Keep it simple

Years ago, I took a course in film studies. On day one, the lecturer said something that has stuck with me all these years: ‘People don’t take film studies seriously as an academic field. That’s why we make it as complicated as possible.’

When writing for an audience, simplicity and clarity are key. The only person you impress by mystifying your copy is a code-breaker.

Beating those blind spots

Here's a conversation I commonly have with clients following proofreading or copy-editing their text:

Client: Do you know, I've read this document so many times and I've never noticed that rogue apostrophe/random capital/missing word.
Me: Of course - when you're so close to something, it's often very hard to see every tiny mistake. Your eye has scanned the page that many times, it gets a little bored and starts skipping detail.

That, in a nutshell, is why proofreaders are so important. You may think I’ve read this document so many times, it must be perfect, but unfortunately reading it plenty of times is no guarantee you haven’t got some blind spots.

On my website (www.perfectlywrite.co.uk), you’ll find help on improving your proofreading, as well as other areas of your writing. My top tip? Proofread until you’re sure that it’s 100 per cent right, then ask someone else to proofread it as well. You may be surprised what they find!

It starts young

As far back as I can remember, I've been obsessed with words. At three I was teaching teddies how to spell their names; at five taking great delight in correcting my own laboured writing with a red felt tip; at seven keeping the first of many diaries, including such gems as 'Went to the zoo toady. It poored and poored'.

I had the usual childhood ambitions - nurse, fireman, lollipop lady - but the dream of being a writer was less transient. It kind of stuck with me.

Once I could read, I did - as much as possible. I've a voracious appetite for many different genres of books, which dates back to my infancy. I read the classics and formed firm opinions on all (it's a Marmite thing for me - love them or hate them). By ten I'd read the children's section of my local library dry.

My love of words and writing was born in my childhood, so I've kept a passion for children's books to this day. Grown-ups all too often close the door on 'childish' pursuits, but turning your back on children's literature is a travesty. It's some of the funniest, cleverest and most inspiring writing about.

In my work as a copy-editor and proofreader, I'm privileged to work on children's books sometimes. Far from being the easiest texts to proofread and copy-edit, they require a dedication to simplicity and the best possible selection of word. Hard work, but some of my favourite copy-editing and proofreading projects.

Brand-spanking-new blog . . .

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a blank page - a new notebook crying out for creative scribbling; a clean, white empty word doc with an impatient flashing curser; and an empty blog, ready to be filled.

As Vladimir Nabakov once said: "The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous feeling of the words being there, written in invisible ink and clamoring to become visible."

Welcome to the Perfectly Write blog. It’s been a long time coming, but finally the home of copywriting, copy-editing and proofreading has a place for news, tips, articles, questions-and-answers, random facts and general musings. I’m looking forward to it.