Shauna Laurel Jones

Arts and culture
Writing in the creative industries calls for eloquence as well as clarity. I work enthusiastically with museums, publishers, magazines, and artists to ensure they achieve both.
With a BA and MA in art history (Oberlin College, 2001; University of California, Santa Barbara, 2007) and well over two decades’ professional experience in the cultural sector, I’m fluent in the language of the arts. From the start, my eye for detail meant I became the unofficial proofreader of most of my workplaces; I soon discovered I was as passionate about punctuation as I was about paintings. I began freelancing as a copy editor and proofreader in 2007 upon moving to Iceland, where my text-savvy reputation quickly spread within the arts world and beyond. Since relocating to London in 2018, my client base has continued to expand – as has my commitment to flawless text that expresses each writer’s voice and vision to the fullest.
I pride myself on open and friendly communication in order to understand clients’ expectations and deliver an outcome that will satisfy everyone involved. I have great respect for clients who write in English as an acquired language, as well as for clients who are dyslexic or otherwise neurodiverse. While I am a native speaker of American English, I am equally comfortable with British English spelling and usage.
My services include:
Copy editing/sub editing: Usually working with tracked changes and comments in Word. Comprehensive editing for lucidity, coherence, and style. I correct errors and inconsistencies in spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, and formatting; offer suggestions to improve vocabulary, phrasing, and flow; and ensure ideas are presented logically.
Proofreading: The final polish before publication or printing, generally working with markup features and comments on PDFs. Here, I focus on spelling, grammar, punctuation, typographical, and hyphenation mistakes as well as layout issues.
Fact-checking: Upon request, I will fact-check proper nouns, titles, dates, contact details, and other verifiable information.
Style guide compliance: For institutions and publications, I am always happy to adhere to in-house style guides. For individual writers, I will adapt to stylistic preferences or needs. In all cases, I aim for consistency across the entire project.
My portfolio includes:
International art and culture magazines – current clients include 032c and Epoch Review
Exhibition catalogues, monographs, and thematic titles published by art museums and other presses
Concert programs and event listings
Artist statements and website copy
Funding applications by creative practitioners
Creative projects, such as artist books and poetry manuscripts
Shauna is incredible to work with. Her communication, diligence, and attention to detail have made her an integral part of the team. I would highly recommend her for anyone looking for top-level proofreading, editing, and copywriting. She is a gem, and we look forward to collaborating with her again on the next issue.
—Francesca Gavin, Editor-in-Chief, Epoch Review
Shauna is a meticulous and skilled editor. At her first reading of a draft, she is able to understand the underlying themes and writing style of a work while copy editing within that space and voice, then proofreading and adjusting for clarity and syntax. She sticks to deadlines, sends timely correspondences, and helps to move works from draft form to completed manuscripts. And on top of all of that, she is a joy to work with.
—Ellen C. Caldwell, art historian and educator