About

I’m a full-time freelance proofreader based in the UK, working with clients in the UK and beyond. My editorial journey started in 2018 when I completed the Publishing Training Centre’s (PTC) Basic Proofreading course, passing with distinction. Since then, I’ve proofread over 150 books. My specialism is proofreading adult fiction and narrative non-fiction. My clients are publishers and self-publishing authors.

I’m an advanced professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), confirmed by my entry in the Institute’s directory, which you can view here. I’ve been a tutor for the PTC’s Essential Proofreading course (formerly Basic Proofreading) since 2021 and I wrote a blog post on how to become a professional proofreader for the PTC’s Comment page, which you can read here.

Before becoming a proofreader, I was an English as a foreign language/second language tutor for adults for five years. Prior to this, I worked in financial services for twenty years (four years as a secretary/PA, then sixteen years as a field review compliance consultant).

When I’m not proofreading, I love yoga, reading short fiction and flash non-fiction, and exploring the craft of writing short stories.

Qualifications & Professional Development

  • Word for Practical Editing (CIEP), 2022
  • Sensitivity Reading and Beyond: Empowering Editors to Talk about Conscious Language and Representation (ACES: The Society for Editing webinar by Crystal Shelley), 2021
  • Sensitivity Reads: A Guide for Editorial Professionals (Lourdes Venard and Ebonye Gussine Wilkins), 2021
  • Basic Editorial Test (CIEP), 2021
  • CIEP Annual Conference 2020, 2021, 2022
  • Editing Digital Content (CIEP), 2020
  • Comics and Graphic Novel Conventions for Proofreaders (Editorial Freelancers Association), 2019
  • Basic Proofreading course (PTC), passed with distinction, 2018
  • Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (accredited by University of Cambridge)
  • BA (Hons) Humanities with English Language 2:1 (The Open University)
  • Qualified Thai Yoga Massage practitioner (no longer practising)
  • Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training course (200 hours)

What clients say…

‘It is always a pleasure to work with Tania Charles. She’s an ace proof-reader: eagle-eyed, professional and knowledgeable. She has proof-read a number of my titles – of various genres: fiction, biography, history – and always does a marvellous job. I have complete confidence in her work.’
Polly Pattullo, Publisher, Papillote Press