Editorial precision with a nuanced human perspective
I make joined-up decisions that protect the author’s voice and serve the publisher – so complex non-fiction reads beautifully and earns sign-off.
‘It has been such an enjoyable process working with … Hazel Bird (copy-editor extraordinaire).’
Neela Jane Stansfield
Author of Grants Fundraising (Directory of Social Change, 2022)
Publishers want accurate text, yesterday
You need a partner who supports your publishing goals, eases the pressure and keeps deadlines on track. That’s where I come in.
Hazel Bird
Your non-fiction editor and publishing partner.
I’m Hazel Bird, founder of The Better Edit (formerly Wordstitch). I help non-fiction organizations and authors to publish work that informs, inspires or delights their readers.
My work ensures that even the largest of writing projects are clean and credible. Clients bring me in for complex projects and return for partnership and a nuanced perspective.
I began my editing journey in-house, seeing the whole publishing process from commissioning to sales. In 2009, I went solo to offer clients detailed, nuanced editing and a business-aware, whole-process view.
Since then, I’ve handled comprehensive developmental editing, sensitive line editing, meticulous copyediting, final proofreading and full editorial project management. I spot the misplaced comma and the consequence of getting it wrong.
Helping you achieve your publishing goals, I bring…
Clarity with collaboration
Editorial precision paired with dedicated collaboration that helps publications succeed – for non-profits, businesses, publishers and others.
Seeing the wood and the trees
I make decisions that work at the sentence level and across production, design and timelines. Nothing escapes my eye for detail or my focus on the bigger picture.
Respect for the author and the reader
I protect voice while increasing accessibility and authority. This is no easy task, but I love what I do, and I have hundreds of successful projects under my belt.
Credentials
Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading since 2011
PRINCE2® Practitioner since 2021
Member of the Editorial Freelancers Association
Member of ACES: The Society for Editing
BA with First-Class Honours in English Literature from Durham University, UK, 2005
‘Hazel approaches each and every project with equal amounts of care and attention to detail that is second to none. She has been our trusted copy-editor for a number of years now, and we couldn’t hope for a better advisor on all things editorial.’
John Martin, Publisher, and Gabi Zagnojute, Editorial Manager
Directory of Social Change
Who do I work with?
I work globally with charities and non-profits, NGOs, businesses, publishers, and non-fiction authors to help them deliver some of their most prestigious publications.
In fact, the bigger and more complex the project, the better. I thrive when I’m challenged with the task of making large projects accurate and keeping them running smoothly.
Ready to move from ‘complex draft’ to ‘ready to publish’?
Share your goals and timeline, and I’ll map the most straightforward route from draft to done.
