Melanie Haycock

I love words, and I love helping people get their words out. Yep, our language is weird and wonderful (trough, bough, through, hiccough, thorough . . . need I say more?), but when the words fit and the sentences flow, magic happens.

I’ve worked in a variety of roles over the years – journalist, graphic designer, web designer, desktop publisher – but each career had a common thread: choosing and using the right words to convey a message. In my time as a landscape designer, I would interpret clients’ visions to create successful, tangible gardens. I learned great communication skills, developed an eagle eye for formatting, and paid obsessively close attention to detail – so a segue into proofreading and copy-editing made sense.

I hold a Diploma in Journalism from Northland Polytechnic, a Certificate in Copy-editing and Proofreading from the NZ Writers College, a Certificate in General Proofreading Theory and Practice from the US (BCP Media Inc – Proofread Anywhere), and a Diploma in Landscape Design from Massey University.

I am a huge fan of professional development: supporting my work, honing my skills, and keeping my knowledge fresh. Recent online training includes “English Grammar and Style” through the University of Queensland and “Editing Mastery” through Udemy.

When I’m not working online, I live (and work) very much offline and off-grid with my partner on a little farm about forty minutes’ drive from the nearest town. It is a beautiful, peaceful spot – the changing landscape and stunning backdrop of nature that surrounds us is a constant inspiration. I am mum to two gorgeous girls, and our farm is home to a menagerie of sheep, bantam chickens, appleyard ducks, several hundred thousand honey bees, two fat cats, and a retired (and very lazy) greyhound. It’s a great life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you have any questions or would like to talk about how I can help with your project, please drop me a line or call +64 (0) 21 064 8731. I look forward to hearing from you.