The following tips for getting the most out of your freelance proofreader are based on those suggested on the website of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP), with a few my suggestions included. The tips are presented from the viewpoint of the freelance proofreader to make the proofread as smooth and efficient as possible.
It is always good practice to revise and if necessary completely rewrite text in documents to ensure that they are accurate, concise, and the best they can be. Straightforward you might think and you might say “What could possibly go wrong?” Quite a lot actually. But in the process of review there are some hidden traps an author can fall into when using Find and Replace, or inserting or deleting text that can affect pagination. … More Points to watch for when revising text
Publishers are not the only ones that require and benefit from proofreading services. Below are a few instances of other people or bodies who can benefit from the attention and skill of an experienced proofreader, together with relevant links to my website for further information. … More Proofreading services: Not just for publishers
Proofreading is the last stage of the editing process for a document and should only be carried out once all other revisions by the author / contributors and amendments by the copy-editor have taken place. Proofreading therefore has an important role in publishing and business as it is the last chance to correct any errors before the book or document is published. … More Proofreading questions answered
Oxford Dictionary of English defines this as “the production of a sense impression relating to one sense or part of the body by stimulation of another sense or part of the body”. For instance, sights or sounds might evoke sensations of taste or colour. … More Synaesthesia – tasting your words
Sexist language refers to words, terms, or usages that discriminate against or exclude either of the sexes, and that assume maleness, or even femaleness is the standard.
Despite many years of feminist campaigners and attempts to raise awareness of the use of sexist language, it still widely exists in modern life. … More Tips for writers: Avoiding sexist and biased language: part 1
Put yourself in your readers’ shoes: how would you feel if you had received a document or publication from someone that contained numerous errors and inconsistencies? Even worse if you had paid good money for it. You would might possibly feel insulted that they could not be bothered to ensure their output was readable and free of errors. … More The dangers of failing to proofread
They say there is a book in each one of us waiting to be written. If that is true it is probably easier for some people than others to turn that into a published book. The first decision to take is about what to write.
Next to a plot or central purpose, humour is possibly the next most important ingredient of writing. Perhaps humour would not be welcomed in a textbook on physics or a philosophical discourse, but certainly for fiction, travel books, memoirs, and the like it can be a valuable way of injecting some character and light relief. There are several reasons for this. … More The importance of humour in writing
As a freelance proofreader I operate from a home office and already I have reduced my carbon footprint as regards travel to work as I do not use a car or public transport. I merely have to walk to work, which takes a few seconds. Further savings in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved in … More Tips for small businesses to cut greenhouse gas emissions
