Here are some quick definitions of the services I offer. Please email me at hello@heathersills.com for more info and a quote. And if you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for on this page, email me anyway - I’m a big believer in building a network and providing personal recommendations.

First, a note on AI

Our industry is changing, but thankfully change is something I know a bit about. While I, like many others, don’t think AI is there yet, I do believe that it won’t be long before it’s as commonplace as social media and the smartphone. So, yes, I use AI tools where I know they will help me do my work better, but if you prefer me not to, that’s also fine. And if you’ve used AI to get started (e.g. to write or translate a text into English) I always recommend hiring a language professional like me to check and improve the output. This means:

• Checking that the correct nuance has been conveyed
• Avoiding (gender) bias
• Ensuring that the language is inclusive
• Making sure that this particular text fits and is consistent with the rest of your content/style guide/tone of voice
• Receiving corrections to/feedback on the original text (for translations)

Copy-editing

You already have a text in English, but it needs a proper polish. I’ll take care of that, from spelling and grammar to making it consistent and concise. Copy-editing also includes editing for inclusivity and with the goal of communicating in ‘plain English’. If you’d like more info on this and the many other elements of copy-editing, let’s talk.

I’m often asked ‘how much does it cost to copy-edit X number of words?’ As a rough guideline, in an hour I can copy-edit anything from 1,000 to 4,000 words, depending on a range of factors. This is why I will always ask to see your text before providing a quote.

Copy-writing: Clients often confuse copy-writing and copy-editing, so let’s clear this one up. Simply remove the ‘copy-’ part and there you have it! Copy-writing is essentially writing and copy-editing is editing. I don’t think content creation is my strong suit, so this isn’t something I offer. But I do have a whole network of writers at my fingertips, and am happy to pass on a recommendation if you’re looking for someone to create content for you.

Proofreading

Your English-language text has already been copy-edited. It might now be in a staging environment, PDF or PowerPoint. I’ll catch any mistakes that others have missed or that may have crept in during typesetting and styling. Proofreading also involves looking beyond just the text and making sure the whole thing works, from page numbers to layout, illustrations, tables and contents pages. For this reason, how much proofreading costs is not simply about the word count. I’ll always ask to see the text you’d like proofread before being able to provide you with a quote.

Translation & Revision

I’ll take your Dutch/Flemish text and deliver an English version that’s faithful, fluent and fitting for your audience. This includes copy-editing as part of the process. I can also copy-edit a translated text without looking at the original, but this has its pros and cons, which I’ll happily discuss with you.

English-language coaching

A flexible schedule of 1-2-1 video calls (or meetings in person) to help non-native English speakers improve their English-language skills. Note that I do not offer English teaching based on a set lesson plan, but the opportunity for you to shape how you would like to spend your time. Some ideas:

• Bring along some content you’ve written (business material, emails, presentations, video scripts etc.) and let’s go through errors and improvements.
• Let’s do some exercises to improve your pronunciation. Note that I speak standard British English with no regional accent. If you prefer an American (or other) accent, I can help find the right native speaker for you.
• Collect questions about the English language (grammar, spelling variations, idioms etc.) and let’s find the answers you’ve been looking for.

Types of content

I’ll consider working on any type or format of content, but I have the most experience with:

websites, non-fiction books (prßint and ebooks), internal and external comms, software documentation, product descriptions, B2B testimonials, onboarding and relocation guides, HR & staffing materials, user guides, press releases, digital newsletters, articles, thought leadership content, blogs/social media, educational courses/assessments, branding guidelines, video subtitles and scripts, user interface text, survey templates, research reports and analysis, proposals, PowerPoint presentations, white papers, brochures, leaflets…