A Wish List for Launch Day
I’m launching my proofreading business! I’m so excited!
(Excited enough to use exclamation points in two consecutive sentences? Apparently so.)
When I’m wearing my Writer’s Hat, I sometimes engage with literary agents. One thing they often do is publish ‘wish lists’ of what kinds of books they’d love to represent.
I thought I’d do the same – for proofreading.
Proofreading is a special kind of reading. It relishes above all else the architecture of the written text. So, are the texts I most enjoy proofreading similar or different to the texts I love to read? I’m not yet sure, but here’s my wish list of proofreading jobs I’d love to have land on my desk.
A play
My background is in theatre, so I’ve always loved a script. That combination of completion and potential – it’s a finished work and at the same time it’s the start of a production process. To proofread, though? Yes, absolutely! All those delightful formatting and layout conventions – what proofreader wouldn’t want to get stuck in? I’d love to do a script for any kind of play, but for the pure architectural joy of it, a farce would top my list.
An academic book or article
I used to be an academic and I still enjoy reading around my field, but as a proofreader it’s the Citation Style Challenge that makes me smile. MLA, Chicago, Harvard, APA… whichever system is in use, I love to pit myself against all of those fierce rules about tiny things. I’d like to proofread any academic text within the Arts, Humanities and Social Science fields, but since this is a wish list, I’ll go more specific and say that something with a super-wide range of sources (TV shows? Emails? Tudor manuscripts?) would really make my day.
An upcoming events brochure
I’ve worked in music venues and theatres, and the sight of a new season brochure still gives me that old thrill of nervous excitement. All those lovely images and snippets of description. All those dates and times and prices. What could be more appealing to a proofreader who loves checking cross-references and still delights in seeing how busy and varied good venues can get?
A magic-based novel for children, or a murder mystery
This might be where my reading tastes merge fully with my proofreading wishes. I’m a big fan of magic in fiction, especially (puts on Proofreader’s Hat) when it involves exciting made-up or unusual words. I also love whodunnits, and while I’m sure I could come up with some reason why they’re especially fun to proofread, honestly, it’s simply that I never tire of them. My dream is finding a mystery so engaging that I want to read it again for pleasure as soon as I’ve finished the proofread. Does that sound like your story? Then I’d love to proofread it for you!
A surprise
The trouble with a wish list, though, is that it gives a false sense of priorities. Like all those literary agents whose blogposts I’ve been emulating, the bottom line is that I love my work and I’d like to do more of it. So, surprise me! If you’ve got a text that needs checking, whatever it is, please get in touch! I’d love to hear from you.
Sincerely Yours,
The Proofs Detective
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