleven New Commandments
