Providing the service you want and need
Chances are you're looking at my site for one of several reasons:
- maybe you've written something and have looked at it so many times that you now want someone else to look at it for a second opinion.
- perhaps it's been suggested to you that your work would benefit from a proofread before you circulate it more widely.
- you might feel that you know your subject well but that English is not one of your strong points, and you don't want your message to be misunderstood or marked down due to incorrect spelling or grammar.
- English may not be your first language and you would like to ensure that the grammar and punctuation are accurate for an English-language audience.
What kind of things should you send me? It may be that you have an essay, or a short story, or something bigger like a novel or a thesis. Or perhaps you're working on a website or a blog. I am happy to look at these and more. Computer game text, brochures, reports and menus ... if there is written content that needs to be checked before it's seen by a wider audience, I can work on it for you.
What format should you send it in? Most of the work I do is on Word documents (using Track Changes and Queries to flag anything up), but I can also work with spreadsheets, internet pages and pdfs. Usually when I proofread these, I will create a new Word document and list all changes and queries within that (clearly referencing page/ paragraph numbers for ease of reference) so that the web developer/ file owner can then update the master-copy themselves.
How much of it will I change? I appreciate that people's writing is deeply personal to them, and that sharing it with another individual, let alone asking that person to 'critique' or make changes to it, can be quite daunting. We will discuss beforehand whether you want a general proofread or a more detailed edit and I'll proceed as directed by you. Nothing I change or query is intended as a criticism, and if you don't agree with it, you still have the final say.
- maybe you've written something and have looked at it so many times that you now want someone else to look at it for a second opinion.
- perhaps it's been suggested to you that your work would benefit from a proofread before you circulate it more widely.
- you might feel that you know your subject well but that English is not one of your strong points, and you don't want your message to be misunderstood or marked down due to incorrect spelling or grammar.
- English may not be your first language and you would like to ensure that the grammar and punctuation are accurate for an English-language audience.
What kind of things should you send me? It may be that you have an essay, or a short story, or something bigger like a novel or a thesis. Or perhaps you're working on a website or a blog. I am happy to look at these and more. Computer game text, brochures, reports and menus ... if there is written content that needs to be checked before it's seen by a wider audience, I can work on it for you.
What format should you send it in? Most of the work I do is on Word documents (using Track Changes and Queries to flag anything up), but I can also work with spreadsheets, internet pages and pdfs. Usually when I proofread these, I will create a new Word document and list all changes and queries within that (clearly referencing page/ paragraph numbers for ease of reference) so that the web developer/ file owner can then update the master-copy themselves.
How much of it will I change? I appreciate that people's writing is deeply personal to them, and that sharing it with another individual, let alone asking that person to 'critique' or make changes to it, can be quite daunting. We will discuss beforehand whether you want a general proofread or a more detailed edit and I'll proceed as directed by you. Nothing I change or query is intended as a criticism, and if you don't agree with it, you still have the final say.
Rates that appropriately reflect the complexity of the job
My rates will vary depending on whether you want your work edited or proofread or somewhere between the two (proof-edit). I generally prefer to quote per 1000 words than per hour. If you get in touch with me via the 'contact' link above, with details of the kind of job you need done, I can provide you with a quote. I am also happy to provide a free sample of my work, e.g., the first couple of 100 words of your document; or a short extract from your webpage/ blog, etc.
How do my rates compare with others? I am not the most expensive, nor am I the cheapest supplier of these services. English is my first language - I have been writing and speaking it almost my entire life. On Elance.com, I am in the top 5% of English Proofreaders, and I have scored well above average in the US English and UK English exams on Freelancer.com. I trust that this website will give you an idea of my capabilities where the English language is concerned.
What do you get for your money? On some sites I have seen buyers expecting these services to be provided for next to nothing, or being very dismissive about what a proofreader can actually do for them - I believe these people ultimately get what they pay for. This is a full-time job for me and I have a personal reputation to uphold - I want to get repeat business and recommendations, which means ensuring customers go away happy that I delivered the work to time and fully in line with their brief. I will provide honest, professional feedback and anything you send me will be treated in the utmost confidence.
How do my rates compare with others? I am not the most expensive, nor am I the cheapest supplier of these services. English is my first language - I have been writing and speaking it almost my entire life. On Elance.com, I am in the top 5% of English Proofreaders, and I have scored well above average in the US English and UK English exams on Freelancer.com. I trust that this website will give you an idea of my capabilities where the English language is concerned.
What do you get for your money? On some sites I have seen buyers expecting these services to be provided for next to nothing, or being very dismissive about what a proofreader can actually do for them - I believe these people ultimately get what they pay for. This is a full-time job for me and I have a personal reputation to uphold - I want to get repeat business and recommendations, which means ensuring customers go away happy that I delivered the work to time and fully in line with their brief. I will provide honest, professional feedback and anything you send me will be treated in the utmost confidence.