Testimonials Gallery

I have worked with Sally for several years and during that time she has proofread and edited all sorts of documents for me. Sally never fails to come up with the goods; she has a keen eye for detail, she is thorough, her feedback is always honest and constructive. When I asked her to edit my application for the AHRC Advisory Board at very short notice, she kept the content completely close to my original draft but managed somehow to make the whole thing tighter and much more succinct. Not only that, she got it within the word count required and delivered in double quick time. I was subsequently interviewed by the AHRC and appointed.

Professor Matthew Hilton, Vice-Principal (Humanities and Social Sciences), Queen Mary University of London

AHRC Advisory Board Application

Sally is a pricelessly good proofreader and much more besides.  She has all the technical know-how and then some, with an eagle-eye for the sort of slips and errors that authors readily but embarrassingly miss in their own texts.  What you get when she proofreads your stuff is complete confidence that it's all had an exceptionally robust and methodical going-over; there really is no-one more meticulous.  But you also get the special benefit of her brilliant and sympathetic editorial eye.  Sally's advice is never unwelcome or in any way distressing - she understands that authors can be sensitive animals; it is deeply considered, imaginative and often sparklingly improving. Hire her now!  And look forward to being a more accurate and indeed a better writer yourself as a result.

Professor Ewan Fernie, Chair of Shakespeare Studies and Fellow, University of Birmingham

Monograph, AHRC Application

It's impossible to overstate how much Sally has impressed me during the time I have worked with her. As a copyeditor and proofreader Sally's work stands comparison with my experiences with some of the leading university presses in the United States. Professional and meticulous, she manages to balance a forensic eye for detail with a genuine sensitivity to the nature of academic writing. But this doesn’t really do justice to the full extent of Sally’s skills and experience. I have met very few people with her intellectual intuition — the ability to understand immediately what a research project or book is about, usually before I get there myself. Working with her is challenging, exciting, and always productive, and I have quickly come to trust her judgement and consider her engagement with my work invaluable.

Professor Matt Houlbrook, Professor of Cultural History, University of Birmingham

Monograph, British Academy Mid-career Fellowship

I have recently published my first monograph with Cambridge University Press and am enormously grateful to Sally Baggott for her expert support. Sally read my draft manuscript shortly before I submitted it to the publisher for consideration.  A meticulous proof-reader, she was also sensitive to the subject matter and offered a number of valuable copy-editing suggestions that enhanced its clarity.  The two anonymous readers at the press who recommended publication both remarked on how clean the manuscript was. The final proofs of the book arrived the day before my baby son.  With her impressive efficiency and careful queries, Sally helped me thoroughly to double-check every detail -- from punctuation to pagination -- and to return the proofs swiftly and confidently to the publisher.  Without her help, this simply would not have been possible.

Dr. Kate Rumbold, University of Birmingham

Monograph

Sally was a critical factor in the successful outcome of an AHRC application I was working on.  Her expert knowledge of different AHRC funding streams meant that she had an excellent idea about what the AHRC would be looking for in an application for funding to a very particular scheme.  Sally was both patient and precise in her feedback to drafts of my application and her advice was invaluable.  I do not think the application would have been successful without her input. I would recommend her highly to anyone.

Dr. Kieran Connell, Queen’s University Belfast

AHRC Follow On Funding Application

Sally Baggott at Birmingham provided constructive criticism that made my funding application more convincing than I could. As well as being a meticulous copyeditor, Sally has an intuitive and enviable grasp of what a research project is really about.

Acknowledgements, Matt Houlbrook, Prince of Tricksters: The Incredible True Story of Netley Lucas, Gentleman Crook (University of Chicago Press, 2016)

I am currently in the fortunate position of having funding from the AHRC in the form of a Leadership Fellowship. The success of my original application should in no small part be credited to Sally’s enthusiasm, patience, rigour and insight throughout the whole process. In the early stages Sally encouraged me to broaden my ambitions beyond the ‘lone scholar’ model, to develop collaborative research relationships and to give my research impact. Her advice was vital when I was writing the application and when it came to responding to peer review. Sally was instrumental in shaping my research, and it is her understanding of the research process itself that makes her so good at what she does. I have no hesitation in recommending her to academics and postgraduates who might benefit from her many talents, whether as an editor, proof-reader or academic consultant.

Dr. William Purkis, University of Birmingham

AHRC Leadership Fellowship Application

It would be possible to fill a page with a list of adjectives to describe Sally’s support and influence in the first stages of my career: her insight and advice were instrumental in securing my British Academy postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Birmingham. Her advice helped me present my research in a way that made it relevant, contemporary and appealing to potential funders. Her success rate is a testament to this exceptional talent.  She is a warm and highly approachable colleague who it’s a pleasure to work alongside. Sally’s enthusiasm with each project is infectious and her commitment, total and I recommend her without hesitation.   

Dr. Dan Reynolds, British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Birmingham

British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship Application

I would like to thank Sally Baggott for scrutinising my draft manuscript and championing my work.

Acknowledgements, Kate Rumbold, Shakespeare and the Eighteenth-Century Novel: Cultures of Quotation from Samuel Richardson to Jane Austen (Cambridge University Press, 2016)

Sally has an outstanding command of the English Language and written style and is an excellent editor. We worked closely as co-editors on a volume on Matthew Boulton, and Sally was central to the process of moving from the commissioning stage to the delivery of a manuscript to the publisher. She always met deadlines and was great in communicating with contributors, including non-native English speaking authors. Sally also proofread the whole manuscript before submission, and the publisher's copy editor came back with very few minor comments. She is not only thorough and practiced in correcting errors in spelling and grammar, she has a highly developed understanding of academic work.

Dr. Malcolm Dick, Director of the Centre for West Midlands History, University of Birmingham

Co-editor, Matthew Boulton: Enterprising Industrialist of the Enlightenment (Ashgate, 2013)

The work carried out by Sally was highly professional.   She read each chapter quickly but methodically, noted typographical errors and suggested areas for improvement, such as ambiguities in meaning and context, and repetitions to be eliminated. Sally’s assistance was invaluable as she not only proofread my thesis, but gave me encouragement and support at such stressful time for everyone submitting a long piece of research. I am most grateful to Sally for her expertise and moral support and can recommend her services without hesitation.

Dr. Stefka Ritchie, Honorary Research Fellow, University of Birmingham

PhD in History

Dr Martin and I found ourselves with a looming deadline for a collection of essays whilst on adoption and maternity leave, and Sally's services have proved invaluable! She was wonderful to work with throughout the entire process. At the outset she provided us with a comprehensive contract and clear overview of her working methods, and as the work progressed she remained in constant touch, updating us on her progress and raising useful points for clarification. Dr Martin and I were delighted with the proof-read documents when they were returned - it was obvious that Sally had applied the style guide with skill and care. We cannot recommend her highly enough if you are looking for a fantastic, friendly and ever-professional proof-reader and/or editor.

Dr. Joanna Martin, University of Nottingham and Dr. Emily Wingfield, University of Birmingham,  

Edited Collection