Writing and editing for science and government
My name is Dr Joely Taylor. I’m a former research scientist who specialises in academic, technical and scientific editing.
I started Well Writ in 2010 to provide technical writing and editing services to clients in research, government and private industry. Over the years, I have found great satisfaction in working on what many would consider really hard writing and editing projects. These often take years of experience and specialist knowledge to carry out successfully.
I have worked with ministerial advisory committees to edit and write their reports to members of parliament, managed documents with 10+ authors and edited scientific and technical documents that cover a wide range of specialist disciplines. I have even helped a client sort and correct 550 references for one of their reports.
Joely Taylor
BSc, MWoodSc, GradDipEdit&Publ, PhD, ELS(D), AE
Some of these editing and writing challenges require particular skills that I have built up over years of study and work, as a scientist, researcher, professional communicator and editor.
My scientific background includes a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and Wildlife from Virginia Tech in the US, and a Master of Wood Science and PhD from the University of Melbourne. I have also worked in research, in the private sector as a development scientist for a timber preservative chemical supplier, and in the government research sector with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
After leaving CSIRO, I completed a Graduate Diploma in Editing and Publishing at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). I have worked as an editor for over ten years.
My project management experience with large multidisciplinary teams helps me to coordinate the creation of substantial and complex documents with input from team members from multiple departments and organisations.
I incorporate plain English editing and accessibility principles into every project I work on.
Accessible and inclusive publishing benefits all readers by ensuring elements of writing style, such as word choice and sentence length, and the visible elements of a document, such as fonts, colours and layout, meet certain guidelines. Accessible publishing also incorporates specific tools, such as screen tips and alt text, to facilitate integration with assistive technology.
I am an Accredited Editor with the Institute of Professional Editors Ltd in Australia. I am also a Diplomate Editor in the Life Sciences with the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences in the US and an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading in the UK.
I work closely with clients to provide individually tailored writing and editing services.
When you contact me to enquire about editing or writing for your project, I will talk to you about your needs and your budget. Together, we will establish the details of the service I can provide to you.
I am based in Melbourne, Australia, and work with clients from around the world.