Elizabeth E
Chichester, UK
“Helping clients so that they achieve success.”
Specialist subjects:
Editing formats:
Education:
BA Business Administration and Human Resources
Polytechnic of North London
1982–1985
Favorite referencing style
APA because it is very methodical.
Why I became an editor
I started my career in IT as a business analyst and was also involved in systems design. I moved into support, project planning, and consultancy. I’ve worked in a variety of industry sectors, such as manufacturing, investment banking, and local government. Many of the roles involved writing IT user guides and also ISO 9000 documentation.
I decided to become a proofreader because I find I spot errors in articles and books both online and in hard copy. As a proofreader, I enjoy correcting any errors that I come across.
Background and experience
I have had extensive experience creating policy and procedural guidelines, including documentation towards ISO 9000 accreditation for various companies. The attention to detail required to produce this type of documentation is very relevant to the skill set required for proofreading.
Why I love proofreading and editing
I love the detail involved in proofreading (this stems from my IT background). Even small changes can completely transform a document. I enjoy fine-tuning sentences and paragraphs to ensure that the content is free of errors and that the text flows effortlessly. I also really enjoy formatting documents so that they become visually presentable and professional.
Favorite book:
Imperium by Robert Harris
Hobbies:
Coastal rowing in 30ft-long wooden boats, which are rowed by four crew and a coxswain.
Editing tips:
Before I start proofreading, I like to read through the entire document to get an overview of the overall structure and the message it wants to convey. This helps me have a context for each proofreading comment that I make.
