Detail-orientated & thoughtful editing for a book your readers can’t stop thinking about.
Fantasy fiction & world mythology editor
Bringing out the best in your story and fixing the blips you’re too close to see.
Great storytelling is irresistible; our brains are wired for it. That’s why I love helping writers bring out the best in their work, tidying up those blips you might be too close to your work to see.
I’m Joanne, and my editing style is sensitive and collaborative because I know what it’s like to pour yourself into your writing. To me, editing is a fluid process that requires empathy, not the rigid application of grammar rules at the expense of the writer’s intended effect.
My specialisms
I was the kid hiding behind the coats reading Roald Dahl at playtime. As you’d expect, I’m an avid reader of adult and YA fantasy fiction, and all sorts of other genres of fiction and non-fiction. My own writing is inspired by lesser-known world mythology and folklore, and I’ve ghostwritten several published books. I proofread for World History Encyclopedia as the perfect cover to read more about ancient mythologies.
Education & experience
I graduated from the University of York with a degree in Psychology (including a research project on grammar acquisition; I know, I can’t help myself). After teaching English in Sri Lanka for several years, I taught science in the UK for nearly a decade before returning to live in Sri Lanka.
As an independent professional, I began copyediting academic journal articles for a research lab. But fiction is my absolute passion, so I trained and gained experience as a fiction editor. Now I get to combine my attention to detail from my scientific background, my coaching and feedback skills from education, and my intuitive feel for imagined worlds.
I hold a Copyediting 3: Progress certificate from the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and follow their code of practice.
Living in the jungle
When I am not editing, or reading (surprise, surprise), I am cooking Sri Lankan food, exploring the mountains, and discovering new combinations of expletives when I nearly step on a snake. Living next to the rainforest isn’t always as glamorous as it sounds!
PS. In case you were wondering, Ajatar is a deity from Finnish mythology. People would call to her through magic songs to take their pain away. Sometimes she is portrayed as an evil spirit of the forest; it all depends on the story.
“So happy with Joanne’s developmental feedback. Thorough, very detailed, and thoughtful. Plenty for me to reflect on and fix. Delivered ahead of time and was very clear in her progress at each stage. Joanne is very professional and I have no hesitation in recommending her. Thanks again!”
— Author, publishing under a pseudonym
Joanne Taylor • Ajatar Editing 