Why did you get into proofreading?

Why and how did you get into proofreading? 

This is a question I am often asked. 

I have always had a passion for the English language: it’s beautiful, expressive, rich and – when used well –  a source of great pleasure.  My elder sister taught me to read and I could apparently read fluently before I started school.  That pleasure in reading and language has stayed with me. 

I’ve run my own language training company, The Language Business, for the last twenty-five years.  That has involved teaching business people foreign languages and English.  I teach French and work with a small team who provide training in other European languages and in Mandarin. 

Because people know I have a passion for language (and a reputation as a grammar pedant), I started to receive requests to look over, revise and correct work that friends and colleagues had produced.  This started out on an informal basis, but the requests became more frequent and I decided to create a more formal framework for it.  I therefore set up P. W. Proofreading in 2016. 

I get great pleasure from my work in this field.  Firstly, I get to read some interesting stuff in a variety of genres – novels, dissertations, non-fiction and technical material.  Secondly, it’s very satisfying to help an author by correcting any errors that have crept in, and by suggesting changes to style or content where I think it’s appropriate.  The feedback I get is always positive and that’s a big encouragement for me.  Thirdly, I learn stuff – language is constantly evolving and it’s always interesting to see how it is changing. 

If the proofreading work that I do helps someone become a better author or writer, then that’s a major source of satisfaction for me.