Why hire a proofreader/copyeditor?
Does my writing really need to be grammatically and mechanically precise?
If your writing will be reviewed in any way by an academic or professional audience, the answer to this question is not just yes, it is absolutely. Being able to communicate your thoughts, ideas, and opinions logically and coherently is extremely important.
Academically
If your academic writing is full of grammatical and mechanical mistakes, your overall intelligence will be questioned. You might have some great ideas and arguments, but if you are unable to communicate them well, they may be disregarded. Poor writing does not improve your grade point average.
Personally
A lot of communication is done through texts, blogs, and other social networking tools. Many people find themselves wondering why they can’t just write what they want without the hassle of strictly adhering to a grammatical code. The answer lies within the author’s purpose of writing. If the intended audience is family and friends, then a few typos won’t go amiss. However, if the writer is trying to attract readers or create financial gain, proofreading is highly recommended.
Professionally
People form opinions of you (and by extension, the organization you work for) based on the way you write. Documents or websites that contain numerous errors look sloppy and unprofessional. This causes potential clients or investors to wonder if your business is conducted in the same manner.
About Michelle
I am a grammar enthusiast by nature. I am the person who notices the misplaced apostrophe, missing comma, or misspelled word and tells everyone about it (whether they care to hear it or not). I love languages in general, but English fascinates me. I went to university to study psychology and came out with a bachelor’s degree in… wait, linguistics? One seemingly random grammar course and I was hooked. Add my analytical, perfectionist temperament and here I am—a freelance editor.
Experience
As an editor and proofreader, I have edited over 300 projects in various genres including books, catalogs, newsletters, advertisements, and other printed material. I used to teach English Composition at a private college where I focused on helping students improve their essay writing and communication skills.
Carlton Garborg
Steve Harrison
Lori Beyer
Mike Neterer
Randy Dirks, Ph.D
Keegan Johnson
Carol Garborg
Edward E. Dudek
FAQs
Though the two are closely related, editing and proofreading are very different. Editing literally means to edit for publication. An editor pays close attention to the details of a project in order to make it ready for publication. Proofreading is performed on almost completed material with the intention of finding and marking errors. Perhaps an easier way of defining the difference between the two is to think of them as two different steps in the same process. An editor works on developing material in the early to middle stages, while a proofreader comes in at the final stage to ensure flawlessness.
Even professional editors should have their material read by someone other than themselves. It is virtually impossible to look at your own work objectively. You are likely to read what you intended to write, rather than what is actually written. Getting an outside perspective is critical to successful writing.
Literally Precise offers four different editing services. These services are determined by differing levels of document revision. To see the list of specifics offered in each level, see **page**.
To determine what level of editing is needed, submit a sample of your project. The sample will be reviewed, and you will be sent a recommendation of which service level would best suit your project. Once you have decided on a service and your desired completion time, an estimate will be sent to you.
The turnaround time for a project is dependent upon the type of document submitted and the urgency of its completion. Upon submitting a sample of your project, you will be sent an estimate of completion time. Rush projects will be charged an additional fee.
The privacy and confidentiality of your project is of utmost importance to us. We will not share your work, or portions of your work, with anyone outside of our company. Your business is no one else’s business.