I am a book editor and proofreader based in Norwich, England. I work with new authors looking either to self-publish, or to pitch a book to publishers for the first time.
The genre I work with most often is positive psychology – self-help and self-development books that give guidance on improving mental health and wellbeing. In recent years I have edited titles about improving professional skills, recovering from abuse, overcoming trauma, coping with loss, business and leadership.
My recent projects also include two autobiographies, both of which touched upon European history and politics, and three fiction novels.
I enjoy perfecting texts written by non-native English speakers. Starting my career in 2007 at international companies, for eight years I worked with colleagues whose mother tongues included German, French, Ukrainian, Russian and Turkish.
As a freelance editor since 2018 I have edited writing by authors from countries including Great Britain, the United States, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Belgium and Sweden.
I am a writer myself. My first book was published in 2024, and was shortlisted at the Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards in 2025. I have also been a features writer for a variety of travel and culture magazines.
Having had my own writing changed by editors for the last 15 years – and having not always taken their feedback gracefully! – I make sure to always make changes respectfully and reasonably.
Titles that I have edited include:
- The Wanderer by Begizhan Akhmedov (English translation, 2021) – A spiritual novel set in the mountains of Central Asia. The novel was voted Kyrgyzstan’s book of the year in 2019.
- The Power of Reinvention by Mags Thomson et al (House of Hives, 2021) – A collection of personal stories by 10 authors, exploring how personal trauma became a catalyst to reinvent their lives.
- For Uzbekistan’s Art and Culture Development Foundation I edited the catalogue for an exhibition dedicated to the Uzbek scholar and thinker Abu Rayhon Beruni, titled ‘Geographical and Intellectual Journeys’, which was held in Paris in 2023.
- Drop the Motherf*cking Struggle by Susanne Grant (Susanne Grant, 2021) – A book that encourages people to work more mindfully, not harder or for longer, to achieve success.
- The Age of Gold and Tulips by Camelia Andrei (2022) – A memoir of the author’s childhood in communist Romania, 1975-1989. This book is awaiting publication in English; the link is to an edition already published in Italian.
- The Warrior’s Daily Journal by John Metzger (Warrior Code, 2022) – A journal of contemplations written by a veteran firefighter, intended for people who have suffered traumas in their professional lives.
Reviews for my book editing work (from the publishing platform Reedsy):
“Jonathan was a pleasure work with! This was my first foray into professional writing, and Jonathan helped to make it a great experience. I was a little worried about the distance between us – geographically – as Jonathan is in the UK and I am in the US… but it wasn’t an issue at all. He is extremely professional, and was on time with his work. I appreciate Jonathan seeing the value in keeping ‘my voice’ within my unique project.” – John Metzger, author of The Warrior’s Daily Journal
“Jonathan Campion was very competent and a master of the small details. His work exceeded my expectations at a very reasonable fee. He was clear in his communication and this carried throughout my book. I would definitely recommend him as an editor for anyone and am very appreciative of his work. He was excellent to work with and turned my manuscript around in a very short time.” – Erich Shelton, author of Caught in Between
“Jonathan has been absolutely amazing. I’ve been writing for many years but as English is my second language, I know I make mistakes here and there. Jonathan really understood my work and managed to keep my tone of voice throughout whilst creating an excellent masterpiece in the process.” – Susanne Grant, author of Drop the Motherf*cking Struggle
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Jonathan Campion is a writer, editor and journalist. He has travelled in Eurasia since 2005. Read about his work here, and contact him here.
