I’m Catriona, and in my cosy bothy I copyedit for indie authors
A bothy is a Scottish mountain retreat, a tiny cottage offering shelter from the elements. So if you’re out in a wilderness of language and grammar, come on in! I’ll help you get cosy with your words.
Your revised manuscript is ready to be finessed? I can make your sentences sing with a full line and copyedit, or bring a lighter touch focusing on clarity and consistency. Click here for more detail.
For that crucial final check before you publish your formatted book, my eagle eyes will spot unprofessional errors and necessary corrections. Click here for more detail.
Are you a first-time or one-time author feeling overwhelmed by the journey ahead? I’ve published my own book and advised clients for years. I can support you all the way from revised manuscript to published book, providing editing at multiple stages, and holding your hand while you navigate other resources, services, and publishing platforms. Ask me about a bespoke Polished to Published package to see if it’s right for you.
Sign up to get my upcoming Sentence Lessons straight into your inbox – short, laser-focused tutorials to help you level up your sentences.
In the meantime, you’ll receive this very practical free checklist to help you make quick fixes to your manuscript before submitting it to your professional proofreader or editor, saving them time – and you money!
Hi, I’m Catriona, and nothing makes me cosier than being surrounded by books, words, and language. From my primary school reports saying “always has her nose in a book”, to my English degree and writing for the student newspaper, to a decade of teaching English in Scottish classrooms and exam marking, to diving deep into French or Danish grammar when I lived abroad, to writing my own memoir…I’ve created a life immersed in the written word.
I bring those decades of learning, expertise, and enthusiasm to the desk every time I sit down with your manuscript. My core value is connection. ‘Only connect’ are the words in the epigraph of EM Forster’s Howard’s End, one of my early literary loves, and the words tattooed on my arm. You want your words to connect with your readers. My goal is always to make that connection as easy and seamless as possible. Connecting with bookish people every day makes my work even cosier!
For the last seven years I’ve worked on a range of fiction and memoir, while strengthening my expertise with ongoing training from the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading. I work with both career authors and first-time publishers, and as an author myself, I understand the thrills and anguish along the path to publication.
So if you’re looking for an experienced, passionate, and compassionate partner in the next stage of your book’s journey, please get in touch, and let’s help you get cosy with your words.
There’s more to explore at The Word Bothy blog – click here to read.
For more info or a sample edit, email me here: thewordbothy@gmail.com
Following a free sample edit for new clients, I provide a personalised quote for each manuscript based on input required, word count, and publishing goals.
Indicative rates are as follows:
Copyediting for a 70k-word novel or memoir starts at £600.
Proofreading for a 70k book starts at £350.
Rates are in GBP, but feel free to contact me wherever you are in the world. And don’t be shy about letting me know of any budget constraints.
I’m traditionally published, so my novels are edited by copyeditors and proofers at the Big Five New York publishers. But I choose to pay Catriona Turner out of pocket to double-check their work, to catch the errors they inevitably miss. Catriona is just that good. Knowing she’s gone over my book with her fine-toothed comb helps this author sleep well at night.
rachaelherron.com
Working with Catriona as a copyeditor has been a pleasure. She is thorough, flexible, and professional in her edits, which is why I’ve kept coming back to work with her over the years.
CanadianExpatMom.com
For more information, or to arrange a sample edit, don’t hesitate to reach out using the contact information below, or by filling in the form.
The Word Bothy 