Allison N
c
“To be a good writer, first become a good reader.”
Specialist subjects:
Editing formats:
Education:
BA Linguistics and German
Marquette University
2016–2020
Favorite referencing style
My favorite referencing style is APA because it’s the one I am most familiar with. To me, it’s simple, straightforward, and scientific.
Why I became an editor
I’ve always been fascinated by how powerful language is: the more skilled you are, the better you can communicate with others. This interest, along with my love for writing and reading, led me to linguistics, where I continue to learn even more about languages, especially my own. This gave me the opportunity to work at my university’s writing center during my studies.
After encountering many non-native English speakers while traveling, I wanted to encourage natives and non-natives to master their languages. Proofreading is my ideal job because I can read, learn new things, enhance my English skills, and a bonus: I can work whenever and wherever I want!
Background and experience
I started proofreading and editing in my writing center during my last year of high school. Going into college, I became a receptionist at my university’s writing center, but then applied to become a tutor during my second year. Taking the job required a four-credit course throughout a semester, including fifteen hours of being observed by and shadowing current tutors. Throughout my third year, I worked as a tutor five hours per week, both in-person and online. I tutored native and non-native high school students, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a few professionals; I worked on papers and projects from various disciplines: English, social sciences, nursing, engineering, personal statements, etc. I also participated in our Conversation Partners program, in which I spoke with ESL speakers and helped them correct their speaking mistakes. Finally, I have previously volunteered to edit writers’ work on Wattpad, a platform for sharing stories, where I gained some experience in editing creative writing.
Why I love proofreading and editing
I have always been detail oriented; when I was younger, I felt a special kind of joy whenever I found a typo in a printed book or when I caught a spelling mistake in something my teacher had written. But as I gained more experience in writing, reading, and eventually proofreading and editing, I found even more joy in seeing words come to life. Helping someone find the harmony in their writing became the best part of tutoring, and having a successful conference exhilarates me. Although I'm most comfortable editing the subjects I studied in university, I enjoy challenging myself and learning new material from other people’s writing. I see editing and proofreading as a vital step towards communication in order to convey one’s thoughts clearly and efficiently.
Favorite book:
Currently, my favorite book is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Hobbies:
When I’m not proofreading, I am learning languages (previously German, currently Spanish, later Turkish), reading, or exploring somewhere new: neighborhoods, parks, forests, cities, countries, etc. are all on the table!
Editing tips:
When I first look at a document, I like to read through once or twice to get a feel for the changes that need to be made. When a document has problems with organization, I like to make a reverse outline by writing down the main ideas of each paragraph/section. This makes it easier to observe the flow of the writing and ensure that the ideas are in the right places. I also keep in mind keywords that show up in the writing to make sure that they are being used correctly and consistently.
