A Note from Julie, the Greenhouse Curator: |
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I just love wildflowers, don't you?
One of the benefits of having my own proofreading business is the flexibility to take occasional walks during the day with my beagle puppy, Harley.
Here are a few wildflowers I saw on our walks this week. Aren't they lovely? |
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👇🏻 I'm excited about this Chrome extension! 👇🏻 |
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I haven't been this excited about an online tool in a long time! The Driveway Chrome extension allows you to create and share interactive how-to guides with your clients, team members, or even a virtual assistant. You can even add audio recordings to your steps. Nice! What a great way to onboard a new client, walk a person through your website, or explain a difficult concept in a step-by-step guide. Click here to see a Driveway guide I created for you. Users can watch the guides on desktop or mobile, but I prefer watching them on desktop to get the full experience. How could you use this tool for your proofreading or editing business? Please reply to this email and let me know what you think of it! |
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Online Tools I Spotted This Week: |
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I love discovering online tools that help me do my work more efficiently. I spotted two tools this week and wanted to share them with you: - Quizlet: I've known about Quizlet for years, but it came back on my radar recently when my son mentioned that he and his friends used it to study for their college finals. Quizlet has so many amazing tools to help people study, and I think proofreaders and editors could use it to review grammar and punctuation rules, tricky word pairs, or rules from style guides (e.g., APA, MLA, or Chicago Manual of Style).
- Snipd: I'm a huge fan of podcasts, and I've always wished for a tool to save snippets from episodes so I can remember them later. I haven't delved into this tool much yet, but what I've seen so far is exciting.
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Baring means uncovering or exposing. Bearing relates to carrying, supporting, or enduring.💡 |
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This Week's Featured Proofreader or Editor: |
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Catherine from Turner Proofreading |
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The Proofreader Greenhouse asked: - What type of content do you proofread or edit? Nonfiction manuscripts for self-publishing authors, usually in the business, marketing, self-help, travel, and true crime genres
- Did you complete a training course for proofreaders, or are you self-taught? I'm a huge believer in making sure you hone your skills before you take on paying clients, so I took the Proofread Anywhere General Proofreading course before I started my business. I also believe training is not a one-and-done activity, so I've taken many courses over the past seven years from The Publishing Training Centre, Queen's University Professional Studies, Editorial Freelancers Association, Louise Harnby, Denise Cowle, Publishing Scotland, and Club Ed Freelancers.
- What's your favorite thing about your proofreading or editing business? I love being able to work in a way that suits my personality: no phone calls or meetings if I don't think they're necessary and no need to commute for hours or be somewhere at a specific time. I'm free to complete my work when and where I want.
- What causes you the most frustration in your business? Occasionally I come across potential clients who are looking for "just a proofread" when the manuscript needs copyediting at the very least. Most are receptive when I explain how copyediting would improve their manuscript, but others try to get more work from me than what they're paying for. I've learned to recognize them and send them on their way.
- What tips would you like to share with other proofreaders and editors?
Word of mouth and referrals have been my biggest source of client leads for the last couple of years. If you've previously worked with a client who has influence in their industry, ask them if they would recommend you to their network.
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Have you tried the washi tape focus method? |
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I wrote a post on LinkedIn this week about my new-found washi tape focus method. If you proofread or edit digital content, you might like it. I've been surprised how much a little piece of colored tape has helped me spot more errors in the content I proofread. Here's a link to the article. You should be able to read it even if you aren't a LinkedIn user. By the way, if you're on LinkedIn, I'd love to connect with you there! |
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This jade plant sits on my office desk just below a window. This helps him get the natural light he needs. He's a succulent, and he doesn't need frequent watering. |
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Let's keep growing together! |
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