A Note from Julie, the Greenhouse Curator: |
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It's been a busy week! Our son came home from Florida for the week, and my husband and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary!
When I look at this photo of our wedding day, I see a young lady so excited about being married to her high school sweetheart and starting a career as a high school English teacher just two months later. 1994 seems like so long ago! |
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As proofreaders and editors, we all fear making mistakes in a client's project. Most of us are perfectionists, so even small errors can feel huge. But let's rememberâwe're only human, and mistakes happen. I recently read a LinkedIn post from Amanda George that really hit home. I asked her if I could share it with you in The Leaflet. Amanda points out several reasons why we might miss things, besides just being human: - a limited client budget
- a lack of time
- a lack of experience
- a lack of training
- a muddled brief
- a bad day
I highly recommend reading Amanda's post. It's a great resource to revisit whenever you make a mistake (because it will happen). How do you feel about making mistakes in your work? Do you fear them, or do you accept that they happen? Please reply to this email and let me know. |
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Online Tool I Spotted This Week: |
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I love discovering online tools that help me do my work more efficiently. I spotted a tool this week and wanted to share it with you: - TextFX: This website helps writers, wordsmiths, and even rappers(!) experiment with words and their relationship to each other. I had such fun using the 10 tools. âFuseâ and âAcronym" are my favorites. Give it a try!
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A âcliqueâ is a tight-knit group of people with shared interests or goals.đĄ |
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This Week's Featured Proofreader or Editor: |
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Marlene from Dryden Copy Editing |
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The Proofreader Greenhouse asked: - What type of content do you proofread or edit? Nonfiction (histories), fiction (spy novels, sci-fi/fantasy), short stories, essays
- Did you complete a training course for proofreaders, or are you self-taught? I've been copy editing, proofreading, editing, and writing for nearly 50 years, mentored by book publishers, editors of newspapers and magazines, and freelance writers. I am constantly learning and teaching the joys and the sorrows of the craft of writingâfor the readersâwithout error.
- What's your favorite thing about your proofreading or editing business? Educating writers about incessant repetition. And countless other small delights: peeked, peaked, piqued; bring vs. take; affect vs. effect; et cetera.
- What causes you the most frustration in your work? My inability, sometimes, to communicate with the client well enough to help them understand that my job is to make their writing look good; reader-friendly content is paramount. Otherwise, why bother? Either they do not listen or they don't think they need an editor. Which is sillyâwe all need an editor sooner or later.
- What tips would you like to share with other proofreaders and editors?
I work from early afternoon until dawnâit's quiet, peaceful, and I can put in earplugs and listen/not listen to rock ânâ roll circa 1955â2024. No one interferes.
My go-to for usage is Prof. Paul Brians' Common Errors in English Usage; clever and correct.
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Plant of the Week: Spineless Yucca |
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The spineless yucca (often called a stick yucca) prefers full sun, which is more light than it gets in my living room. It seems to have adapted well, though.
I don't need to water it often; in fact, overwatering is one of the primary ways to kill this plant. |
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Let's keep growing together! |
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7893 Old US Highway 52
Lexington, NC 27295, United States |
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