Sean M
East Victoria Park, Australia
“Writing is the seasons: the old and young mingling on meadows of old snow, purple wildflowers, and long grass filled with crickets and brown leaves.”
Specialist subjects:
Editing formats:
Education:
Graduate Diploma in Business
Curtin University (Perth, Australia)
2017
Favorite referencing style
My favorite style is Chicago. This is because I am so used it from my own essays at university, so it feels comfortable.
Why I became an editor
I was a business manager for more than 15 years, and for 12 of them, I was based in a foreign country. While there, I regularly edited documents for colleagues, mostly business and academic, with a focus on improving the English. Combining this with my vivacious reading habits and interest in teaching, I learned to love editing and am now committed to making it my career.
Background and experience
I have edited and proofread for colleagues for more than 15 years. They were mostly business documents ranging from presentations to shareholders to budgets. I have also proofread PhD defenses and essays for undergraduate units, as well as documents related to marketing, blogs, and academia.
Why I love proofreading and editing
I love the sense of accomplishment that comes from writing fitting together like a jigsaw. No piece is out of place, and there is order and beauty. While the writer is building a home from nothing, the proofreader is ensuring the structure is sound and aesthetic, moving around the house, running the taps, and checking that the paint is drying evenly.
Favorite book:
Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall
Hobbies:
When I'm not proofreading, I am reading philosophy or classic/cult authors, running outside in the rain, or playing Age of Empires 2 online (and losing badly).
Editing tips:
If I feel a sentence or paragraph is not flowing but I can't put my finger on it, I will use text-to-speech to see what my mind is missing.
