The Leaflet Newsletter 045 🌱 [August 10, 2024]

A Note from Julie, the Greenhouse Curator:

I tried a new type of transcript proofreading this week: RealTeam in Case CATalyst software. And boy, did I learn a lot!

My client (a court reporter) was on the record during a trial about mesothelioma. She had three scopists and me (the proofreader) in the file at the same time with her. All of us could see what she was writing in real time, and we had access to the audio file. The scopists went before me in the file, listening to every word and correcting things as they went along. I was the final pair of eyes on the transcript.

The attorneys and witnesses spoke quickly, the material was extremely technical, and the audio was difficult to hear at times. I'm exhausted, but it was an interesting experience, for sure.

Here are some things that helped me during those longgg days:

I took occasional breaks away from the computer.
I focused on my breathing.
I put my phone in “do not disturb” mode.
I ordered takeout for dinner most nights.
I chewed my favorite gum to keep me awake (Trident Perfect Peppermint).
I played with Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty to keep my hands occupied while I was reading. See that pink blob in the photo above?

The bottom line is that I survived (barely). Not sure if I'll do a job like that again, but it was an interesting, eye-opening experience.️

What do you need to wash off as a proofreader or editor?

A storm named Debby visited our area this week. When it rains, I like to set my plants outside and let the rain wash the dust off their leaves. It makes them look and feel refreshed.

As proofreaders and editors, we can pick up mental dust that weighs us down. Just like my plants, sometimes we need a good wash to clear our minds and get back to doing our best work.

Here are some things we need to “wash off” as proofreaders and editors (I added an emoji beside the ones I struggle with the most):

Self-doubt
Perfectionism 🙋🏻‍♀️
Imposter syndrome
Overwhelm 🙋🏻‍♀️
Comparison to others
Negative feedback
Fear of failure
Procrastination 🙋🏻‍♀️
Messy, unorganized workspace

Do you struggle with any of the things in that list? Please reply to this email and let me know.

P.S. You might also like this Instagram post I created about this topic.

Favorite LinkedIn Posts This Week:

Here are three posts I enjoyed reading on LinkedIn this week (shared with permission):

Tips for using commas with where, which, and who: It can be tricky to know whether to put a comma before dependent clauses that begin with “where,” “which,” and “who.” Oneta's post explains it all, including helpful examples. ✨
Use a flowchart to share your booking process with clients: I'm a fan of flowcharts, especially when they're used to explain a complicated process. Hannah created a colorful flowchart to share her booking process with her clients. You could create a flowchart in Canva or use one of the tools mentioned in this article. 💡
15 ways to be a better editorial freelancer: To celebrate 15 years as an editorial freelancer, Hazel compiled a list of lessons she's learned. If you want to see the full list, here's her blog post. 👏🏻

By the way, if you're on LinkedIn, I'd love to connect!

Catch of the Week:

In this context, the phrasal verb “borders on” means to come very close to being something. 💡

Catch of the Week screenshots come from my transcript proofreading. I can't change what a person said, but I can make sure words are spelled correctly and punctuation marks are in the right spots. If you're interested in learning more about transcript proofreading, I wrote a blog post about it here.

This Week's Featured Proofreader or Editor:

Karen from Hen House Publishing

The Proofreader Greenhouse asked:

What type of content do you proofread or edit?
Fiction (any genre, except horror); nonfiction (except scholarly or academic work); book manuscripts; screenplays; magazine and newsletter articles; short stories; marketing collateral.
Did you complete training for proofreading or editing?
None. My training came through on-the-job work for over 25 years.
What's your favorite thing about your proofreading or editing work?
I love helping people improve their written content as well as the freedom that comes from being freelance.
What causes you the most frustration in your work?
Constantly having to hustle for clients and new projects
What tips would you like to share with other proofreaders and editors?
Pick a style guide or two and become an expert.

Connect with Karen: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook

Plant Photo of the Week:

I'm not an art aficionado, but I just love this canvas I bought for $10 at Ross a few years ago. My satin pothos is growing happily alongside it. ️🌱

Let's keep growing together!

Julie

VISIT THE PROOFREADER GREENHOUSE

What did you think of today's email, First name / friend? I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, or feedback: julie@theproofreadergreenhouse.com

If this newsletter was forwarded to you or you found a link to it online, why not get The Leaflet delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe now for grammar tips, tricky word pairs, client strategies, and helpful online tools.

7893 Old US Highway 52
Lexington, NC 27295, United States