Nicola Bigwood | Proofreader, Copyeditor, former Translator ✍️📚
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nicolabigwood.uk
Nicola Bigwood | Proofreader, Copyeditor, former Translator ✍️📚
@nicolabigwood.uk
4.2K followers 1K following 270 posts
Proofreader & copyeditor of fiction & non-fiction, with background as a translator into English from French & German • CIEP Professional member • She/her • https://linktr.ee/nicolabigwood • Learning Italian, Welsh, Irish, Gaelic… slowly! 📍Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
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nicolabigwood.uk
Super busy at the moment, and my brain feels like it’s constantly buzzing – but I’m glad I made myself take a #StetWalk in the soft drizzle today 😊🍁🍂
View through an autumnal woodland, following the line of a low stone wall. The ground is completely covered with autumn leaves.
October 28, 2025 at 2:27 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
Watching the trees dance.

#StetWalk
August 29, 2025 at 3:12 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
#StetWalk
Close up of a thyme shrub, its small leaves yellowy-green in the faint sunshine.
June 3, 2025 at 1:03 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
#AmReading ‘Perilous Times’ by Thomas D. Lee (published by @orbitbooksuk.bsky.social)

#BookSky 📚💙 #FantasyFiction #ArthurianMythology
Ebook reader showing the cover of ‘Perilous Times’ by Thomas D. Lee. A large tree is surrounded by a dragon’s tail; in the distance is a castle, with a dragon flying overhead, and a polluting power station.
June 2, 2025 at 11:49 AM
nicolabigwood.uk
#CurrentlyReading ‘City of Vengeance’ by @dvbishop.com, book 1 of the #CesareAldo series (published by @panmacmillan.bsky.social).

#BookSky 📚💙 #HistoricalFiction #CrimeThriller
Ebook cover of ‘City of Vengeance’ by D. V. Bishop. The title is in black calligraphic writing over a red backdrop, with bridges of Florence below. The tagline reads: Florence, 1536. An officer of the court, on the wrong side of the law… Introducing Cesare Aldo.
May 19, 2025 at 5:23 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
#CurrentlyReading ‘Ariadne’ by Jennifer Saint (published by @wildfirebooks.bsky.social).

I’ve been meaning to read this for ages, and today it called to me 😊

#BookSky 📚💙 #GreekMythology 🏺
Ebook cover of ‘Ariadne’ by Jennifer Saint. The artwork shows a woman in the Classical, Ancient Greek style. She holds a golden vine, entwined around a branch above her with golden leaves and bunches of grapes. A snake is wrapped around a branch higher up, with another vine reaching towards a ship with full sails.
May 2, 2025 at 1:38 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
#CurrentlyReading ‘Netherford Hall’ by @natania.bsky.social, book 1 of #LoveInNetherford series (published by @solarisbooks.bsky.social).

#BookSky 💙📚🪐 #FantasyFiction #RegencyFantasyRomance
Ebook cover of ‘Netherford Hall’ by Natania Barron. The artwork, all in teal, vibrant pink and white against a deep blue background, has decorative motifs around a manor house and two people in Regency dress. The tagline reads ‘Pride and Prejudice and witches’.
April 23, 2025 at 10:43 AM
nicolabigwood.uk
#CurrentlyReading ‘Blood of the Old Kings’ by Sung-Il Kim, translated from the Korean by @antonhur.com – book 1 of the #BleedingEmpire series (published by @orbitbooksuk.bsky.social).

#BookSky 📚💙🪐 #FantasyFiction #BooksInTranslation
Ebook cover of ‘Blood of the Old Kings’ by Sung-Il Kim, translated by Anton Hur. The cover art shows a woman with her hands above a sword, with a huge dragon above, against a fiery backdrop and mountain peaks.
April 18, 2025 at 10:04 AM
nicolabigwood.uk
I’m listening to the audiobook of The Hobbit, wonderfully narrated by Andy Serkis.

#BookSky 📚💙 #AmReading
Cover of the audiobook of ‘The Hobbit’ by J.R.R. Tolkien, narrated by Andy Serkis. The cover art shows mountains, with six figures standing on a rocky peak, with another four figures climbing up to join them.
April 14, 2025 at 12:06 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
#LastRead ‘Odyssey’ by Stephen Fry, book 4 of #GreekMyths (published by @michaeljbooks.bsky.social), which I really enjoyed!

#CurrentlyReading ‘Heresy’ by S.J. Parris, book 1 of #GiordanoBruno (published by @harpercollins.bsky.social).

#BookSky #Mythology #HistoricalFiction #CrimeThriller 📚💙
A hardback copy of ‘Odyssey’ by Stephen Fry, with the subtitle ‘Can a hero find his way home?’ The ebook cover of ‘Heresy’ by S.J. Parris, with the subtitle ‘In Elizabeth’s England, true faith can mean bloody murder…’
March 31, 2025 at 4:59 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
#LastRead ‘Somewhere Beyond the Sea’ by TJ Klune (pub. @torbooksuk.bsky.social), book 2 of #CeruleanChronicles.

#AmReading ‘The Land of the Living and the Dead’ by @shaunalawless.bsky.social (pub. @headofzeus.bsky.social), book 3 of #GaelSong.

#BookSky #FantasyFiction #HistoricalFiction #Mythology
The cover of the ebook of ‘Somewhere Beyond the Sea’ by TJ Klune, book 2 of the Cerulean Chronicles series. The cover of the ebook of ‘The Land of the Living and the Dead’ by Shauna Lawless, book 3 of the Gael Song series.
March 10, 2025 at 2:27 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
Final instalment, here we come!

#AmReading ‘The Mirror and the Light’ by Hilary Mantel, published by @4thestatebooks.bsky.social

I’ve been really looking forward to this but I know I’ll be sorry when it’s over – such a great trilogy! 🙌

#BookSky 💙📚 #HistoricalFiction #WolfHallTrilogy
A paperback copy of ‘The Mirror and the Light’ by Hilary Mantel stands in front of a cushion on a sofa.
February 24, 2025 at 1:47 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
‘Guilty by Definition’ by @susiedent.com, which I’m really enjoying! (Love the mix of mystery and word nerdery – intriguing and fascinating in equal measure!)

#AmReading #BookSky 💙📚
The cover of the ebook of ‘Guilty by Definition’ by Susie Dent. The black-and-white artwork shows a large, open hardback book on a desk in front of bookshelves.
February 17, 2025 at 12:53 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
Making the most of a spare hour between projects this afternoon to enjoy a spot of reading over a cuppa 😊☕️

#CurrentlyReading ‘Bring up the Bodies’ by Hilary Mantel, published by @4thestatebooks.bsky.social

#Booksky #HistoricalFiction
💙📚
A close-up of a paperback copy of ‘Bring Up the Bodies’ by Hilary Mantel. The cover shows the silhouette of a falcon in gold, with jesses on its feet, flying above the flames of a growing fire.
January 30, 2025 at 2:33 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
I'm back at work today. My schedule’s full for next few months: I'm booking new proofreading, copyediting or translation projects from June onwards.

I'd especially love to work on more fantasy and sci-fi this year... I also love history, mythology, cosy mystery, intrigue... (but not horror!) 😊

2/2
Overhead view of a 2024/2025 diary on a tabletop. The diary cover is illustrated with flowers and leaves in silvery white.
January 6, 2025 at 12:08 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
Happy new year, everyone! 💫 Hope you managed to find time to relax and unwind over Christmas.

May January ease us all in gently to 2025 – as effortlessly as this seagull soaring over choppy waters (taken on a beautiful, windswept beach in the Scottish Highlands at sunset on Christmas Day) 😊

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View from a wooden bench over tufty grass to a beach, with waves breaking on the shore. A seagull is silhouetted against a sunset-lit sky and clouds above.
January 6, 2025 at 12:08 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
I’m off for Christmas now – I’ll be back on 6 January. I’ve got some slots available in April, but otherwise I’m booking new projects from June onwards.

I wish you all a happy Christmas and new year! See you in 2025! 🎄💫

#OutOfOffice #Freelancer #Proofreading #Copyediting #Translation

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A festive mug of hot chocolate next to a miniature Christmas tree.
December 23, 2024 at 1:35 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
Finally caught up on some reading, so here are some #RecentReads, all of which I recommend!

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social

Death and the Conjuror by @tommeadauthor.bsky.social

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

#BookSky 💙📚
Close-up of a paperback copy of Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel standing on top of a pile of books next to a miniature rose bush. An e-reader showing the cover of The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence. The e-reader is standing upright next to two lit candles. An e-reader showing the cover of Death and the Conjuror by Tom Mead. The e-reader is standing upright next to a small artificial shrub, which is partially hidden. Screenshot from an audiobook player, showing the cover of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab.
August 25, 2024 at 12:10 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
If Arthur Shappey wrote travel guides.

#AccidentalCabinPressure #Gàidhlig #Duolingo
A screenshot from language-learning app Duolingo of a translation exercise: at the top is the sentence ‘Islands are just brilliant’ in English, and underneath its translation into Scottish Gaelic, ‘Tha eileanan dìreach sgoinneil’.
July 25, 2024 at 8:29 AM
nicolabigwood.uk
A gloriously sunny day and blue skies at Westonbirt Arboretum 🌲

#StetWalk #EarthDay
View along an avenue of grass lined with tall trees. A path through a forest with colourful maple trees to either side.
April 22, 2024 at 1:28 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
New books for my editorial shelf arrived today! 🥳

Looking forward to reading these, @debbieberne.bsky.social @amyjschneider.bsky.social 😊🙌

#CPD #AmEditing #AmProofreading #Freelance
💙📚
A hand holding up two paperback books: The Design of Books by Debbie Berne and The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction by Amy J. Schneider.
April 19, 2024 at 1:39 PM
nicolabigwood.uk
Celebrating #WorldBookDay by dressing as a reader 😎
And for anyone who hasn’t read Matthew Ward’s excellent, engaging, enthralling, utterly epic Legacy trilogy, you really should! This has definitely earned a place in my top fantasy reads.
The striking cover art is by Larry Rostant.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💙📚
A lit candle and three paperback books stand in a line, with the books’ spines facing outwards. From left to right, the books, all by Matthew Ward, are ‘Legacy of Ash’ (with an illustration of an orange- and bronze-hued phoenix on a shield), ‘Legacy of Steel’ (with an illustration of a blue- and silver-hued sword-wielding rider on a rearing horse on a shield) and ‘Legacy of Light’ (with an illustration of a golden-hued lion’s head on a shield).
March 7, 2024 at 11:31 AM
nicolabigwood.uk
Happy new year! 💫

I’m back at work today, kicking off 2024 with the proofread of a really interesting non-fiction book on Tudor history 😊

My schedule’s all booked up for January; I’m currently available for new projects from February ✍️📚

#FreelanceProofreader #FreelanceTranslator
Overhead view of a 2023/2024 diary with an attached pen on a wooden desk top.
January 4, 2024 at 9:59 AM
nicolabigwood.uk
When a lovely client surprises you with mouth-watering, festive brownies from Indulge Brownies 🤩😋 Thank you so much, Whitefox – working with you is always a pleasure 😊🙌

#ChristmasSurprise #SweetTreats #MadeMyDay❤️ #GreatClients #FreelanceLife
An open box with six rich chocolate brownies, three decorated with orange sprinkles, three with a gingerbread man. Propped against the lid of the box is a card with the Indulge Brownies logo, under which is a message that reads ‘Merry Christmas from Whitefox! Thanks for all your incredible hard work this year’.
December 21, 2023 at 11:55 AM
nicolabigwood.uk
Well, that’s a wrap on work for 2023! (How time flies…!)

Wishing you all an enjoyable festive period and a positive new year! 😊

I’ll be back in the office from 4 January (available for new projects from February) – see you in 2024! ✍️📚

#OutOfOffice #FreelanceProofreader #FreelanceTranslator
A close-up of a white mug, surrounded by red berries and green fir tree leaves. The mug is decorated in green with the words ‘Merry Christmas’ underneath an illustration of two reindeer flanking a Christmas tree.
December 20, 2023 at 5:00 PM