Trevor S
Bognor Regis, UK
“Writing, like life, can be complex and awkward. Let's keep it simple, let it flow, and de-stress.”
Specialist subjects:
Editing formats:
Education:
Favorite referencing style
Harvard
Why I became an editor
I've always been an avid reader and have one or two books on the go at any one time. Aspirations to move into writing myself resulted in me self-publishing five books, which made me appreciate the writing process and the effort involved to get your words and thoughts across just how they were intended.
My day job involves me reviewing documents and communications on a regular basis, so moving to proofreading formally felt natural.
Proofreading allows me to help others polish their work to enable them to achieve more. As a bonus, I am continually learning through reading and get to exercise my brain!
Background and experience
My role in the IT world involves writing, editing, and proofreading technical and non-technical documents for presentation to senior management and at director level.
I have also proofread marketing literature for a small business crowd-funding initiative and website content for a similar small business enterprise.
Why I love proofreading and editing
We all know what it's like to know what you want to say but not know how to say it, and when the words are on the screen they just don't seem to be saying what you mean.
Proofreading hones and polishes passages of text that at first might be almost unreadable but then become clear and flowing.
I enjoy knowing that my work will help others while also learning and refining my own understanding of the English language.
Favorite book:
His Dark Materials (The Subtle Knife, if I have to choose a favourite) by Philip Pullman
Hobbies:
I love to run, swim, cycle, calisthenics, then wallow in the after-burn. All of my family are active in some sport or other, and I do my best to keep up! This helps me get away from a desk and ensure I have a happy work/life balance.
Editing tips:
I will always read through a document a couple of times first in order to understand what is being said. Even if there are obvious errors, I hold back and perhaps highlight areas that will need attention.
I then work through the document, making any changes and cross-referencing against a checklist that I've developed. This reduces the risk of any small errors potentially being missed.
