Claire Gell

My favourite thing about studying at Edge Hill was my tutors. I had particular tutors who I felt really cared about me as an individual and were always approachable if I needed help or advice.

The Edge Hill campus is amazing. The greenery of Edge Hill and the lovely buildings always made me feel positive. Having it all in one place while studying was so great.

I learned research and analytical skills that really helped with my first job at a non-fiction publisher. I initially didn’t know where I wanted to go after university. The careers department helped me look at what job I might like to do or what area I could go into.

Proofreading. Editing. Researching. These are the top three skills that I gained from my degree at Edge Hill.

I enjoyed editing and proofreading, so thought I might like to pursue a career as a book editor. In my final year during a creative writing module, we each spent the term writing a longer piece of work, and we’d bring in drafts to discuss with a small group and helped each other by editing each other’s work.

I did several work placements with Penguin Books. I was then interviewed for an editorial contract at DK Books. That was when I really got my foot in the door.

In my current role, I receive individual briefs for each card and will either write or edit some text to put on the card. The design team and the buyers will have previously decided what greeting cards they want to put in the Card Factory shops. I then look at things like who the card is for, the occasion, and the genre. I then make sure that we have a good mix of messages across each range, to ensure there’s an appropriate card for every customer’s requirements.