Christmas Shopping for Proofreaders

If you or a loved one works as a freelance proofreader, the holidays may well be more about dotting the Is than Morecambe and Wise. But even proofreaders deserve a treat this Christmas. So what gifts would make a professional word nerd happy this Yuletide?

1. A Room of One’s Own

It’s impossible to pay full attention to proofreading if your roommate is watching football or your children are jumping on the bed. Ideally, you would have a dedicated place for working, with a computer, a desk, a good office chair, decent lighting and, above all, privacy.

But while you might not have all this, you can give the proofreader in your life a comfortable, distraction free environment when they are working. And maybe a nice, posture-preserving chair: being hunched up on the sofa with a laptop may be tempting, but it is bad for your back.

And perhaps the greatest gift to give is time: if your proofreader is struggling to work because they don’t have their own space, maybe go for a walk for a bit. They’ll be much less Grinch-y once they’ve finished working and can enjoy a little Christmas cheer.

2. The Right Tools

You can’t be a carpenter with a butter knife and some Sellotape. And, similarly, a proofreader with inappropriate tools is unlikely to get much done. Minimally, they should have:

• A computer
• An email address
• The latest version of Microsoft Word

It may be galling to old-school editors who prefer to daub arcane marks on hard-copy manuscripts with a red pen, but times change. Most freelance proofreaders now work on a computer, so make sure your editor friends have equipped themselves accordingly.

3. The Knowadays Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor Courses

Finally, if you know an aspiring editor but they haven’t signed up to the Knowadays Becoming A Proofreader course yet, why not give them a nudge? It is the most comprehensive and useful learning tool out there. And as well as the finer points of spelling, grammar, and punctuation, it also covers essential skills needed to work as a professional freelance proofreader.

Really, then, the Knowadays course is the must-have for anyone who wants to begin proofreading, or even anyone who just wants to brush up on their editing skills. And if you obtain a distinction grade of 80% or above on both the Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor courses at Knowadays, you are guaranteed work with our proofreading partner company! So go on – treat someone to a gift that could truly change their lives by opening a whole new career path!

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