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Suzanne Arnold editor

@suzannearnold.com
1K followers 730 following 1.2K posts

Helping authors and businesses polish their text for publication: non-fiction editor and proofreader. Diploma in Egyptology. Random nature photos (not AI-generated). In the UK. She/her www.suzannearnold.com linktr.ee/suzannearnoldeditor

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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 02/10/2026
Two editing conferences in eight days: tiring, but hugely rewarding. October’s going to have its busy moments, too: I have more research reports, some educational materials, a history book and a finance book, as well as my local book festival and starting a short course.
Highlights September 2026
•  Proofread research reports
•  Proofread a book on Pompeii
•  Copy-edited Egyptology journal articles
•  Attended the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading conference
•  Attended the American Copy Editors Society virtual conference
 
Certificate of attendance at CIEP conference 11–12 September Certificate of attendance at ACES conference 16–18 September
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 02/10/2026
On a lighter note – if AI does kill you, at least you won't have to finish writing that next book... www.thebookseller.com/comment/ai-m...
thebookseller.com
AI might kill us, but is that so bad?
While the advent of AI has alarmed most writers, Bonnie Garmus argues it has also shone a light on the hubris of humankind.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 02/10/2026
Captions can be longer on Instagram, so there's more there if you want it. And I'll post them on here every two or three days so you don't have to miss out if Instagram isn't your thing... www.instagram.com/suzanne_arno...
instagram.com
Instagram
Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 02/10/2026
This isn't about shaming or laughing at anyone. We all make these mistakes and they're difficult to spot. I'm just taking advantage of the seasonal opportunity to play with cute ghosts and give a glimpse into the little catches that make an editor's day.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 02/10/2026
I'm having a little Halloween fun over on Instagram. Ghosts of embarrassment avoided – a look back at some of my favourite catches from the past year, slip-ups that are so easily made and that the eye glides over because they look plausible. I love ghost stories and it's October... 👻
The poetry of Robert Keats (he was called John)It happened at the end of the 21st century... (it was the end of the 20th)
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 24/09/2026
By the way, I’m terrible at DIY. But for this job, that was a good thing: I represented the inexperienced person trying to follow the step-by-step instructions. www.suzannearnold.com/blog/does-an...
suzannearnold.com
Does an editor need to know the subject matter? — Suzanne Arnold
A lot depends on what needs doing. If the editor needs to help shape text for a non-expert reader, for example, sometimes it’s helpful to have an editor who doesn’t know the subject. Other times, it’s...
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 24/09/2026
Well that was a nice surprise in the shops this morning: a book I worked on ages ago. The feeling of excited recognition never goes away 🥳 DK book: DIY know-how with show-how
Hardback book on a shop shelf. DIY: know-how with show-howSame book. Caption: seeing it on a shop shelf never gets oldContents page. Author acknowledgements with my name circled
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 18/09/2026
No surprises here but interesting to have more research on it: ‘While AI tools can make communication more efficient and polished, the researchers suggests their use can also promote more uniform styles that mask “authentic voices” and reduce variation in tone, culture and identity.’
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 17/09/2026
Excellent hour time-travelling through @merriam-webster.com with @petersokolowski.bsky.social at #ACESVCON26 @acesediting.bsky.social
Photo of Peter’s presentation on my laptop. Peter’s slide shows ‘airport, airplane, aileron, airspeed, antiaircraft, air force, air fare, barrel roll, triplane, wingspan’ entering the dictionary 1900–1914. My caption says ‘no surprise that these words entered the dictionary just before or during WWI…’Slide: ‘Pappardelle, tagliatelle, zabaglione, osso, buco, pecorino, mozzarella, orzo’. My caption: ‘… but some of us may be surprised to see these arrive at the same time. They show the effects of immigration into the US’
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 16/09/2026
That first experience: 😱
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 16/09/2026
A1: cry? 😭 I’d double-check the website first, then raise it with the publisher once I’m certain of my facts. #StetChat
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 16/09/2026
Hi #StetChat – Suzanne here, non-fiction editor in the UK. I was at the CIEP conference at the weekend and am doing ACES VCon too, so am getting a bit conferenced out! So many good tips pouring into my brain!
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 16/09/2026
Being edited: a relationship with someone who gets you and wants you to succeed. Joyfully uplifting keynote from Kory Stamper at #ACESVCON26 on editing as being all about human relationships. It’s not about imposing a rule book, but listening and understanding what you’re trying to do.
Photo showing Kory’s title slide on a laptop screen. Slide: editing is not about rules; it’s about communication
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Reposted by Suzanne Arnold editor
Amy Sherman @andcleverness.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
hello, edibuddies, an annual publication that I do copyediting for is looking for a new proofreader. Most of the freelance folks I know are copyeditors or developmental editors, so I'd be glad of any recommendations for folks who proofread academic work in the humanities/social sciences. thanks!
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 15/09/2026
I proofread in this area, and would be happy to send more info it would be helpful: www.linkedin.com/in/sjarnold/ Thank you for posting!
linkedin.com
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 14/09/2026
What does the idiom ‘to walk back’ mean? Video may not be my greatest strength, but my latest blog post looks at some phrases using ‘walk’. rust-bat-855c.squarespace.com/config/pages...
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 14/09/2026
Great tips on records to keep while you write, so that if necessary you can prove you did write it.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 10/09/2026
Axel Scheffler on AI: 'the Gruffalo and mouse more or less recognisable as my drawing in a completely alien context that I had never created. You can see the Gruffalo in Silicon Valley...' @thebookseller.com www.thebookseller.com/comment/ai-i...
thebookseller.com
AI is a real threat to illustrators, and the government must act
Axel Scheffler thought he could ignore AI… until he saw what it could do.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 03/09/2026
Another wonderful month to be grateful for – thank you, world! 😁 I have two editing conferences this month, alongside more Egyptology and business editing. #AmEditing
Highlights August 2026
•  Finished copy-editing an academic book     on upcycling
•  Copy-edited a law book
•  Copy-edited Egyptology journal articles
•  Copy-edited a business communications book
•  Proofread a book of Celtic myths
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 25/08/2026
Fascinating article, but this is what shocked me most: ‘“Until the 1980s, surgeons performed surgery on newborn babies without anaesthesia because they assumed that a newborn baby would not be capable of feeling pain,” Dr Birch says.’ Had surgeons never met a newborn baby? 😱😭
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 21/08/2026
Thank you, internet – that really helps me know what to try next 😁
Error message: An error has occurred. Please try again.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 20/08/2026
Interesting study from China showing (as you’d expect) that using AI as a shortcut reduces learning but using it as a tutor can be beneficial. No surprise, but it’s good to see data.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 14/08/2026
For what? #edibuddies will see it immediately. If you don’t see it yet (and there’s no shame in that – it’s hard to see), look closely at the penultimate word…
Screengrab of an error message asking for permission to access a folder ‘for reading and writting files’, with two Ts in ‘writing’.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 12/08/2026
Also, bonus points for this sentence: 'Rejection is unworkable when the poltergeist is already in the home and messing stuff up.' 👻 Essentially, the article is saying yes it's icky, but it's here and ignoring it isn't working.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 12/08/2026
'A policy should set out to publishers how or if AI has had a hand in your idea or final manuscript, and then how you use it for research, marketing and admin support' – great guidance from @thebookseller.com for authors on writing an AI policy. www.thebookseller.com/comment/shou...
thebookseller.com
Authors need transparent AI policies, if only to protect themselves
An industry built on the idea that writing and creativity are hard-earned skills has, understandably, reacted badly to the rapid development and acceptance of large language models (LLM).
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 11/08/2026
When F and I clash in this way, I always imagine the F kicking the dot, which flies off to the right of the screen. Yep, I'm still noticing the ligatures, or non-ligatures, while I edit: www.suzannearnold.com/blog/ligatures #AmEditing
Screengrab from Word showing the overhang on a lower-case F sitting just below the dot on an I.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 11/08/2026
Working outside this morning before the sun comes around here. There’s a parakeet chattering away in the tree and I’m working on consistency in an academic book on upcycling. Bliss! #AmEditing
Selfie with my laptop next to a balcony railing, with a green tree beyond.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 07/08/2026
This reminded me of 'Letters to a Writer of Colour', which argues that 'western' storytelling is not the only tradition, and writing in other styles needs to be judged on its own merits. www.suzannearnold.com/blog/book-re...
suzannearnold.com
Book review: Letters to a Writer of Colour — Suzanne Arnold
For me, a white reader rather than the title’s writer of colour, this book is a valuable and powerful learning experience. I recommend it whatever your perspective
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 07/08/2026
Could those in colonised lands be more likely to write in a style of English that's similar to the 'classics' generative AI was trained on, and could that explain recent accusations? Interesting perspectives in this article. www.thebookseller.com/news/numerou... @thebookseller.com
thebookseller.com
‘Hard to ignore’ – AI speculation sparks debate about whether authors of colour targeted
A number of authors recently suspected of using generative AI in their writing has sparked a debate online and in the trade about whether authors of colour are being disproportionately targeted by spe...
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 06/08/2026
Could UK publishing become less London-centric? Interesting perspectives in the Bookseller. www.thebookseller.com/features/no1... @thebookseller.com
thebookseller.com
No10 North: will publishing follow Westminster?
For many in the industry, Burnham’s decision to establish No10 North is symbolic. If political decision-making no longer needs to be concentrated in Westminster, they argue, perhaps publishing does no...
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 05/08/2026
Word choice can powerfully affect how readers react to a text. Try choosing different words and see how they change what you’re saying – and which options most accurately convey your intended meaning. www.suzannearnold.com/blog/word-ch... #NonFiction #WritingNonFiction #NonFictionWriting
suzannearnold.com
The power of word choice — Suzanne Arnold
English Grammar Day 2025 on how word choice can influence readers
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 05/08/2026
'Looking ahead, as these cancellations continue to pile up, the industry may soon be forced to codify policies to address similar situations as they arise.' #GenerativeAI #AI #BookSky
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 04/08/2026
I shot this footage of snowflakes last November. Thought those of you who are also in this latest heatwave might appreciate it.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 04/08/2026
This is why I love editing: always learning. To me, snowballing is a thing you do after the cold stuff falls from the sky in winter. ❄️ But I’m copy-editing a piece about research whose data collection involved snowballing. After a moment’s confusion, I now know that it’s also a sampling method 😁
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 04/08/2026
'"Authors need clear guidance from the industry on what is and isn’t acceptable – is help with plotting and research okay, is Grammarly use sanctioned etc? ... Publishers, in turn, need to share their positions. When does an AI copy edit become a cancelled contract?”' #GenerativeAI #GenAI
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 04/08/2026
Couple of major points in this update from @thebookseller.com ... 'Currently, with no concrete way of proving AI use one way or another, agents are weighing trust against using AI detection tools… Little consensus has emerged…'
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 04/08/2026
I'm notoriously bad with spiders. But I figured a book about them would do me good and be interesting – and it did and it was 🥳 Yes, it also did make me wince at times! But it was really interesting and I was glad I'd braved it.
Highlights July 2026
•  Proofread business thought leadership
•  Proofread accounting guidance
•  Proofread a photo book of spiders
•  Started copy-editing an academic book on upcycling
•  Took some time off.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 31/07/2026
Keeping an eye on it while you write can save you the pain of having an editor ask you (sometimes months later) for the URL that you'd intended to include. (If we ask you, it probably means we couldn't easily find it by searching online, which could mean it then becomes a massive faff for you.)
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 31/07/2026
This is coming up a lot in something I'm working on, so here's a reminder to make sure your copy–paste settings for links are suited to what you're writing. For a print book, for example, this is no good: 'Article title | website name'. geekrewind.com/how-to-chang... #AcademicSky #NonFiction
geekrewind.com
How to Change Copy-Paste Settings in Microsoft Edge
Easily adjust your copy paste settings in Edge to choose between hyperlinked titles or plain text URLs for a seamless browsing experience.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 31/07/2026
'Humans rejoice' has made my day 🤩😆
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 31/07/2026
'Today only Claude uses more em-dashes than human writers, with Chatgpt using markedly fewer than any other writer in our study. Humans rejoice—and start using dashes again.' www.economist.com/culture/2026...
economist.com
How to spot AI writing
Large language models like long words and em-dashes—or do they?
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 31/07/2026
This week's @economist.com has a couple of interesting articles on generative AI... ‘their baggy prose puts a premium on editing skills. After all, even the best writers need a good editor to keep them sharp.’ www.economist.com/leaders/2026...
economist.com
AI is getting better at writing. Humans must get better at editing
Our investigation suggests how
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 31/07/2026
Would you say ‘there are a plethora’ or ‘there is a plethora’? Does your answer vary depending on the context? This is a good example of how proofreading is about so much more than typos. #AmProofreading
Photo of parkland, with text superimposed: ‘there are a plethora’ or ‘there is a plethora’?Photo of a pond. Text: you may be surprised by how much time editors and proofreaders spend pondering these questions Photo of rabbit. Text: often, we answer ‘it depends’Screengrab from Merriam-Webster dictionary suggesting using singular to emphasise grouping and plural to emphasise individual elements
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 30/07/2026
'When the core architecture of the business remains unchanged, AI becomes decoration—a thin layer of intelligence applied to workflows that were never designed to absorb continuous intelligence' – Time Magazine time.com/article/2026...
time.com
AI’s Execution Problem
“The defining challenge of the AI era is no longer invention alone. It is execution,” writes Nigel Vaz.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 30/07/2026
How can a batch of McDonald's fries help explain an Asian economic crisis to US readers? Jack Hart's 'Story Craft', on narrative non-fiction, with compelling examples. #WritingNonFiction #NonFiction #NarrativeNonFiction #NonFictionWriting www.suzannearnold.com/blog/book-re...
suzannearnold.com
Book review: Story craft — Suzanne Arnold
Whatever you’re writing, you’ll find useful lessons and ideas.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 29/07/2026
I’m alternating chapters of a gorgeous photo book about nature and an academic book about reusing and upcycling. One’s a proofread on a typeset PDF, the other is a copy-edit in tracked changes in Word. Both are fascinating. I love my job! 😍 #AmEditing #FreelanceLife
Selfie sitting at a laptop outside with a green tree in the background.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 26/07/2026
While looking for something else, I’ve found one of my favourite examples of corporate speak. This was while I was sub-editor of ‘F1 Racing’ magazine, while McLaren’s new site was being built, which apparently is 23 years ago 😱
Attributed to Ron Dennis, head of McLaren: ‘This new building makes optimum use of the lateral optical interface’, with a note saying ‘Paragon HQ has lots of windows, says Ron Dennis’ interpreter’.
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 24/07/2026
Blue whale heart is person-sized 😮 Mind blown. I love comparisons like this that enable you to visualise the unimaginable. (And yes, I checked: National Geographic more or less agrees – it says 5ft: blog.education.nationalgeographic.org/2015/08/31/h...)
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 24/07/2026
Guidance on making business decisions: rogersteare.com/ethicability/
rogersteare.com
Ethicability - Roger Steare
Ethicability, available here “Rules cannot teach character. Compliance cannot teach courage. Roger Steare understands this better than anyone writing on leadership today. Ethicability is essential rea...
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Suzanne Arnold editor @suzannearnold.com · 24/07/2026
What a wonderful surprise in today’s post – a copy of @rogersteare.bsky.social’s book ‘Ethicability’. I proofread this a few weeks ago. An extra treat was discovering that Jacqueline Harvey (a @the-ciep.bsky.social friend) had also worked on it. Books really are a team effort. Thank you all 😁
Ethicability, a slim white hardback volume, photographed in front of a leafy tree. The contents page. A snippet from the acknowledgements, thanking Jacqueline and me.
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