Why choose copy editing and proofreading as a career? Simply, I love words! I am always finding myself correcting grammar, punctuation, and word usage in all sorts of documents, ads, and online content I come across. So why not make a career out of my passion? Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed my time as an environmental engineer, but after 25 years it's time for a new journey! I spent much of my engineering career writing reports, proposals, and technical user manuals; it was probably one of my favorite parts of my job. And although I haven't been a professional freelance proofreader for long, I have been proofreading and editing documents my whole career.
I specialize in proofreading ebooks and manuscripts in addition to social media/blog posts/online content, business marketing materials, and academic papers. I prefer the Chicago style for proofreading general materials, but I can use any style that is desired or called for by the clients I love reading and reviewing other styles as well, including ones for ebooks, manuscripts, transcripts, online and web content, resumes, research papers, and academic papers. There are a lot of writing styles and rules out there so having a professional proofreader come in a put the polish on your documents after editing is the best way to go to save you time and money.
You might be asking yourself? Well, why can't I just proofread my work? Well, you can but you likely will miss issues. We tend to not see our writing beyond its contents and will neglect to see issues with its structure.
Using my proofreading talents, I will:
- Flaws in the grammar and punctuation
- Errors in the spelling or use of terms
- Incorrect tenses, articles, and commas
- Reference or formatting issues according to APA, Chicago, and other styles
- Layout issues in graphs, tables, or figures
- Ensuring that web links work correctly
- Checking that the index matches the content
- Confirming that the layout doesn’t fluctuate throughout the work
- Making sure that the images have accurate captions
- Verifying that the copy adheres to the author’s chosen style guide
- Checking for plagiarism issues
- Cross-checking references and footnotes to be sure they are correct
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You can view the portfolio of my previous work as proofreading on this profile or you can visit my website. If you choose to work with me, I will be sure to take the time and care to understand exactly what your project entails and what exactly I can do to get you the best product within your budget. My rates are negotiable, and I do try to charge per word, with more difficult projects being a bit more expensive.
I look forward to working with you, and anyone else who will allow me the opportunity to work for them proofreading. Let's do this and make that document perfect!