I am very serious about spelling and grammar errors, not only for my clients but also when I visit web sites, read print or ebooks, road signs, blogs or any other written matter.

Having been blessed with good reading, speaking and spelling skills, it was only natural for me to take this to the level of a career – I love proofreading and editing and, frankly, would rather do these things than any other as a paid enterprise.

I have been known to whip out a pen and correct spelling errors in books that I am reading for pleasure and seriously cringe when I see these on menus or in newspapers or sales letters. If spammers were as worried about the spelling and grammar in their emails as they are about the words to sell you this or that with, I could make a living just correcting the spam messages in my in-boxes each day.

But, I have to admit, some of the errors I see are hilarious and I just had to share this video which my best friend, Sharon McPherson of Templates, Themes & Graphics sent to me.

I hope you enjoy “The Impotence of Proofreading” by Taylor Mali

After you write your document, the next thing you have to do is to proofread your work. That way, you can be sure that your work is not filled with errors that prevent you from sending your message across to your intended readers. However, you cannot always rely on yourself to spot all the lapses in your document. Chances are, your eyes have gotten used to your writing, and you will surely miss several errors.

You cannot afford to publish or submit an error-filled written material, especially if it is a major paper for school, an important business document, or a novel. To be sure that your written work looks professional and can be understood by all readers, it is best to use editorial services that will improve the copy’s quality.

You can gain many benefits from hiring an editor to check your work. First, you get an expert’s opinion on how to improve your manuscript. Editing services usually include an editor’s analysis or critique of your work, which states what needs to be adjusted, added, or removed from your document. Second, you get fast results, typically within one or two business days. As a result, you can save time to complete your other tasks.

The greatest thing about having your work checked and edited by an editing firm or a freelance editor is that you can rest assured that your work is clean, clear, concise, and readable. In particular, an editor helps you improve the quality of your work by doing the following:

• Ensure that sentences are grammatically correct

• Organize thoughts to make sure that the sentences are coherent

• Fix transitions to make sure that the sentences flow smoothly

• Remove redundant and unnecessary words or sentences to ensure brevity

• Check for jumps in logic and inaccuracy of facts

• Enhance word choice and sentence structure for clarity of thought

• Correct formatting and style inconsistencies

• Checking the copy for jargons, slang, sexist language, etc.

• Ensuring that all cited references in the manuscript are added to the bibliography

Many editing services also offer ghostwriting services for those who are too busy to write their own works.

Editing services may cost you a few bucks, but the amount you spend is nothing compared to the disaster that would happen once you find out that your work reeks of grammatical errors and confusing statements. Simply put, you may have to spend more money for a book or a printed thesis that is inferior in quality.

Many editorial services offer editing and proofreading for a wide array of writing projects such as books, magazines, newsletters, brochures, college essays, etc. To find the best editing firm or freelance editor for your writing project, do background research online, read feedback and testimonials given by customers, and ask around for recommendations.

Remember, I am a Virtual Assistant who LOVES to do editing , proofreading and
transcription assignments!

Jan Tallent
Tallent Agency Virtual Assistance

573-775-4520 jan@tallentagency.com

You have a considerable list of options if you decide to be a freelance writer. Writers have the privilege of offering different services to clients. These could include copy writing, Web content writing, résumé writing, and many others. Freelance writers could also offer editorial services. After all, they surely have developed a keen editorial background and an eye for details. The demand for such services has always been there, so there are great opportunities available to such writers. Offering editorial services to clients could be a very profitable niche.

Freelance writers and editors could work for various newspapers, magazines, book publishers, and other writers. If you are considering being a freelance editorial provider, you should first get familiar with several widely used style guides. The most recommended and popularly used among such guides are The Chicago Manual of Style and The Associated Press Stylebook. If you are pursuing more technical niches, you may look at other stylebooks as well.

Here are several editorial services you could offer to your prospective clients . Take note of the basic requirements and the features of such services so you do not get confused when deciding what services to offer.

Copy editing

Many online magazines , newspapers, and blogs are currently looking for good and reliable copy editors. Many freelance writers and editors are taking advantage of such great demand. If you have basic copy editing skills, be prepared to receive editing assignments that are more advanced. Your basic knowledge of English grammar as well as style, together with a sharp eye for details, would be a key to the job. As a freelance copy editor, you would be asked to check manuscripts for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors . To ensure consistency with the style used in the specific industry, you need to also master the standard style applicable for the industry your client is operating in. Stylebooks could be your ultimate guide.

Line editing

There are manuscripts that simply require more work than all others. These materials need line editing instead of the simple copy editing. The work of the line editor is almost identical to the task of a copy editor, but line editing requires invasiveness. That means the line editor applies heavier copy editing. If you take this position, you would edit every sentence in the manuscript to correct excessive and inappropriate use of the passive voice. It would also be your task to look more closely at the overall structure, readability, and flow of the entire manuscript. You should make recommendations on how readability could be improved through minor and major structural changes.

Proofreading

Of all the editorial services, proofreading has always been perceived as the lightest and easiest. In the publishing industry, the task of the proofreader is to review the typeset copy to identify any deviation from the original manuscript. Proofreading also entails the last stage of checking for even the most minor spelling and punctuation errors and incorrect word breaks. In general, the proofreader is the last individual to check the copy prior to mass printing or online posting.

Remember, I am a Virtual Assistant who LOVES to do editing,
proofreading and transcription assignments!

Jan Tallent
Tallent Agency Virtual Assistance

573-775-4520 jan@tallentagency.com