With over 30 years of experience, I am a former English teacher with a BA in English from Rutgers University and an MEd from the University of Delaware.
Designing lessons to focus on such writing skills as organization and word choice, I spent years instructing my students on how to improve their writing abilities. I also made it a priority to ensure that my students regularly edited and proofread their work since a flawless piece of writing consistently makes a better impression.
Noting my lessons with my students, our principal began having me proofread any new pieces of communication intended for parents.
When I came home, my two sons would often ask me to edit their writing assignments. Because one son is particularly verbose, this was no easy feat. I frequently had to cut hundreds of words, all the while keeping the context intact.
Interestingly, though, despite the attention to detail, I found that I loved making someone’s writing better—even late at night after a long day.
After I retired a couple of years ago, I decided to hone my editing skills, so I completed a rigorous proofreading course, passed the required test, and began my new career.
Editing and proofreading are simply natural extensions of the work I had been doing for the past few decades.
Now, whether I’m tweaking someone’s website, proofreading a paper for a psychology class, or enhancing the resumé of someone planning a career change, I’m loving being able to help people now in a slightly different way.