The Leaflet Newsletter 056 (and a poll) 🌱 [October 26, 2024]

A Note from Julie, the Greenhouse Curator:

I'm not a gardener (houseplants are more my style), but I get inspired watching things grow. During a visit to Reynolda Gardens this week, I spotted these carrots growing alongside collards, beets, and lettuce.

Through some research, I learned that in areas with hot summers (like North Carolina), gardeners often plant carrots 10 to 12 weeks before the first expected fall frost.

Why? Carrots mature well in the cooler fall weather. 🥕

As usual, this got me thinking: What can we do as proofreaders, editors, and copywriters to “mature well” during the fall season?

Here are some ideas:

Strengthen a skill that feels underdeveloped. What training or practice would help you grow?
Wrap up big projects before the holiday season rush. Which tasks can you finish now to free up time later?
Book clients for early 2025. Who can you reach out to this week to secure future work?

Just as carrots thrive with the right timing, we can grow during this season to set ourselves up for success. What are you working on this fall? 🌱

How’s Your Client Garden: Room to Grow or Thriving?

One of the most common things I hear from people in The Proofreader Greenhouse is their desire for more clients. I’ve been working on a special project for months, and I’ll be releasing it soon! A key focus will be on strategies for getting (and keeping) clients.

Would you take a moment to click the option below that best describes your current client load? 👇🏻👇🏻

How's your current client garden?

I'm just starting and need clients.

I could use a few more clients.

I'm all set (maybe even a bit overloaded).

Thanks so much for sharing your input. It helps me make this resource as helpful and relevant as possible. 🌟

Favorite LinkedIn Posts This Week:

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

Got a freelancer headache? Here's what to do: Every freelancer—whether a beginner or a veteran—needs to read (and heed) Austin's advice. 💡
The real superpower of copyeditors: Many assume copyeditors have every grammar rule memorized, but that’s not the case. So how do we ensure accuracy? You'll want to read Jaime's post. 🦸🏻‍♀️
Do you struggle with imposter syndrome? Imposter syndrome affects so many of us. I love Michelle's approach to it. 🧠

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

Catch of the Week:

As a proofreader, I focus on grammar, punctuation, and consistency—and I also watch for spacing errors. This screenshot came from a workers' compensation deposition where the attorney asked the witness what tasks she was able to perform after her injury.

There's a big difference between guiding ships and tidying up, right? 🚢 🧹

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 an article about it here.

This Week's Featured Proofreader or Editor:

Emily from The Romance Genre Specialist

The Proofreader Greenhouse asked:

What type of content do you proofread or edit?
I edit romance novels of all sub-genres except dark and mafia.
What's your favorite thing about your proofreading or editing work?
Authors telling me that the editing process wasn't nearly as scary as they thought it would be. I love that feedback! It's my goal to make every part of the romance publishing process enjoyable.
What causes you the most frustration in your work?
Teaching myself SEO to increase my website's visibility
What tips would you like to share with other proofreaders and editors?
This is specific to romance, but whenever a client contacts an editor about editing their romance novel, the editor should ask for the book's context—the word count, sub-genre, tropes, and level of angst. This context determines the book's pacing, story structure, character development, romance arc, and subplot arc. Without it, an editor can't accurately evaluate a book's needs and might mistakenly suggest changes that clash with reader expectations for that word count, sub-genre, trope, or level of angst.

Connect with Emily: Website | LinkedIn

Plant Photo(s) of the Week:

My Philodendron “Moonlight” just welcomed some new leaves! I just love that yellowish glow. So pretty! 🪴

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. Email julie@theproofreadergreenhouse.com

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