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'So just what is it that you do?'

I get asked this a lot and have a hard time explaining verbally, so I thought I’d show you. One of my prospects has kindly granted permission to share a piece I did for him just recently to show how I can change simple words on a page into something better. Sorry, this looks like a long blog, but all you’re doing is reading the same piece of writing, written three ways, so please read on for a simple explanation of the craft of the proofreader/editor/writer, as told through words – note that some information has been changed, and links removed, for confidentiality.

 Below is the original piece. I've left some Microsoft Word highlights obvious just for guidance.

I then did a proofreader's job on it. This is a review of all mechanical issues with the writing, like spelling and grammar, and would also correct any obvious factual inaccuracies. It leaves the style of the writing unchanged - it doesn't polish a piece, just corrects the use of language. This service is great for people who are confident in their written skills, but want to make sure a piece is 100% correct before it goes public. Here is the piece after proofreading:

After this it was clear that the piece could benefit from having a copy-editor work their magic on it to tidy up the language and increase the overall readability. A copy-editor uses the base text to work with, but as well as correcting any errors, they also review how the piece fits together. This service is useful for those unsure of how their message is written, or seeking guidance on clarity. Here is the copy-edited version:

You can see that the structure of the piece was changed, to describe the charity first, then explain about how donations to them are so cost-efficient. Then the final 'call to arms' was redrafted to remind people of the link and encourage, rather than hope for donations. With such a substantial revision, this is a 'heavy' copy-edit job, verging on rewriting. What we in the profession call 'light touch' is also available - that would minimise alterations to preserve more of the original style.

That's what I do, when editing and proofreading. I'll generally ask to see work before recommending a service, so that clients get the best service possible. Of course, if all you have are some bullet points and a vague idea, I'll switch into copywriter mode and do the whole thing for you.

Please, get in touch with me on my contact page to see how I can help you tell your story.

First Impressions Count

One of the big challenges in starting a small business is working out where your work will come from. Without some serious investment in lead generation and visibility a degree of cunning is required. I recently met up with Heather Lee from The Little Design Lab in Hawke’s Bay, who faces similar challenges. The Little Design Lab works with businesses on design, with an additional focus on design for print, in order to create stunning branding for clients that translates effortlessly to print media.

We talked at length over an excellent coffee at the Village Green café about these issues. We both identified target markets as being a mix of local work and clients from further afield, given that both our businesses can offer attractions to either set of clients – local work is a great benefit in terms of economic community, while our location can benefit distant clients due to time zone and currency differentials.

One thought Heather had for local businesses was setting up a short workshop to promote the use of design and content professionals (that’s us!) to create a natural brand identity and story that can instantly tell people what a business is and does, while showcasing it in a unique way.

We’ve all seen business cards that come from online stores, created using a template and just a little thought and time. They are created using the cost-only approach to brand marketing – don’t spend more than you absolutely have to – and often it shows in fuzzy mismatched colours, poor use of imagery, and erratic changes in fonts. This approach to brand also translates badly to print, such as letterhead which is often an afterthought, and web; a DIY approach to a website can be a disaster, with slow-to-load pages, mixed messages, and poor layout leading to poor conversion from reader to customer.

So one thing that we’ll both be working on in the near future is putting together a morning workshop (or an afternoon one, we haven’t decided yet!) for small businesses to review their branding and copy, and learn a little more from us about how to get things right to send a consistent message to clients and prospects. Keep an eye out for more details on this. After all, first impressions count.

What's the Difference Between a Writer and an Editor?

Welcome to Expression, my proofreading, copy-editing and copywriting blog! Thanks for stopping by.

I set up my business to follow my love of language, particularly written English. I thought I’d create a niche doing proofreading and copy-editing, with a sideline in writing. Guarding the gates of good grammar is something I do well, but while it’s often the case that editors and proofreaders aren’t writers – and many that I’ve encountered actively despise writing – I appear to be one of the few that can accomplish both tasks, a veritable Janus in the profession, and I’m thankful that choosing a career as a freelance wordsmith has allowed me this outlet.

For this first blog I’m musing on a couple of differences between writing and editing. The duality is a strange one, as the former is a creative output, while the latter requires a mechanical rigour that is quite the opposite. How do I get through the day with a foot (half a brain?) in both these camps?

Proofreading and copy-editing comes naturally to me. It’s an analytical process that is actually quite soothing, in an odd way, picking up errors and correcting them. Occasionally a phrase jars, and then the editing instinct kicks in to tidy up the English prose so that it flows in a more natural way to sit easier with the reader. It’s this aspect that sets the human proofreader or copy-editor apart from any computer spellchecking function or grammar programme algorithm – we read with a real voice in our heads.

Writing, on the other hand, requires a bit of a run-up before anything gets committed to paper or, more commonly these days, a screen. I have to get the kernel of an idea, then another, then type them in and expand them out to full-blown paragraphs. These then get cut and pasted around until they make the bones of a piece. Once it looks as if it has a natural progression, it’s fleshed out to the chosen word limit, something which depends on target audience, subject and a whole host of other variables. That’s when writing becomes editing once more, and I have to cull words, replace duplicates, and check for repetition of phrases. A quick aside - Microsoft Word is telling me that last sentence is a fragment that needs revision – I know it isn’t which is why I edit rather than let my computer tell me what is right!

So writing moves seamlessly into editing for me. There’s a multitude of Style Manuals to assist in the process – weighty tomes that list the rules that I and my fellow editors should follow to stitch together any written piece so that it conforms. When we follow a particular style (New Hart’s Rules, usually, for my clients, as part of the Oxford Style Manual), we can produce words that make sense to everybody; words that look good and read well. As is often the case, people can ignore this and write their own copy - usually very well - but if you think writing as following a recipe, without the underlying rules being followed, the words lose some of their intensity and flavour. Without editorial seasoning, it’s often blander, sometimes disappointing, and occasionally unreadable.

I’ll leave you with that analogy. As a writer I produce copy. As an editor or proofreader I then polish that copy, or your copy, to make a finished piece that has the right seasoning. Like recipes, the seasoning is different for every piece of writing, and using it in the right proportions is what I do.