A Note from Julie, the Greenhouse Curator: |
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Have you heard about guttation? I've noticed that tiny droplets form on the leaves of my Swiss Cheese Plant a day or two after I water it. At first glance, it looks like someone watered it from above, but that’s not what happened. The water actually comes from inside the plant through a process called guttation (gutta is the Latin word for "drop"). When internal pressure builds up, the plant releases the excess water through its leaves. |
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As proofreaders and editors, we know a little something about internal pressure, don't we? Our work looks calm and tidy from the outside, but there’s often a surprising amount of pressure behind the scenes: deadlines, deep concentration, client communication, decision fatigue, and the constant effort of catching details other people miss. If we never give that pressure somewhere to go, it usually finds its own exit eventually. Sometimes that looks like: - procrastinating on projects you'd normally enjoy
- feeling unusually irritable with clients or family members
- struggling to focus on simple tasks
- ending the day mentally exhausted, even when you “didn’t do that much”
That’s why I’ve been thinking about the importance of finding small ways to relieve pressure. This can look like more breathing room in the schedule, better boundaries with clients, or actual breaks between projects instead of jumping straight into the next deadline. Plants don't wait until they collapse to release excess pressure. There’s probably a lesson in that for us too. |
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Favorite LinkedIn Posts This Week: |
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Here are three posts I enjoyed reading on LinkedIn recently. Click the links below to read them. - The labor of love behind a meaningful book: My friend Susan recently published a book about dementia caregiving and loss. Not only do I encourage you to get a copy if dementia is touching someone in your life, but Susan also gives a glimpse into the emotional work behind writing a deeply personal story. As proofreaders and editors, we have the privilege of helping authors bring meaningful books like this into the world. ❤️
- Why confusing messaging costs you clients: Anisa explains why clear messaging matters more than clever wording, especially when potential clients are already overwhelmed. I love her reminder that even nuanced, layered work still needs a simple and obvious “front door” so people immediately understand how you can help them. 🚪
- Why getting on camera feels harder than it is: Ernie makes a case for replacing long client emails with short videos. His target audience is small-firm lawyers, but I think proofreaders and editors can learn from this too. I especially like his point that clients care far more about clear, helpful communication than polished perfection, even if that means a few awkward moments on camera. 📸
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I’ve seen this error several times recently, so it might be a good time to highlight it. The name of this car brand is a combination of two German words:
volk = people wagen = car or vehicle The “s” appears in the middle because German often inserts an “s” between words when forming compound nouns. So Volkswagen literally means “the people’s car,” referring to an affordable car designed for working families.
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. |
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This Week's Featured Proofreader or Editor: |
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The Proofreader Greenhouse asked: - What type of content do you proofread or edit?
I proofread and copyedit two magazine articles per week for The Publishing Post. During the first few weeks, my main responsibility was to mark up the Word document via 'reviewing' mode and suggest corrections or potential changes. After submitting my edited articles, I received constructive feedback on how to improve my proofreading skills and what worked well with my copies. Now, the standard practice is that I download a duplicated copy of the returned text submitted by the editorial team and scan it for missed errors/incorrect formatting using the magazine's criteria (without tracking changes or 'reviewing mode'), bringing the writing in line with the style guide and proofreading brief while preserving the author's voice and intention. If I am unsure about whether I should change something, I reach out to the proofreading team via our group chat or message the Editorial Director privately. My proofread copy becomes the final version of the publication, making my applied changes definitive and official.
- Did you complete training for proofreading or editing?
I completed a MLitt in Publishing Studies at the University of Stirling, where I performed copyediting and proofreading tasks on excerpts of both fiction and non-fiction titles. I also interned as an Editorial & Marketing Assistant at a non-profit, independent publisher named Arkbound Publishing, where I copyedited and proofread five publications including a children's book, a self-help title, a YA romantasy novel and a multi-author collection on Scottish heritage.
- What's your favorite thing about your proofreading or editing work?
What I truly enjoy about my proofreading and copyediting work is how I get the chance to discover new book launches and learn more about trending genres and publishing events within an international landscape. I love facilitating a smooth and easily accessible reading experience by standardising and improving each magazine article for The Publishing Post's online community. When I was interning at Arkbound Publishing, in turn, I felt excited by the opportunity to read upcoming fiction and non-fiction titles in advance and see those books come to life knowing I was a part of the production process. Being aware that some of my editing contributions made their way into the physical copies felt like an incredible reward to me.
- What's the most challenging part of your work?
The most challenging part of my proofreading and copyediting work is refraining from applying a heavier touch to my edits and sticking to what is strictly necessary. This is a tricky line to walk as an editor, as it is fundamental not to alter the vocabulary and word choice for the author's voice to shine through. However, with constant practice and feedback from publishing professionals, I believe I am progressively leaning towards lighter modifications and embracing the uniqueness and diversity of each author's writing style.
- What tip(s) can you share with other proofreaders or editors?
What I would suggest to other proofreaders or editors is to edit the most common pitfalls and apply the house style guidelines first, and then proceed to change where the text could be possibly improved. The editing process should be split into multiple days or different timeframes so that you are able to pick up unseen errors or imperceptible typos when your concentration level is high again. Finally, you can remove 20% of your suggested changes by evaluating what is truly necessary for the text's comprehension and correctness and what is purely your creative take on the writing.
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Of course, this peony blossom is beautiful, but the thing that intrigues me most is the pollen baskets on the bees’ legs.
It's proof that even short trips from flower to flower can add up to something meaningful. 🌸🐝 |
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Let's keep growing together! |
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