I have to be honest, I really don’t know the mechanics of proofreading as a profession or if there’s a system out there for it. I mean I’m sure there is but I haven’t explored it…yet.

Most likely there are expensive courses and / or classes you can take to become certified and get some sort of credentials to do it but I have to be honest; I kinda suck at following systems created by other people and have a tendency to use systems or methods put in place by others more as guidelines than actual rules.

I love writing. I love reading. I love stories and blogs and anything written that resonates with me. If something ignites my imagination and draws me in, I’m most likely going to read it. So, this whole realization really hit home for me recently.

I have an author friend whom I love and with whom I share a beautiful writing relationship. She reads my raw and for the most part unedited work and I read hers. Then we usually get on the phone and hash through things and have these awesome and exciting brain storm sessions which always and I do mean always end up enhancing our stories that much more. Most importantly, we are completely truthful with each other but in a constructive way. In an encouraging and uplifting way.

She’s my proofreader and I am hers. We also edit punctuation, typos, and anything else to clean up each others work as we go, to help catch and cut down on the final main editing which is usually done by a professional editor. However, we do great work and often times we make the pro-editor’s job ten times easier.

Through doing this with my friend, I’ve discovered a love for proofreading. Do I love it more than writing?

No.

However, I find helping other writers to be the best they can be, rewarding and also enriches my own writing because I’m learning from others’ mistakes. I love helping her make her stories so much better. I love her writing and her stories and helping her helps me in a so many ways.

So, where am I going with this you may ask?

I’m thinking of taking my show on the road…per say and opening up my proofreading services to other writers. However, first I’m going to look into these courses and see what they have to offer but I have to be honest and say so far, I’ve proofread several of her books as well as the light editing and I gotta tell ya…I didn’t need to use someone else’s method or be certified in order to do it.

If anyone reading this might be interested in an un-certified proofreader, not to be confused with a beta reader although I do that as well and would combine that with the proofreading, by all means reach out. I’m going to start out pretty cheap in order to simply compensate me for the time I’m willing to invest.

If you’re interested in giving this a shot with me, send me an email at suzym45@aol.com and I’ll send you a price quote. I’m sure I can get you a reference from my author friend if you’d like one.

Well that’s it for this evening. I started writing a new book 2 days ago and I’m already 7.4k words into it. I’m speed writing these days and it is glorious! I love when that momentum kicks in and the story runs through my mind and fingers like the wind!

Yowsa!

Just in case I can’t check in with you all before 2020 hits, I’d like to wish you a Happy New Year!!!

Peace out.