I’m Gary Jukes, a freelance copyeditor and proofreader and the person behind The Polished Page.
I started freelancing at the end of 2020 and have since worked on 200+ published books for publishers, bestselling and award-winning authors, and independent writers. My work spans a wide range of fiction, with particular experience in crime, psychological thrillers and historical fiction, alongside horror, speculative fiction, action thrillers and romance.
I’ve been fortunate to build long-term working relationships with a number of authors and publishers, with many clients returning for multiple projects. Whatever I’m working on, my aim is always the same: to make the book the best version it can be without changing what makes it the author’s own.
I have a BA (Hons) in English from the Open University, graduating in 2018, and have completed professional training in proofreading and copyediting. Most of my expertise, though, has been developed through hands-on editorial work across hundreds of manuscripts and published books.
I’m also a keen reader, usually getting through around thirty to forty books a year. Historical fiction is a particular favourite, but I read widely across crime, thrillers, horror, science fiction and other genres – which is one of the reasons I enjoy working on such a varied mix of projects.
Away from editing, I’m a fan of modern board games, films and music, and I enjoy eating out and walking when I’m not sitting in front of a manuscript.
If you’d like to know more about my professional background, you can connect with me on LinkedIn, or take a look at the Books and Reviews pages to see some of the projects and authors I’ve worked with.
Get in touch
I’m currently booking work from October 2026 onwards. If your timeline is flexible, I’d love to discuss your project.
