English Copyediting

Hi, I’m Rita Forbes, a professional English copyeditor and proofreader with 14 years of experience in publishing. I specialize in art exhibition catalogues, along with texts that have been translated from German to English and those written by multilingual authors for whom English is not their first language.

Keep reading to learn more about me and my approach to editing. If you’re interested in working with me, drop me a line at editor@ritaforbes.com or via my contact form. I would love to hear about your project! 

Biography

I grew up in the American Midwest and visited Germany for the first time at the age of seventeen. Ever since, I dreamed of learning the language and living here permanently.

During my studies at Missouri Southern State University, I was able to spend a year studying multimedia and communication in Ansbach and a semester studying journalism in Bremen. An internship at a magazine based in Munich led to regular employment, and I’ve lived in Bavaria ever since. Fifteen years and counting!

Professional Memberships

I’m proud to be a Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), as well as a member of Germany’s Verband der Freien Lektorinnen und Lektoren (VFLL). I follow and am bound by these organizations’ codes of practice, which can be viewed here (CIEP) and here (VFLL).

One of the things I love about copyediting is that with each new project, I have the chance to learn new things. Belonging to the CIEP and the VFLL allows me to learn from and with my fellow editors, about things like conscious language, story structure, tricky bits of grammar, and useful software.

I’ve taken part in the CIEP’s annual conferences since 2020 and regularly seek out other opportunities for professional development as well.

Editorial Experience

I’ve worked in various roles in publishing since 2009: as a staff writer and editor at a monthly magazine, an editor at a book publisher, and a freelance copyeditor.

Much of my editorial experience has been in the fields of art (and exhibition catalogues in particular) and language learning/teaching, but I love to learn new things and tackle new topics. I also have experience editing and proofreading texts for digital media, including online courses, apps, audio material, interactive exercises, and video scripts and subtitles.

To see some of the books I’ve copyedited and/or proofread over the years, take a look at the Portfolio page.

Clear Communication in English and German

I’m fluent in written and spoken German, with a Goethe C1 certificate. I’m happy to communicate about your project and the editing process in either English or German, whichever feels most comfortable to you.

I can edit your work in either American or British English as well.

Since I’m from the US, American English comes most naturally to me. And I have advanced knowlege of the Chicago Manual of Style—the style manual most commonly used by American publishers, which clocks in at over a thousand pages—after working with it for many years.

But I’m also comfortable with the conventions of British English. I’ve edited many books in British English and have studied New Hart’s Rules, the standard UK style manual.

No matter which language we speak, and no matter which variant of English I’m editing for you, clear and open communication is important to me. I take care when writing my questions and suggestions about your text so that they’re as easy to understand as possible. In many cases, you can simply reply with a “yes” or “no” to my comments. And I’m here to help with any questions you have, whether they’re about English grammar, how to use Microsoft Word’s “track changes” function, or where to find someone to design your book.

My Values

Customer satisfaction and transparent communication are important to me, and treating people with kindness is a core principle in both my private and my professional life.

Every time I put on my editing hat, I strive to follow the advice given by Carol Fisher Saller in one of my favorite books on copyediting: Be careful, transparent, and flexible! Here’s what this means to me:

• Careful: You are the author, and I respect your voice and expertise. I consider my edits carefully and only make changes I can supply a good reason for.
• Transparent: I use Word’s Track Changes function so you can see exactly what I’ve done. And I communicate openly with you too.
• Flexible: I don’t follow rules for rules’ sake. I’m creative and find individualized solutions where they are needed.