Qualified proofreader and copy-editor with more than 6 years’ freelance experience working for book and magazine publishers, charities, businesses, independent authors, academics and postgraduate students.
What’s your work setup look like?
I am now a digital nomad (a term I’m not that keen on but seems to be understood so I stick with it) so my most important items relate to making my work setup as comfortable as possible wherever I am. This includes using a Roost laptop stand and external keyboard and mouse – this turns a laptop into more of a desktop setup. I have a blog series about taking my proofreading service on the road with loads more detail on this. Other than that, I use PerfectIt, which is a really user-friendly bit of software that helps with consistency checks, and I also use a few macros to help pick up on general elements in the file. Not only do these save a bit of time but more importantly they help me pick up on errors and issues that I might not always spot and thereby improve my work. After all, us editors and proofreaders are only human and can’t guarantee perfection – if technology can help, I believe we should be embracing it.
What led you to start working in digital/media publishing?
I always thought I wanted to be a journalist and though I got onto a course to enable that to happen, I changed my mind and went off travelling instead. When I returned to the UK, I sort of fell into proofreading and editing, first working at a non-publishing company but editing and proofreading their company reports and online content. I then applied for a job at a magazine publishing company and loved the job but the company wasn’t quite to my liking so I didn’t stay that long. I then went into finance and then the public sector, but the latter was specifically to give me flexible work so I could do a distance proofreading course to set myself up as a freelance proofreader and editor. Kateproof proofreading and copy-editing services was born in 2010 and since then, most of my work has been digital – I’ve had a few in-house freelance jobs and done a few hard-copy projects over the years but I can count those on one hand compared with hundreds of projects done purely digitally.What does a typical day look like for you?
What I love about my job is that days rarely look the same, unless I am working on a big project. Generally, I find I can only really concentrate on full-on editing or proofreading for about 4 or 5 hours per day and I work best in the mornings so I get up at about 7 am and work from 8 am until 12 or 1 pm, then have lunch, then if necessary do admin, marketing, accounts etc. in the afternoon. If a project is on a tight deadline and I have to work in the afternoon, I tend to do blocks of two hours after lunch with decent breaks to keep my eyes and brain fresh.What’s your work setup look like?
I am now a digital nomad (a term I’m not that keen on but seems to be understood so I stick with it) so my most important items relate to making my work setup as comfortable as possible wherever I am. This includes using a Roost laptop stand and external keyboard and mouse – this turns a laptop into more of a desktop setup. I have a blog series about taking my proofreading service on the road with loads more detail on this. Other than that, I use PerfectIt, which is a really user-friendly bit of software that helps with consistency checks, and I also use a few macros to help pick up on general elements in the file. Not only do these save a bit of time but more importantly they help me pick up on errors and issues that I might not always spot and thereby improve my work. After all, us editors and proofreaders are only human and can’t guarantee perfection – if technology can help, I believe we should be embracing it.
What do you do or go to get inspired?
Now that I am travelling and working, I find inspiration in many places. If I find I can’t concentrate, I can go on a walk and explore somewhere new and that tends to work a treat. I also find that by travelling, I encounter many other languages and see connections to English or learn something new and that inspires me and my love of language on an almost daily basis.
