|
The No-Nonsense Proofreading Course, advises on a whole host of avenues that the budding proofreader can explore with regard to securing gainful employment, both permanent and freelance. But there has never been a single place to go to find vacancies for proofreaders or freelance proofreading opportunities.
Until now, that is. Get Proofreading Jobs offers a comprehensive and regularly updated listing of proofreading opportunities and I recommend you get yourself over there as soon as possible. When you get there, sign-up to receive email updates as and when new proofreading career opportunities become available. I anticipate that Get Proofreading Jobs will rapidly become the go-to website for work-hungry proofreaders. With a copy of The No-Nonsense Proofreading Course and membership of Get Proofreading Jobs, you could be turning your proofreading ambitions into a reality in no time at all. What are you waiting for? Click here to take a look.
0 Comments
2/15/2011 So, you want to be a proofreader but your grammar’s a little rusty. Is it all over?Read NowYou have a good eye for detail. You’re thorough. You’re patient. You have what it takes to be a proofreader.
Except... your grammar is a little bit ropey. Don’t worry. Those other traits – the eye for detail, the thoroughness, the patience – are innate. Those things are incredibly difficult to learn. Grammar? That’s something that can be learned. Now, depending on whereabouts you are on the ropey-o-meter will decide what kind of assistance you’re going to need. If you just need to tighten up your understanding of dangling modifiers, split infinitives and the like, then you probably just need to study a copy of Fowlers Modern English Usage. If, however, you’re in need of a bit more of an overhaul, you’re probably going to need something a little more intensive. English Grammar Revolution offers a pretty good place to start. The course uses videos rather than books to explain the eight parts of speech and to teach you basic sentence diagramming. And then there are downloadable PDF worksheets for practicing and fine-tuning your understanding. If you’ve got the eye, patience and determination to become a proofreader but you’re worried that your understanding of grammar might let you down, English Grammar Revolution is well worth a look, particularly as it comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. Click on the link below for more information. What have you got to lose? My decidedly mixed feelings on the subject of spell checking software is well-documented, both here in this blog and in the No-Nonsense Proofreading Course itself.
In a nutshell, I think spell checkers are at once an essential part of any proofreader’s toolbox and a positive liability. Like I said, mixed feelings. Let’s deal with the positive liability aspect first. It’s not the proofreading software itself that is the problem; it’s the user’s perspective. When the user thinks spell checking software can actually spot spelling errors, they’re in trouble. The fact is spell checkers don’t know how to spell. It’s true. Spell checkers only know that a particular word doesn’t exist in their vocabulary. This leaves you open to words that are in the proofreading software’s vocabulary but are being used in entirely in the wrong context. For example, all spell checkers would fail to highlight the following piece of gibberish: The cloud pimpled the hug gauntlet. Only the human brain can identify this perfectly grammatical and accurately spelled sentence as utter nonsense. So, it’s crucial to recognise the limitations of proofreading software before using it. But once you’ve informed yourself of those limitations, your spell checker becomes incredibly powerful as a labour-saving device. And if you’re looking to make your living from proofreading, then the more proofs you can red-pen your way through per day, the more money you can make. An effective spell checker can reduce your workload by a considerable amount, sweeping away all those literal errors and obvious grammatical gaffes and enabling you to focus your efforts on the really tricky stuff. If you use the more advanced types of proofreading software, for example Whitesmoke, you can get through even more work. Whitesmoke not only has a comprehensive, multilingual dictionary, it also employs a complex grammatical algorithm which can highlight grammatical errors that most spell checkers will miss. What’s more, it actively improves your grammar by telling you precisely why a particular piece of phrasing is grammatically unacceptable. You can take a look at Whitesmoke here. They have some pretty cool free stuff, too, so feel free to skip their sales pitch and make the most of the freebies! Spell checkers and proofreading software will never replace the keen eye and knowledge of the proofreader but they can provide much needed assistance if you’re fortunate enough to have a hefty workload. |
Testimonials
“I am one of those many fools who paid a huge amount of money for a useless course. This book... has opened so many doors for me. I now look on Mike as my mentor as I embark on a career. Thank you Mike.” Emma Steel, Proofreader and International Structural Editor. “ I thoroughly enjoyed the course and am so glad that I decided to take it... the whole experience was invaluable. My proofreading service is now well established and your course played no small part in getting it off the ground.” Hache L. Jones, Proofreader. “I'd just like to thank you first of all for writing such a great, straight forward eBook, and then going above and beyond what I would even expect as a customer by providing us, completely free of charge, updated versions months later!” Rachel Gee, Trainee Proofreader. “What can I say? Worth every penny and then some! God Bless! This a fabulous course.” Teresa Richardson, Proofreader. “As someone who has effectively been proofreading for thirty years, I found Mike’s No-Nonsense Proofreading Course an invaluable introduction and a very useful practical guide to many aspects of this discipline. I can wholeheartedly recommend it as the ideal starting point, and much more besides.” Jeremy Meehan, Proofreader. Blog AuthorMy name's Mike Sellars and I'm an experienced proofreader and the author of The No-Nonsense Proofreading Course. Click here to find out more about me. 
The No-Nonsense Proofreading CourseA Fraction of the Cost of Other Proofreading Courses NOTE: Stock is currently limited to 10 per day, so we can continue to deliver exceptional after-sales service, answer queries and provide open-door support. Credit card and PayPal payments accepted. “As someone who has been proofreading for 30 years, I found Mike’s course an invaluable introduction and a very useful practical guide to many aspects of the discipline. I can wholeheartedly recommend it.” Jeremy Meehan, Proofreader. Still want to find out more? Click here. Proofreading Categories
All
Proofreading Archives
July 2024
|
RSS Feed