The Proofreader's Parlour
A blog for editors, proofreaders and writers
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The readership of the Proofreader's Parlour continued to grow in 2013 and I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to visit, contribute and comment. As any regular business blogger knows, it takes commitment to keep a blog vibrant and up-to-date with fresh, high-quality content. There's a lot of thoroughly useful information in the blogosphere, all of which is free to access. However, navigating that space to find what you want is the time-consuming bit! With that in mind I thought I'd provide readers with (a) a short summary of this year's most-read Parlour posts and (b) a list of some of the go-to editorial business blogs that I've found most beneficial to my professional development in 2013. What you've been reading on the Parlour ... This is a list of the twenty most-read articles in 2013 (ranked by number of page views). And it's great to see three of my guest writers featuring in the top ten!
What I've been reading elsewhere ... These are my ten go-to business-development blogs/resource hubs (in alphabetical order). Keeping the list to ten meant I had to leave out some really useful and enjoyable reading provided by editorial colleagues, but I hope this gives a flavour of what's available, especially for the new entrant to the field. (For some of the other excellent sites I regularly visit, scroll down to the blogroll on the Parlour's right-hand sidebar.)
Here's to 2014 and to another year of sharing information and ideas about how to navigate the always fascinating but sometimes bumpy world of editorial freelancing!  About Louise Harnby Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and the curator of The Proofreader's Parlour. Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, follow her on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or find her on LinkedIn.
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Here are four resources that anyone starting out in proofreading or editing might like to consider for their bookshelf. Each has its own particular angle and therefore complements the other three. One of the biggest struggles for the new entrant to the editorial freelancing field is dealing with the disconnect between having the skills to do a job and having the knowledge to run a business. These four books aim to help the newbie bridge that gap.  Starting Out: Setting Up a Small Business, 3rd ed. Val Rice, in association with the SfEP From the blurb: 'If you're thinking of becoming an editorial freelance, or have recently taken the plunge, here's invaluable help from someone who has done it successfully. There's information on making the decision to go freelance ● what you'll need to set yourself up ● managing your finances ● advice on how to get work and how much to charge ● and a section of useful websites and books.' Paperback; approx. 23 pages; more details and information here.  Business Planning for Editorial Freelancers: A Guide for New Starters Louise Harnby, in association with the PTC Written by an established freelance proofreader, this practical, step-by-step guide helps those with no prior publishing or editorial experience get their editorial business up and running. Chapters focus on why a business plan is necessary ● the different aspects of editorial freelancing ● training ● client focus ● getting experience ● financial assessment ● marketing ● networking, tools for the job ● and real-world case studies featuring new starters and successful practitioners. Paperback and ebook; approx. 125 pages; more details and ordering information here.  Going it Alone at 40: How I Survived My First Year of Full-Time Self-Employment Liz Broomfield From the blurb: 'This book is a mixture of diary entries and useful articles that will help you to find out: Whether self-employment is for you ● how to establish a business while maintaining your employment ● how to set goals ● how to network ● how to measure your social media and website success ● how to manage your days so you stay healthy ● how to achieve a good work/life balance ● and how to dress to work at home.' Ebook; approx. 134 pages; more details and information here.  How to succeed as a Freelancer in Publishing: The Complete Guide Emma Murray and Charlie Wilson From the blurb: 'This book tells you how to build a successful freelance business around supplying publishing services ... It includes top tips; insider knowledge and case studies ● information on how to market yourself ● how to deal with finance ● how to find out what your clients are looking for ● plus invaluable insights from other successful freelancers and industry experts.' Paperback; approx 240 pages; more details and information here. Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and copyeditor. She curates The Proofreader's Parlour and is the author of several books on business planning and marketing for editors and proofreaders. Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or connect via Facebook and LinkedIn.  My starting-out posts have proved to be some of the most popular articles on the Parlour. Here's the top 10 according to reader pageviews:
If you're starting out in editorial freelancing, perhaps these will give you a feel for where you focus your business building efforts. The early stages or running one's own business can be the most frustrating and daunting, but perseverance does reap benefits, so keep at it!  This roundup lists all the links posted on the Parlour to date about free tools and resources that may be of use to editorial freelancers looking to increase their productivity and expand their business knowledge base.
 The following roundup features more links to recommended reading for editorial freelancers looking for information about marketing and getting noticed ...
See also Part I: Roundup: Marketing Resources from the Parlour.  This roundup features links related to the subject of online editorial portfolios/résumés. The articles featured cover why, how and what to include:
 This roundup provides an easy-access summary of the Parlour's posts on some of the areas of editorial freelancing that you might consider if you're starting out in your career or considering and expansion of your portfolio. Included are interviews, guest contributions, advice based on my own experience, and links to external resources, all of which aim to give honest overviews of what's involved, what you can earn, and how you can access these markets. Specific areas of editorial work
General advice about editorial freelancing as a profession
Future posts Look out for future posts about other specialist areas of editorial freelancing, including:
If you want to submit an article about your particular specialist area, drop me a line. Guest articles are always welcome on the Proofreader's Parlour – the more viewpoints shared, the more we learn. The Many Worlds of Words – Celebrating the Parlour's First Birthday and its Guest Contributors1/12/2012  Today is the Parlour's first birthday. In the past year it's received over 58,000 page hits from visitors in 129 different countries. To celebrate this I'm posting this roundup of contributions from the fabulous guests who've taken the time out of their busy schedules to write articles and take part in the interviews. All have generously shared their worlds of words and in so doing have contributed to the success of this blog. Thank you! Thank you, too, to all the colleagues, friends, tweeters and subscribers from the editorial and publishing world who have visited the Proofreader's Parlour, and read, commented and shared the posts internationally. If you wish to get in touch with any of the guest authors listed below, click on the contact information provided within their respective articles. Enjoy!
If you want to add your own angle on editing, proofreading, writing or publishing, drop me a line with a brief outline of your idea. You may like to write about something not previously covered, or highlight your own experience of a subject area that's already been featured by me or by one of my guests. You may be a new entrant to the field or an old hand. You may live in the UK, or elsewhere. The aim is simply to bring together some of the many voices of publishing in the hope that we might learn from each other.  This Roundup pulls together all the links to editorial tools featured on The Proofreader's Parlour to date.
This latest Roundup features a selection of links to articles and guidelines related to the provision of proofreading/editing services for students. The area is something of a minefield, with some institutions encouraging it and some absolutely forbidding it. The overall message is clear: before commencing editing or proofreading work on Master's dissertations or doctoral theses, ask the student for confirmation that they have permission from their academic supervisor to use your services and be clear about any particular restrictions on levels of intervention.
Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and copyeditor. She curates The Proofreader's Parlour and is the author of several books on business planning and marketing for editors and proofreaders. Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or connect via Facebook and LinkedIn.  This Roundup features resources for proofreaders and editors who work on law books and journals. Resources are free unless otherwise indicated (P = pay for). Articles and tutorials
Software
Style guides
This roundup provides a quick-access route to all the PDF proofreading marks files posted on the Parlour.
I should have done this ages ago so apologies to anyone who's had to spend unnecessary time navigating their way around the Stamps archive to see what's available.
I'll keep this updated as new files are added so that there's always one central resource with all the necessary links.
Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and copyeditor. She curates The Proofreader's Parlour and is the author of several books on business planning and marketing for editors and proofreaders.
Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or connect via Facebook and LinkedIn.  The following is a summary of the articles related to marketing and getting noticed that have been published on the Proofreader's Parlour to date.  About Louise Harnby Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and the curator of The Proofreader's Parlour. She is the author of Business Planning for Editorial Freelancers and Marketing Your Editing and Proofreading Business. Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, follow her on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or find her on LinkedIn. The following publishers, professional societies, and journals publish online lists of independent language editing services for academics needing pre-submission editorial help. If you’re a provider of ESL editing services you could investigate the possibility of getting your business included on some of these lists. Some publishers only list agencies (to prevent the lists becoming too long). The alternative in that case is to contact those agency providers already listed and enquire as to whether your skills would enable you to join their teams. Examples include Charlesworth, Edanz, Editage and American Journal Editors. You’ll see these and other organizations cropping up time and again in the online listings that I’ve linked to below. Take a look at Anna Sharman’s excellent guest article here on the Parlour entitled Working for Academic Editing Agencies for a more in-depth look at this area of editing. Anna has first-hand experience of this market so if you're seriously considering this type of work then her overview is a must-read. This list no doubt has some holes but it should provide some initial points of contact to help you build your editorial business portfolio, particularly if you have scientific higher-level qualifications and expertise.
(Thanks to Anna Sharman, Carlotta Shearson and Colin Woodham for their contributions.) If you know of other similar online listings and wish to share them, please contact me and I’ll add them to this resource. Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and copyeditor. She curates The Proofreader's Parlour and is the author of several books on business planning and marketing for editors and proofreaders. Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or connect via Facebook and LinkedIn.  The following is a summary of the articles related to editorial freelance training that have been published on The Proofreader's Parlour to date.
 The following is a summary of the articles that have appeared on The Proofreader's Parlour related to starting out in editorial freelancing. The posts include marketing tips; useful tools; and training, pay and different sectors of employment. Employment sectors, training and pay
Marketing tips
Useful tools
 This Roundup offers useful links and resources for professional indexers and other editorial professionals or writers looking for information about indexing. Societies
Software
Reports and publications
Articles
Courses
Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and copyeditor. She curates The Proofreader's Parlour and is the author of several books on business planning and marketing for editors and proofreaders. Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or connect via Facebook and LinkedIn.  This Roundup features links related to the financial side of editorial freelancing – what you can earn, what you can save, costs that need to be offset, advertising your rates, considering what and how to charge, and how to handle late payment.
This Roundup offers some links and tips for editors and proofreaders who don’t have their own websites but are thinking of taking the plunge. Why you should have a website
How to build and design your site
What else might you include?
Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and copyeditor. She curates The Proofreader's Parlour and is the author of several books on business planning and marketing for editors and proofreaders. Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or connect via Facebook and LinkedIn. This Roundup features resources that will be of particular interest to those editors and proofreaders who are new to onscreen work, or to experienced editorial professionals who want to expand their skills. It includes links to useful courses, articles and books. Courses
Articles
Books
Want to add anything? In particular, specific onscreen editing/proofreading courses from outside the UK would be of interest since well over half the Parlour's visitors are from elsewhere in the world. Please feel free to let us know in the Comments section (or email me and I'll add your recommendations). Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and copyeditor. She curates The Proofreader's Parlour and is the author of several books on business planning and marketing for editors and proofreaders. Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or connect via Facebook and LinkedIn. This Roundup provides links to just a few of the many online resources for using social media and the web to enhance your profile. It’s in no way exhaustive but represents instead some of the articles, networks and webinars that I think are worth a gander. Webinars
Articles
Courses
Resource centre
LinkedIn groups
Feel free to let me know in the Comments section if there are must-know-about links that you’d like to see included. This Roundup provides useful resources for authors, project managers and publishers on what to look for when choosing an editor, and where to find editors and proofreaders. Choosing an Editor: What You Should Look For – Advice from the Pros
Finding an Editor/Proofreader: Where You Can Look
What have I missed out? If you know of any useful articles on finding an editor, or a great searchable directory of editorial professionals, add them in the Comments section and I’ll update the article. Louise Harnby is a professional proofreader and copyeditor. She curates The Proofreader's Parlour and is the author of several books on business planning and marketing for editors and proofreaders. Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, or connect via Facebook and LinkedIn.  This latest Roundup features links to authoritative articles offering advice on starting a career in publishing.
 This Roundup offers links to sites offering indispensable ancillary tools for editors and proofreaders. It includes software, macros, an in-depth article by Microsoft Word MVP Shauna Kelly, and a free book with over 400 macros. Software:
PerfectIt from Intelligent Editing. Macros: Paul Sensecall and Adam Bukolt's ReferenceChecker. A range of program add-ins from The Editorium. Article: Microsoft Word MVP Shauna Kelly's 'How does Track Changes in Microsoft Word work?'. Books: ● Macros for Writers and Editors by Paul Beverley. ● Macro Cookbook for Microsoft Word by Jack Lyon (US link/UK link). Please use the Comments section if you would like to advise readers of your preferred ancillary tools. 
This Roundup offers links to some excellent articles about using macros in Word, and a couple of books for macro-users, one of which is a comprehensive freebie with over 400 macros written by SfEP Advanced Member Paul Beverley.
Articles:
Books:
If you know of other macros that would be of use to editors and proofreaders, please share them with us in the Comments section. When it comes to using macros, the usual caveats apply – take care with them and make a backup copy of your work before you run anything that's going to make major revisions. |
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September 2017
I'm an Advanced Professional Member of the UK's national editorial society.
 All text on this blog, The Proofreader's Parlour, and on the other pages of this website (unless indicated otherwise) is in copyright © 2011–17 Louise Harnby. Please do not copy or reproduce any of the content, in whole or part, in any form, unless you ask first.
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 Author Member of The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). I abide by its Code of Standards in regard to my status as an independent writer.
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Advanced Professional Member of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP). I'm a signatory to its code of practice as a professional editor.
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Featured in The Book Designer's Carnival of the Indies: Joel Friedlander's collection of 'outstanding articles recently posted to blogs'.
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Winner of the Judith Butcher Award 2017 in respect of 'highly visible contributions to the SfEP and its membership'.
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