Testimonials

I wholeheartedly recommend Mary McCauley. I came to Mary for line-editing and copy-editing of a short story, but moreover I specifically wanted to learn where I was going wrong. My engagement with Mary was extremely professional from the very beginning and I appreciated the time and effort she took to be clear about the scope of the work, what she proposed to do and what would be out of scope, supported by a clear project quotation. I liked the fact that we signed an agreement and Mary was clear about the pricing and delivery. Mary delivered, on time and at the agreed cost, an extremely thorough edit of my story using track changes with clear, explanatory comments. It was evident that Mary went to extra effort to understand my story and her comments were made in its context. This has allowed me to learn more about where I was going wrong – which is really what I wanted. All Mary’s comments were constructive and carefully delivered. I would certainly use Mary’s services again and recommend her without hesitation.

Grainne Downey, author

'I was absolutely impressed by the professionalism and attention to detail Mary McCauley gave to my manuscript. I thought I had done a good job editing it myself, but used her copy-editing services just to be safe. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only did Mary find all the hidden errors, but she took the time to explain why they were wrong and how to avoid them in the future. Going through her editorial process has deepened my understanding of my craft, and allowed me to produce a better product. I understood what it was I was trying to say, and learned how best to say it. The copy-editing work Mary did was not only done well, but it was done fast. My manuscript was over 160,000 words long, and it was returned in a month. You rock, Mary.'

R.M. Garino, author, The Gates of Golorath (Book 1 of the Chaos of Souls series)

'In the past two years I have submitted two novels to Mary McCauley for copy-editing. I have to say that I’m delighted with the work that Mary has done on both. Like a lot of people I don’t know what a colon means, or what a semicolon means, or even a dash, but Mary does. Before I submitted my novels to her I thought both books were free from grammatical errors, whatever about the quality of the writing. How wrong I was. How thorough is she? She found a spelling mistake I made in a street name in my home town. A good editor is a gift for a writer and Mary is a terrific editor.'

Mícheál Sheehan, author

'I am delighted to recommend the services of Mary McCauley. After writing my first book [I Am Responsible For My Own Life: Lessons Learned], I was looking for someone to edit and proofread it. Mary is highly professional and operates in a strict time frame. Mary was always there to offer advice and guidance, which is so helpful to us newbies. Mary's work is very detailed and accurate. She will look after your work like it was her own. An extremely friendly and professional service, I will continue to use her service in the future.'

Fergus Barrett, author

'I would like to express my sincere thanks to you for your outstanding [project editor] work on the Essential Science Workbook [Folens Publishers]. I have worked with many editors over a long period but you are one of the finest that I have ever met. You took your work very seriously and did a super job reading the manuscripts, getting back to us with queries, suggesting areas for improvement and continually checking and rechecking with us to ensure that everything was perfect. Receiving a manuscript from three different authors is always challenging since each of us is writing independently of the others. However, you managed this very skilfully – like the conductor of an orchestra making sure that we were all in tune with each other! I hope that I will have the opportunity to work with you again.'

Dr Declan Kennedy, author, senior lecturer in Science Education at University College Cork

'I am delighted to recommend Mary McCauley. She has proved to be a very able editor, doing a detailed edit, picture research, artwork co-ordination and all proofreading, proof-checking and collation of author proofs. She has shown attention to detail, flexibility with schedule changes and diplomacy in working with several authors on what was a complicated project. Her good humour in the face of many changes helped make the project an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.'

Tess Tattersall, editorial manager, Folens Publishers

'I needed a proofreader for Crimson Dawn, the third novel in my Exilon 5 trilogy. I had already published two books, so I knew the level of detail I was after. Mary’s attention to detail was meticulous and she used tracked changes, which made the entire proofread easy to follow. Mary was open to me contacting her after the work was done, which allowed me to ask follow-up questions. I would highly recommend her if you’re looking for a top-notch editor.'

Eliza Green, author

'Mary McCauley helped me to shape up my book Meeting Grief with Mindfulness and Compassion. I was not looking forward to handing my writing over to an editor to "take apart". The book is semi-autobiographical and very personal. Mary's ability to copy-edit to a very high standard is well testified to in other comments and I completely agree! It was her kindness and consideration towards me during the editing process that blew me away. I would highly recommend Mary – she has a keen eye and a heart of gold.'

Nollaig Mc Sweeney, author

'As a non-native English speaker I hired Mary McCauley to copy-edit my young adult novel The Real Horse Girl. I found Mary to be so professional that she could easily jump aboard my train of thought, so to speak, and make it go where I wanted it to go. I don't know how she could have been any better. Almost every edit made me think "Yes, of course, this is what I was aiming at." There were a few points where we disagreed, but quite naturally even then her view helped me develop the original idea into a better version. Her suggestions only added to the strong feeling that we definitely were on the same page. So, Mary, thank you. I'd love to work with you again!'

Nina Mäki-Kihniä, author and translator

'Mary McCauley is an excellent professional, truly engaged and generous with her expert advice. I found her patient, non-judgemental and very supportive. Mary keeps to deadline commitments; her insights and suggestions are critically clear and I can say, hand on heart, my book The Calling of John Fitzcanty is better for her specialised involvement [proofreading]. I have also used Mary's proficiency to copy-edit and proof a short story, 'Logos Spermatikos', and I will avail of her assistance in the future. I recommend her to you. You will not be disappointed – guaranteed.'

Declan Jones, author

'I have found Mary McCauley to be highly professional, capable, committed to deadlines and pleasant to deal with. Unlike many proofreaders who are "self-taught", Mary has one of the industry’s recognised professional qualifications, and that makes a huge difference to the quality and creditability of her work. She is also very generous in sharing her knowledge about the latest writing style trends and conventions, and she has helped me shape the current style guide for The Market magazine.'

Mary Sweetman, production editor, writer and journalist

'Mary McCauley did a wonderfully thorough [copy-editing] job on my historical novel The Regent. She was professional in her approach, fastidious in checking my rather eclectic sources, and painstakingly referenced every point she made. I was astonished by the number of inconsistencies, repetitions and simple grammar mistakes that she discovered. I accepted 99% of her suggestions (many of which were embarrassing to have pointed out to me) and can say with total confidence that my novel will be much the better for her involvement.'

Trevor Bloom, author

'After living with my first novel, The Purge of Babylon, for 10 months, I hired Mary McCauley to do some copy-editing, expecting to get back some minor revisions before publication. Instead, I got back a copy-edit that blew me away. Mary is not only extremely thorough, but she's also incredibly talented, and her edits are eye-opening. I can honestly say that I've become a better writer because of her suggestions and insights. Reading one of her edits is like a year of creative writing classes. I would highly recommend hiring Mary to anyone who thinks they have this writing thing licked. She will open your eyes and make you a better writer.'

Sam Sisavath, author

'Mary McCauley did a great job on proofreading my MA in Creative Writing submission [34,000-word novel extract]. I'm delighted with the work and with her sympathy for what I was trying to achieve creatively. She found so many points, both small things that she referenced very clearly which increased my understanding, and a couple of much larger points, as well as observations on clichés and repetition. I felt so much more confident about submitting my work. I look forward to using her service again.'

Margaret Dolley, author, editor, journalist

'Mary McCauley proofread a very technical job application for me. She took the time and looked up all the technical terms specific to the application. The work was done very quickly and I was very satisfied with the quality of the resulting document and comments. I really strongly recommend this proofreader.'

Marko Petrič, physicist

'I used Mary McCauley's [copy-editing] services for my novel The Cinderella Reflex. I had received a word of mouth recommendation for her but I had never met her before. This is my first venture as a self-publisher and while everyone had advised me to get a professional editor I wasn't sure what to expect. I had already edited the book extensively after some very good feedback from my writers' group. However, Mary sent me comprehensive details of what she would be actually doing with my manuscript and the cost involved and I was happy to book it in with her.

To be honest I was expecting a few minor typos and punctuation errors – that's all. But I was gobsmacked when the manuscript came back with almost 300 changes listed. Talk about an eagle eye! Once I got over the shock of how so many errors had got through my own filtering system, I had a few laugh out loud moments at Mary's diplomatic (and sometimes hilarious) comments. After all the work involved in writing the book it would have been a real shame if I had unwittingly published with the mistakes still in it, and I am very relieved that I sent it to Mary first.'

Joan Brady, author

'Being a new author, I contacted Mary McCauley to proofread [a 10,000-word extract from] my manuscript and advise me on how to improve it. She was able to offer me a professional copy-editing service, which I accepted. She provided me with a detailed analysis far greater than what I was expecting, and well within the allotted time frame. Her comments were so well explained that I understood exactly what she meant, which enabled me to focus on her guidelines. I also found her service great value for money and will not hesitate to use her again for future projects. Highly recommended.'

David Kavanagh, author

'Mary McCauley proofread a short story for me. I was delighted to meet someone so agreeable and easy to deal with. She had my piece proofread and back to me before the agreed date. Her work was very detailed and Mary also offered advice which was up to me to accept. I can strongly recommend Mary McCauley Proofreading.'

Michael O'Connor, author

'Mary McCauley proofread my Master's thesis for me this summer. Her service was invaluable – in addition to making edits, she gave helpful comments on a few things that may be changed according to the end reader perspective. I submitted my thesis in two parts – with the first, I was surprised to see the amount of grammatical errors and misuse of punctuation I had made but Mary gave me a full breakdown of the issues, changes that were made and comments regarding how I could avoid making the same mistakes in my second submission to the company. The commentary was always detailed; turnaround times were quick – all in all an excellent service that, as a lecturer, I will encourage my students to use for their dissertations/theses.'

Margaret Connolly, ACMA, associate lecturer – business

'As a fiction writer, I was delighted to have Mary McCauley proofread and copy-edit my manuscript of a novella and five short stories [The Holiday Retreat and Other Stories]. Her attention to details about the characters, storylines and situations truly impressed me. Her suggestions and clarifications were invaluable in preparing the manuscript for its transformation into a published book. Professionally courteous at all times, it was a joy to work with her. I highly recommend her.'

Miriam A. Walker, author

'I recently updated my curriculum vitae and application cover letter, and asked Mary McCauley to review both to "polish off" the finer grammatical details. My overall experience of the service provided by Mary was superb – thoroughly professional, timely and, needless to say, accurate. I have recommended Mary's proofreading service to a number of my colleagues, as I believe it adds value to any job application process. I wish Mary continued success with her business.'

Marianne Murphy, ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)

'Mary McCauley provides a fast, thorough and thoughtful service. Her proofing is exact. She asks pertinent questions and offers helpful comments and suggestions. In a word – terrific.'

Kevin Mc Dermott, novelist, editor and author

'I engaged Mary McCauley to proofread a new website I was launching for my business. Mary makes the process extremely easy – I emailed her the address of the website and received a document with excellent feedback within one working week. The suggestions and advice I received were both practical and beneficial, and gave me the confidence that the details and information contained on my site are now of the highest professional standard. Proofreading was not something I had considered prior to launching my company website; however, after my experience with Mary it is something I will never be without again. I was delighted with the professional service provided by Mary McCauley Proofreading, and would have no hesitation in recommending Mary to any person or business requiring proofreading services.'

Oisín Mason, website owner

'For the last 10 years, I have run my own marketing, business training and wedding planning companies and a lot of my time is dedicated to writing business blogs, business e-zines, website content and training course content. For the 10 years previous, I worked as a magazine editor and was trained by Reuters in Fleet Street London. I can spot a mistake in other people's work a mile off (I can't read a newspaper or book without searching for mistakes they have missed!). However, when it comes to my own written work I can't see the wood for the trees. For years, I have churned out work and sent it out into the universe thinking it was okay. When I'd read over it at a later date, I'd spot mistakes here and there so I employed the services of Mary McCauley "just for reassurance" and I can't believe how riddled with mistakes each of my pieces are! Mary goes through each piece with a fine tooth comb; she is amazingly efficient, always before deadline and thorough. I now feel much more confident about uploading content and sending out material as I get Mary to go through everything for me. An excellent and crucial service if you are serious about your business.'

Rosemarie Meleady, website owner

'From her childhood Mary McCauley has had a love for words. This has now found beautiful expression in her skill as a proofreader. Over the past two years, she very kindly did the necessary work on the last of my two books, volumes 4 and 5 in the Wood You Believe series. Words like 'brilliant', 'conscientious' and 'meticulous' even fail to do justice to her expertise. I would have no hesitation in recommending her with my wholehearted approval.'

Jim Cogley, author

'Mary McCauley did proofreading for me on several short stories. I emailed drafts and she sent me back Word versions with comments; she provided a very professional service each time. Mary gave constructive and accurate suggestions re. grammar and layout, and sound advice as to where to use alternative words or phrases. Also, I liked the way she carried out the work in a respectful manner; I never felt like I was being criticized. I hope Mary can undertake more proofreading for me in the future. I would definitely recommend Mary McCauley Proofreading to other writers.'

Fiona O'Rourke, author

'We engaged Mary McCauley's proofreading and copy-editing services for one of our latest books [Endless Mercy – God’s Way To Holiness: The Life of Blessed Michael Sopocko by Bishop Henryk Ciereszko] and we were delighted with her work. She provided a thorough, professional and friendly service. We highly recommend her services and we look forward to working with her again in the future.'

Val Conlon, managing director, DM Publishing

'Following a referral from my local library, I contracted Mary McCauley to copy-edit my [young adult] manuscript for me. I found her to be extremely professional. Her charges are very reasonable and her work is top class. I would highly recommend her.'

Cindy Campbell, author

'Perhaps you have heard the phrase "The best man for the job is often a wo-man"? This was certainly the case with Mary McCauley's input into the production of a parish history for Oylegate Glenbrien. Mary's experience of project management was very evident as at every meeting she kept moving the project forward and held people accountable for their contributions, albeit in a courteous manner. I highly recommend Mary for similar projects.'

John Roche, managing director of C&R PRINT

'The best produced parish compilation in twenty years.'

Nicholas Furlong, historian, journalist and author
(From his review of Oylegate-Glenbrien: A Look Back in Time, in the newspaper column 'Furlong at Large', The Wexford Echo newspaper, 12/11/2008)