services
Elf Editing is a proofreading and editing business which specialises in making sure your business sounds as professional as it looks, by ensuring that the written content of any material your business produces is correct.
Elf Editing provides the following services:
• Proofreading and editing of documents and websites
(including grammar, punctuation, spelling and consistency)
• Amendment tracking in PDF brochures and documents
• Copywriting
• Structural amendment
• Content editing
• Marking-up of manuscripts and books
• Proofreading for students
When professional presentation and attention to detail are all that can separate you from your competition, can you afford NOT to use Elf Editing for your next editing job?
training program for students
Elf Editing also runs a training program for students needing to brush up on their grammar and punctuation skills for college and uni work.
This has proven to be a very successful and popular program for students who are well-versed in their subject, but marked down for poor grammar and sentence structure. The sessions are conducted in small groups, with work papers provided.
proofreader/copy editor/editor – what's the difference?
Proofreading is, effectively, quality control.
It is the process of making sure that the material is error-free and, if applicable, has had the amendments made by the editor incorporated into the final product. Proofreading is basically checking that the material has no spelling, grammatical or punctuation mistakes, and that the end result is formatted correctly and suitable to be put into print. It does not involve making amendments to the content or structure or giving advice to the author.
A copy editor will focus primarily on style and consistency.
Essentially, this means ensuring that the meaning of the content is clear, that spelling, grammar and consistency are in order, and that all cross references and lists, etc. are complete and accurate. In a publishing situation, the copy editor will refer substantive amendments to the editor or the author, rather than make those amendments themselves.
While the full extent of an editor's duties will vary greatly, essentially, they are responsible for ensuring that all factual contents are correct; advising on the way the material is presented or formatted; ensuring that the tone, language and terminology are suited to the audience; ensuring that the content flows in a logical manner; checking all headings, tables, illustrations, etc. are in place, and query any legal requirements or obligations which apply to the text.
But that's not to say that only book authors need editors – many newsletters and training brochures need to have a full edit to ensure that the content is well-structured and that all aspects of its presentation are complete. Often, the lines between an editor and a copy editor will become blurred or overlap. It is always a good idea to be specific when briefing your editor or proofreader on exactly what your requirements are.
Communication is essential in ensuring that the author's needs are met and that time and money are not wasted, by either party, in to-ing and fro-ing and trying to get the job done properly.
Don't worry if you aren't sure what level of work you require - a good proofreader or editor will clarify the client's requirements at the preliminary stage of discussions.
Why use an editor?
An editor or proofreader is an essential part of business development. They should be as much a part of your business as your accountant or marketing consultant.
It's common these days to hear people say that their mum typed something up for them, or their friend read it for them, and 'they're okay at English'. But is 'okay' good enough for your business?
Editors are there to make sure your information is delivered to your audience in the clearest, most accurate way possible. The English language is an absolute minefield, and an editor can help you navigate it and get you through it unscathed! An editor will also provide advice on how your writing can work harder for you by making your material sound professional, which is especially important in the business world.
You have the knowledge about your industry or topic, you are the specialist. An editor helps make sure that your audience is able to clearly understand your information and considers you to be that specialist. There's not much point in having an abundance of knowledge, but having it come out in print without clarity or structure.
Clarity and structure are essential in good communication. We all need to communicate – it's how we do it that sets us apart from our competitors.
What should be proofread?
EVERYTHING!!
Yes, everything – even if you don't pay a professional to do it.
Basically, anything that targets an audience should be checked by someone because (and let's be honest!) most of us simply don't pick up our own mistakes.
We might spend hours/days/weeks on a particular piece of material, check it, check it again, and then have it printed and distributed; then, yes, there it is – that glaring typo you completely missed (ten times!) and every reader sees immediately! Just like the stain on your good white shirt that you washed and ironed and didn't find – then put it on to go out and hey, presto, there it is!
But I spell-check!
Ah, the be-all and end-all of editing!
Contrary to popular belief, the spell-checker should not have the final say on your work!
Yes, it picks up spelling mistakes and yes, it even sometimes picks up grammatical mistakes, but it is simply not capable of following every rule of English that applies to our writing (we struggle to understand it ourselves, how can a computer?!).
It often won't pick up the incorrect use of 'to/too/two', it won't tell you that 'quay' has been used in that spot where 'key' should have been. It won't always tell you that your sentence is unbalanced or that you used 'fewer' when you should have used 'less'. And it definitely won't tell you that you've typed in the wrong phone number on your promotional brochure! Then there's the little matter of language differences – the style of US English is very different to UK English. Your results will depend on which version you use, and often the spell-checker will automatically replace the word it thinks you should use while you're typing, and you may not even notice that it does.
Your work is too important to you and your clients to rely on this system alone - computer eyes are no substitute for human eyes! |
|
