In brief
You send or print copy that holds up under scrutiny, with English and French aligned, numbers and names consistent, and nothing distracting left for your reader to trip on.
Most people come to me when the English and French versions both need to be right, and there is no time left for a sloppy line to slip through. You’ll end up with copy that reads smoothly, matches across languages, and is ready to send or go to print. If you’d like, I can start by reviewing what you have and confirming timing.
I edit with one goal in mind: the version everyone sees should be the version you trust. That means I read for meaning first, then line by line for wording, names, figures, references, and EN/FR consistency. I work in Word with Track Changes when possible, and I proofread on final PDFs when the layout is locked.
A bit about me
I’m Camille Girard, an editor and proofreader. I do editing for the moment when writing is mostly there, but it has to look finished. I work with English and French copy every week, so I’m used to the small drift that happens between versions when deadlines get tight.
Clients come back to me for two things: I keep edits specific, and I flag anything that needs your call before it becomes an assumption. If a sentence could mean two things, I’ll rewrite it and leave a short query. If a figure or name appears two ways, I’ll track it to the source and standardize it across both languages.
Recent work
A few recent editing jobs where the main goal was clean copy, consistent facts, and English and French that stayed in sync.
Portfolio
Bilingual report edit. Copyedit across English and French versions, then a final proof on the laid-out PDF. Cleaned up headings, captions, and cross-references so the page numbers and section names matched in both languages.
Client-facing proposal edit. Line edit for tone and clarity, then a tightening pass for repetition and weak verbs. Standardized spelling of product names and made sure the French version kept the same claims and limits as the English.
Manuscript line edit. Line edit focused on flow and sentence-level clarity, with a style sheet to keep terms, capitalization, and punctuation consistent. Marked open questions where meaning depended on one missing detail.
“The copy came back tight, consistent, and ready to send without worries.”
Communications manager, a bilingual organization with print deadlines
How this runs
Deadlines are usually the point, so I keep the workflow simple. You’ll see every change, you’ll get a short list of questions where I need your decision, and you’ll know what happens next before I start.
1. Quick intake Day 1 You send the latest files and tell me what the copy is for and when it needs to be final. I’ll confirm what I’m editing, what I’m not touching, and what format you want back. If there are both English and French versions, I’ll confirm which is the source of truth where they differ. 2. Edit pass Days 1-3 I do the main edit in Word with Track Changes when possible. I read for clarity and tone, then tighten line by line. I also check names, numbers, headings, links, and repeated terms, and I keep an eye on EN/FR alignment so claims and details match across versions. 3. Queries and fixes Days 2-4 You’ll get a short queries list with anything I cannot safely guess, plus suggested wording when it helps. You can answer in comments or in the list. I’ll apply your decisions and do a consistency sweep so the final text reflects the same choices everywhere. 4. Final proof Final day If you have a final PDF for print or a locked layout, I’ll proofread it in that format. This is where I catch last-minute issues like broken lines, missing accents, a stray word in a heading, or a number that changed in one language but not the other.
Edited file with Track Changes
Your document returned with every change visible, so you can accept, reject, or discuss anything quickly.
CLEAN COPY FILE
A second version with changes accepted, ready to paste into a layout or send to a client.
QUERIES LIST
A short list of questions and decisions, with page or paragraph pointers so you can answer without hunting.
Style sheet
A running list of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and preferred terms, so future updates stay consistent.
EN/FR CONSISTENCY NOTES
A checklist of terms, names, and key lines I aligned across English and French, so both versions say the same thing.
FINAL PDF PROOF MARKS
If you supply a final PDF, you’ll get a marked PDF showing corrections, plus a brief list for anything that needs a layout change.
Pricing depends on length, format, and how close the English and French versions already are. These three tiers cover most jobs of the kind we discussed.
Priced items
Get started
If you want me to hold time in the schedule, the next step is to lock in the booking and send the latest files.
1. Sign this proposal to confirm the scope and timing. 2. Pay the 25% booking invoice to reserve the slot. 3. Send your latest English and French files, plus any prior style notes, and I’ll begin.
Signature
Fee summary
Booking and payment
To book time in my schedule, I invoice 25% when you sign. The remaining 75% is due when I hand over the finished work. Each invoice is payable within 14 days.
Schedule and turnaround. I’ll confirm the turnaround after I see the files and page count. If you have a fixed deadline, send it up front so I can tell you what’s realistic before you book.
Files and tools. I edit in Word with Track Changes and comments, or I can proofread a final PDF with proof marks. If you’re working in Google Docs, I’ll confirm the cleanest way to export.
What I need from you. Before I start, I need the latest English and French versions, any brand or house style rules you already use, and a contact who can answer queries during the edit window.
Queries and decisions. When I’m not sure, I don’t guess. I’ll flag it in comments and add it to the queries list, with options when there’s more than one reasonable choice.
Changes to scope
If pages are added, the brief changes, or the English and French versions diverge from what you sent, I’ll pause and price the change before I keep going, so there are no surprises.
Rounds and sign-off. This covers one complete edit and one follow-up pass to apply your answers to queries. If you make new writing changes after that, I can quote an additional pass.
Confidentiality. Your drafts stay private. I don’t share or reuse your text, and I don’t talk about your project outside the people you name for approvals and answers.
Ownership. Once the final invoice is paid, the edited files and style sheet are yours to use and adapt. I keep a working copy of the files only long enough to support follow-up questions.
