Laura's Proofs

Make Your New Year's Resolution to Hire a Copy Editor!

2011-01-01T06:02:00.000-08:00

I wish everyone a very Happy 2011. And for all of you out there who feel that the state of your written materials last year might just be what cost you that job, got you all those C's on your school papers, or caused the main customer comment left for your business to be "You misspelled ____" or "You use too many commas," make a resolution this year to always have your copy editor check your work.

Happy 2011 to everyone!
Laura

English Grammar Rules That Could Have Used Copy Editing!

2010-12-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. Long time, no post. I apologize for that. I have been swamped! But I wanted to post some pics I have taken over the last month. These pictures are errors made by people that should have known better - or hired a copy editor!! Enjoy!

No comment really...other than maybe WHY would anyone name a gas station "Three way"? PLEASE consult your copy editor next time.

This one isn't so much funny as it is sad. CITY business should always be copy edited before "Every day" becomes an everyday thing..

I enlarged this picture so you can read it better. CNN--a leader in news reporting--really should have had their business reports copy edited before they put "gararge" on the news. Nice CNN, nice. =)

I hope you enjoy these and I will post again as soon as I slow down a bit. Until then, mind your Ps and Qs--and by all means, have your copy editor double-check your work!

Your copy editor/proofreader,

Laura

Go Texas Rangers!!!!!

2010-10-22T20:49:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to the Texas Rangers for their very first trip to the World Series!!! Awesome Job Guys!!!!

There's a LOT of happy people in Texas right now. =)

Your Copy Editor (and Ranger fan)

Laura

Your Copy Editor Wants You to Ask Yourself, "Is This Necessary?"

2010-10-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

TGIF!!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful week! I know this week has definitely been a great one for me. I actually took a few days off to spend playing with my kids—ALWAYS time well-spent.

I am working on compiling a list of style guide comparisons in between teaching and copy editing. Until I get the list compiled though, let me give you another comma point to ponder. =)

First, let’s talk about the difference between a restrictive clause and a non-restrictive clause. A restrictive clause adds information to the sentence that is imperative to its meaning. In other words, if you remove the restrictive clause, it will change the meaning of the sentence.

For example:

The proofreaders were responsible for catching the errors that the copy editors overlooked.

If you remove “that the copy editors overlooked” from this sentence, it changes the meaning of the sentence.

Now, a non-restrictive clause is non-essential information that is added to the sentence. In other words, if you remove the non-restrictive clause, the meaning of the sentence will not be changed.

For example:

The unedited technical document, which was written by the engineer, was lengthy and disorganized.

Here, if you remove “which was written by the engineer” from the sentence, it does not change the meaning of the sentence.

What does all of this have to do with commas? Glad you asked. This is a VERY common error I find when proofreading or copy editing. Restrictive clauses are never set off from the rest of the sentence by commas and they usually begin with that, who, whose, or whom. The non-restrictive clauses are always set off from the rest of the sentence by commas and they usually begin with which, who, whose, or whom.

I find that many writers confuse that and which quite often. So in your writing, ask yourself “Is this information necessary to the meaning of the sentence?” If your answer is “yes,” then you will use that without commas. If your answer is “no,” then the correct usage is which with commas separating the clause from the rest of the sentence.

And if you STILL have questions, ask your copy editor. =) Make sure you don't miss any posts, and click "Follow Laura's Proofs" at the right-hand side over there! And right now, the first person to get 15 of their friends and family to "follow" my blog will win 2 FREE hours of proofreading or copy editing! Make sure your friends e-mail me at laurasproofs@gmail.com to tell me you sent them! =)

Until tomorrow,

Mind your Ps and Qs!

Your copy editor,

Laura

P.S. I am still taking submissions for my book of unique words and phrases. I would like to have some from all corners of the globe!

Are You and Your Friends Following Laura's Proofs YET?!

2010-10-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

Well, what's taking so long? =)

Make sure you don't miss out on any of my updates or posts! It's uber-simple to do! Just look at the right-hand side of this page and click "Follow." That's it! I don't send you anything, no spam. Just a way to keep up with me and my editorial rants.

Oh yeah, and there IS that little contest for 2 FREE hours of copy editing or proofreading for anybody who can get 15 of their friends and family to "follow" me as well. But make sure they send me an e-mail to laurasproofs@gmail.com to tell me you sent them!

Good luck to everyone and good night. =)

Your copy editor,

Laura

The Commas, etc., in Your Copy Editor's Head!

2010-10-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a fantabulous weekend!!! Mondays tend to…well, they just suck. So we are going to have a very simple comma lesson today. YEAH!!!! And for all my English tutoring students – “simple” does not mean you don’t need to study!! ;)

Today I am just going to talk about comma usage with the abbreviations “etc.” and “et al.”

Etc. (et cetera) means “and others of the same kind.”

For example:

It takes the work of many people such as authors, copy editors, proofreaders, publishers, etc., to publish a book.

Unless it falls at the end of the sentence, you always place a comma before AND after etc. Simple, right?

Now, et al. means “and others.” It is the abbreviation for et alia (neuter), et alii (masculine), and et aliae (feminine). You should place a comma before and after et al. just as you do etc. UNLESS it is preceded by only one item.

For example:

K. Thomas, R. Martin, et al., contributed to editing the technical document for their boss (more than one).
Thomas et al. contributed to editing the technical document for their boss (only one person’s name is listed).

You should also note that neither etc. nor et al. are italicized. This is a common error I find when editing materials.

AND, that’s it!! Told you I was going to ease you into Monday. =P

Have a great week!! We’ll chat again tomorrow.

Your copy editor,

Laura

Do You Know What Your Kids Have Planned this Week?!

2010-10-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

Today begins Teen Read Week (through the October 23)! Teen Read Week is not very well-known, so let me explain what it is and what you as writers and readers can do. The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) began Teen Read Week 1998, so you can see it is still very young. During Teen Read Week, more than 5,000 librarians and educators help to encourage teenagers to put down their iPods, laptops, cell phones, and video games—if just for one week—and read a book. Libraries across the states hold special programs and events supporting teen reading. This year’s theme is “Books with Beat.”

Why do we need Teen Read Week? It’s simple: studies have proven that children and teens who read do much better in testing as well as when they join the workforce. We want the best for our children of course, so it’s important to remember that books provide a fun and free way for children to be entertained. As with most people, books allow you to escape your anxieties and fears in life. They provide a way for teens to connect with other people who share the same interests. And for teens struggling with becoming who they are in a world as chaotic as ours, books let them know they aren’t alone and that there are other people in this huge world of ours who feel the same way they do.

What can you do to help? Obviously, encourage your teenage children, nephews, nieces, grandchildren, students—everyone!—to pick up a book just for fun. Not because they are required to read something for school, but because they want to. You can also purchase Teen Read Week products. Bookmarks, posters, and gifts may be purchased from ALA Graphics (the official product line) at www.alastore.ala.org. All proceeds will help support our library systems across the states!

I look forward to hearing how all of you celebrate Teen Read Week! Now, put down the computers, iPods, and cell phones, turn off the television, and go lose yourself in a good book!

Have a great week!

Your copy editor,

Laura

Got Words? Your Copy Editor's Reminders and Some Thoughts for the Week...

2010-10-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Good evening everyone! I was sitting around (yes, I am old - haha) thinking about my copy editing blog here and had some ideas I wanted to run by you and some things I wanted to remind you of.

First, of course I am still looking for TONS and TONS of submissions for my book. Basically, the evolution of language has always fascinated me. New words are introduced into our dictionaries every year as "official" English language words. But where did these words originate? Who was the first person EVER to say foshizzle...okay, okay, maybe we DO know that one. =)

I want YOUR words - your FAMILY'S words, the words used by your best friend that you always made fun of him/her for. I want to know everything about them. Where did they hear them? What made them think of them if they were the ones that created these words? Use them in a sentence for me so I can get a feel for their usage.

My nana used to tell me she was "tickled to the peewadden." To this day I have no clue what a peewadden is--and neither does she!! That is what makes this phrase even more awesome!! Words are an incredible way to expose your innermost thoughts and feelings - even if they make no sense at all to anyone! To me, "peewadden" means something silly, and I use it now when I am feeling silly too. And a simple silly word reconnects me to a woman I will always truly adore.

So please, share your words with me. I would like to have submissions from people all over the world for my book! I want this book to cross all cultural and physical boundaries and unite all of us in our love of language--regardless of what that language is! So bring them on!! I still need 100s!!!

Secondly, I am going to be making some changes to my recent posts about commas. Not that they were incorrect, but I am going to add in a little piece from other major style guides so that you can see a contrast of the differences between the major style guides. And eventually, maybe I will put together a large chart that compares the punctuation, grammar, and structure across all of the major guides. Sort of your "One Stop Grammar Shop."

Don't forget I also offer private English/Literature tutoring now. E-mail me for details.

And one last thing...I will have an article for you Sunday the 17th because it begins Teen Read Week!! So be sure to check in to find out what it is and what you can do!!

Until then, if you have any questions or comments you would like to make, or if there is something you would like me to explain or discuss, you may either comment here or send me a private e-mail at laurasproofs@gmail.com.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Have a great weekend!

Your copy editor,

Laura

Who Could Teach Grammar Better than a Copy Editor??

2010-10-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I have recently begun tutoring people of all ages in English grammar, spelling, pronunciation, structure, and so on. I can also tutor you in literature (my favorite).

Unlike many tutoring schools, my prices will not force you into bankruptcy or cause you to take out a second mortgage on your home! E-mail me at laurasproofs@gmail.com for more information!

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Your copy editor,

Laura

South Carolina McDonald's Needs to Hire a Copy Editor...or They May Lose Sales!!

2010-10-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

A Facebook friend of mine reposted this WONDERFUL example of just how unhealthy McDonald's food may be! Now, I LOVE McDonald's (and yes, I definitely realize it is not healthy), but I sure hope this wasn't on the menu tonight at my Forney McDonalds!!!

Thank you Debbie!! You ROCK as always!! =)

Your copy editor,

Laura

Have You Seen the TSI Typo Hunters Editing Signs in Your Area?

2010-10-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

My father called me this morning because he recorded CBS Sunday Morning on his DVR for me. He knew, with my passion for punctuation, that I would be THRILLED to see what he found. And I was. These gentlemen have the most awesome copy editing/proofreading job there is. I am so insanely jealous. So I wanted to share this with all of you. If people really pay attention, you would be surprised just how many signs are spelled incorrectly. Another reason businesses should always have an in-house editor on hand. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

If any of you see signs with missing or extra punctuation or misspelled words, please take a picture of them and send them to me and I will post them. Enjoy! =)

TSI - America's Typo Hunters

Have a fantastic Columbus Day!

Your copy editor,

Laura

Your Friends Can Help You Get Two Hours of FREE Copy Editing!

2010-10-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

It’s Friday!!! Yeah! Hip hip hooray! In honor of the beginning of this weekend, we are going to skip the boring punctuation talk (returning to commas next week).

Instead, I am offering two free hours of copy editing or proofreading to the first person who can get fifteen of their friends to “follow” my blog.

The rules (yes, everybody has rules!):

The new “followers” must actually be new, meaning they can’t already be followers.
To get credit for your referrals, they must send an e-mail to laurasproofs@gmail.com that says, “(Your name) told me about your copy editing blog.”

This is the most absolutely simple contest! No copy editing tests to take this time. =)

Now, ready, set…GO!

Have a great weekend!

Laura

UPDATE!! I have gotten a few e-mails asking what happens if more than one person just happens to get 15 people to follow my blog at the same time. IF that were to somehow happen, I will award the two FREE hours of proofreading/copy editing to BOTH people. Awesome guys! Thank you! =)
Laura

Help!!! My Lists Are Being Smothered in Commas!!!

2010-10-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon! I took the day off yesterday because I was not feeling very well. But I am back today and feeling much, much better!

Today we are going to cover a very simple rule for commas. So let’s begin!

Our rule today sort of continues our previous discussion of serial commas. What do you do if the list in your sentence ALSO has commas?

For example:

The Senior Technical Engineer wrote three technical manuals as follows: Becoming an IT Tech, which describes the learning process; The Importance of Continued Education in IT, which offers examples of how an IT tech can maintain his edge through education; and Review Time, which sums up how an IT tech can make the best impression when it’s time for his annual review!

In this sentence, you need a comma between the names of the technical manuals and their descriptions. If you only used commas here, this is what your sentence would look like:

The Senior Technical Engineer wrote three technical manuals as follows: Becoming an IT Tech, which describes the learning process, The Importance of Continued Education in IT, which offers examples of how an IT tech can maintain his edge through education, and Review Time, which sums up how an IT tech can make the best impression when it’s time for his annual review!

Here is another example, which you will find in The Chicago Manual of Style (a copy editor’s best friend):

The defendant, in an attempt to mitigate his sentence, pleaded that he had recently, on doctor’s orders, gone off his medications; that his car—which, incidentally, he had won in the late 1970s on Let’s Make a Deal—had spontaneously caught on fire; and that he had not eaten for several days.

You can see where this would tend to get a little confusing when you have large or complex lists that contain internal punctuation. So the rule states that if items in a series also contain commas (or any punctuation really) internally, separating the items with semicolons can make your text clearer.

Pretty simple, right? In many situations, this rule is optional, meaning you could use either commas or semicolons to separate the items in your list. However, as writers and copy editors, one of our main goals is to provide a text (in ANY genre) in which the reader doesn’t have to work at understanding what point you are trying to make. You want your text to flow simply, elegantly, and—most importantly—CLEARLY!

So that’s all I will torture you for today! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Until tomorrow—cross your Ts, dot your Is, and mind your Ps and Qs! They say a lot about you!

Your copy editor,

Laura

Can a Serial Comma Kill Your Writing?

2010-10-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying this amazing fall weather! Today we will continue with our comma course with an explanation of the dreaded—gasp!—serial comma. Don’t be scared. It won’t hurt a bit.

First, let’s talk about what a “serial comma” is. This is a pretty simple concept. A serial comma (sometimes called a series comma) is placed after the last item (in a list of three or more items) and before the conjunction (and, or, but).

For instance:

I have proofread fiction, non-fiction, business documents, technical manuals, and academic documents.

The “, and” that falls before “academic documents” is what you call the serial comma. This particular comma is actually optional. HOWEVER (and that is a big however), when copy editing or proofreading, I always recommend my clients use this comma (as does the Chicago Manual of Style among many others) because it prevents ambiguity in your writing.

For example:

She always sends funny e-mails to her parents, Suzy, and Tom.
In this example, if you were to remove the serial comma (before the “and”), your readers would be confused as to whether her parents actually ARE Suzy and Tom or if she sends e-mails to four different people (her parents AND Jean AND Tom).

Some people prefer to only use the serial comma when its absence creates ambiguity; however, one of the most important things to remember when writing is to maintain consistency throughout your work. If you only use the serial comma in portions of your writing, people may mistake the inconsistency as actual errors.

See, I told you the serial comma wouldn’t hurt you!!

Until tomorrow, mind your Ps and Qs!

Your copy editor,

Laura

A Proofreader's Points on Punctuation: the Comma!

2010-10-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

The beginning of the Chicago Manual of Style’s chapter on commas reads, “Effective use of the comma involves good judgment, with ease of reading the end in view.” It is my belief that this can be said for any punctuation mark. Punctuation is not something that should jump off the page at you, rather, it should guide the reader through the writing effortlessly. That is where my job as a copy editor/proofreader comes in!

Today I decided I am going to attack the punctuation mark people tend to struggle with the most in their writing: the comma. As a copy editor, commas are one of the most common writing errors I find - regardless of whether I am editing technical writing, academic writing, fiction writing, or writing for the Internet. People tend to be scared of commas. Rather than chance not placing a comma where one might be needed, writers will place them after every other word.

Hopefully, these explanations and examples I provide over the next few days will help clear up the confusion.

I am going to give you one standard usage rule each day. So let’s get started!

Rule 1:

If you use a comma to set off a word or words in a sentence, then you must use a second comma if the sentence continues beyond the part you have set off.

For example:

On National Grammar Day, March 4th, the copy editors had dinner at The Point.
But…
Calling more attention to grammar on National Grammar Day, March 4th is always a busy day for copy editors.

If you removed “March 4th” from the first sentence, the sentence would still make sense. The date acts as additional information here; it sort of interrupts the sentence. So here we must set off the date with a comma both before AND after the information. However, in the second sentence, even though “March 4th” still refers to “National Grammar Day,” if you placed a comma after the date, the sentence would no longer make sense. Here the date doesn’t interrupt the sentence; it actually serves as the subject in the second (main) clause.

Tomorrow I will have another rule for you. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me!

Until tomorrow!

Your faithful copy editor/proofreader,

Laura

This Copy Editor Wants to Know...Are You Ready for Some Football Errors?!

2010-09-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

Each night, long after the last load of laundry is tucked away, the last load of dishes is started in preparation of the bustling morning to follow, and long after the last kiddo is tucked quietly into his bed and has FINALLY fallen asleep - when the house has fallen into a quiet slumber of its own – my husband and I finally have a few minutes of "adult time." It’s the only time of the day when we don’t hear "Mommy" or "Daddy" every five minutes, the only time of the day when we don’t have to cater to the little people living in our house – the ONLY time of day when we can have a conversation without being interrupted!! Adult time doesn’t last long because the busy day takes its toll on our old bodies, not to mention the fact that, in the back of our minds, we know it will all begin again in just a few hours. Sigh.

Don’t get me wrong, we LOVE our children – our entire worlds revolve around these little people who struggle day in and day out with life’s rules and learning to be the people they were meant to be. But adult time is the time when we reconnect with who WE are. I have always equated bedtime to sliding into home plate with a heavyset umpire behind me yelling, "SAFE!" Whew.

So last night we were having our adult time. This is usually spent eating things we shouldn’t eat, watching movies the kids can’t watch, and playing video games we can’t play while competing against four other people for television time. Last night my husband was playing NCAA Football 2011 on his Xbox 360 and I was playing World Mosaics (my newest addiction) on my laptop when my husband called my attention to the picture below.

Figure 1: Picture of the entire screen so you can identify the video game (I apologize for the blurriness and bad reflection)

Figure 2: The error: Missing "to" between "going" and "get." SHOULD read: "Undefeated Texas knows that they're going TO get every team's best shot."

Now, we all know that video games are not good in excess. We all know that video games are not meant to educate. But one would think that EA Sports, especially with a game this popular, would have an entire team of copy editors to ensure the accuracy of their content! Amazing! You know they spent enough money in the creation of this game to house twenty families – nicely – so it really surprises me that they would skimp on proofreading or copy editing. I realize people do not play these games for their educational content, but it speaks volumes about their professionalism and their desire to produce a clean, professional product.

It doesn’t matter what medium you are working in – books, video games, dissertations, business proposals, education – if your writing isn’t copy edited or proofread to perfection, people will notice! And NOBODY, not even the most intelligent person in the most successful business in the world, is so intelligent that he or she is above making mistakes. Always, always, always have a proofreader or copy editor edit your documents. I know a good one!

Until next time, cross your Is, dot your Ts, and watch your Ps and Qs.

Laura

A Copy Editor’s Nightmare in Reality…

2010-09-29T00:25:00.000-07:00

Sadly, yesterday I attended my (I guess…I have never really been very good with familial ties) great-great-aunt’s funeral. She was (still is I suppose) my great grandfather’s brother’s wife. Dear Bertie May was a stubborn, outspoken, strong, beautiful woman. She came from a generation that is quickly fading away. A generation that spent time with their loved ones - talking, quilting, gossiping even, writing - instead of spending every moment glued to a computer or television or video game system or cell phone. They helped neighbors in need - and neighbors helped them when they were in need. A man’s word still meant something.

I sat in the humble little church in Collinsville, Texas yesterday, attempting poorly to hold back the tears as I reminisced the years I have spent with Bertie May while the preacher sang her praises. I thought about my great-grandfather Chesley saying, “Well, hello Laurie!” in his Mr. Ed-like voice I always loved so much. Of all the memories I have of my grandpa, this one, simple phrase is what I remember most. It was common and simple and predictable…stable. He was an old cowboy. Kind. All of his old stories started with “Well, back in nineteen-ot…” As a young man, Chesley had a horse named Outlaw that he used to ride through the desert. He never left home without his cowboy hat and boots on – he even had dress boots for church. However, as he got older, settled down, married Bess, and had children, obviously some things were no longer…reasonable.

Years after he was lassoed in by Bess, they both just happened to be visiting us the day my horse April was born. In fact, Grandpa had the honor of naming her. He was very excited to have the opportunity to play cowboy again for the day! Bess’s family was also visiting us from California, and they videotaped the entire birth. Hours into my horse’s labor, April was finally born. However, within thirty minutes, my grandfather had become worried because she hadn’t eaten yet. So he gathered some hay for the newborn baby and tried to feed it to her. Just in case some of you don’t know - newborns only drink their mother’s milk. =)

Years later when the cancer took my grandfather from us, I popped in the video for some self-inflicted torture. And it was there. I had been allowed to leave school to watch the horse being born (only happens in the country). My grandparents were already at the house. I ran across the pasture towards the corral as fast as my legs would carry me. The mare lie there in the grass with quite a crowd surrounding her. And then it happened. My grandfather turned to greet me and - forever captured on videotape - he said, “Well, hello Laurie.” It was as if he had wrapped his arms around me again - and anytime I wanted him to for the rest of time. He was comforting me even after he was gone.

My thoughts drifted to my great-grandmother, Bess; she just passed away five years ago. She was a real inspiration to me growing up…but I never told her. People tend to take those things for granted sometimes…things go left unsaid. She was an English teacher – and her students LOVED her! Five-year-old-granddaughter I, on the other hand, thought she was a real nag; that is, until I was old enough to understand and respect the life lessons she was teaching me. From as early as age five, I remember her teaching me the difference between “can” and “may” and yelling at me to “Hold your pencil the right way!” She is one of the biggest inspirations in my decision to become an English teacher. She was amazing.

Then I thought back to our family’s “Graveyard Working” day in 2009 – the last time I saw Bertie May alive. Our family (about 200 of us) gathers on Mother's day every year at our family cemetery to clean it up. Everyone brings a food dish (or three), and after we clean up the cemetery, we have a HUGE picnic. The kids play and the grown-ups eat, catch up, and reminisce. My husband offered to take a picture of Bertie May and me together after I had made sort of a big deal about getting a picture of her and some of the other ladies I have grown up with…the ladies who were now getting older…the ladies who stood with my great-grandmother in the kitchen at reunions and yelled at the kids and sent husbands on last minute honey-dos while they, together, prepared one of the finest meals you will ever set your eyes on – and enough food to STUFF two hundred people!! I introduced Bertie May to my husband, and she gave him a big hug like she had known him since he was a child. We sat in the shade of the old church on some lawn chairs, and we talked as I showed her my wedding pictures. As we said our good-byes, my husband took the picture of the two of us together, Bertie May’s arm around me. At the time, I just wanted a picture of Bertie May. Alone would have been fine. But now that she is gone, I see the value in togetherness. I am thankful for the picture of her holding me…comforting me even now.

In the first ten minutes of the funeral, as my memories drifted in and out from family member to family member, those still with us and those passed, the slide of Bertie May on the back wall of the church began to swirl around in circles. As the swirling stopped, it was replaced by an ad – yes, an ad – for “Memories in Motion” with the phone number below the business name. You know, just in case anyone in THIS funeral might know someone ELSE that died or will die this week and is absorbed in thought right now NOT about Bertie May, but about how to vividly display their OTHER loved one’s funeral in a PowerPoint display! But I understand, the economy is bad right now and everyone needs any help they can get. I am not one to hold a grudge…usually. However, once the distasteful ad swirls itself away much like something else I can think of that swirls away in that manner – I wonder if it too would swirl in an opposite direction in Australia – my beloved Bertie May’s name pops up on the screen – MISSPELLED!!! Seriously?? Yes, seriously.

Dear sirs at Memories in Motion,

Maybe if you had spent a little more time carefully editing my loved one’s name instead of preparing your ad, I would not have had MY memory in motion come to a screeching halt when I thought about how disrespectful it is that you spelled Bertie May’s name “Berite May ‘Nanny’ Roberts” at her last family reunion! Maybe YOU need a copy editor or proofreader! You know where to find me.

R.I.P. Bertie May Nanny Roberts. We love you always and we miss you.

Until next time, make sure you ALWAYS have someone edit your writing – no matter how small or simple it may be! You never know when it might make a world of difference to someone else.

Have a great rest of the week,

Laura

Celebrate Banned Book Week by Taking a Stand!

2010-09-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

Today begins Banned Book Week! Banned Book Week is a chance for everyone to express their desire for intellectual freedom. It is amazing to me that someone would try to take away our right to read what we want just because the book contradicts what "someone" believes to be right – because the book discusses sex, or masturbation, or violence, or racism. We read to identify with someone. We read to know we aren’t alone. We read to escape ourselves. We read for excitement, for knowledge, for fun. By banning books that discuss the ugly truths of life, we take away these privileges. Life is not always pretty, and banning books is not going to "fix" life.

Please understand that I ABSOLUTELY believe that parents should always monitor what their children read. As a parent myself, I always make myself available to discuss books my children are reading and concepts they may not understand. And of course, I always make sure my kids are at a maturity level appropriate for the materials they are reading – that is called being a responsible parent. The idea that someone I don’t even know would try to tell me what my kids or I should read infuriates me. Our children are growing up in a different world from what we did. They face situations nowadays that we didn’t encounter (at least as much) when we were children. Should racy books be teaching our children? Of course not! That is our job! But the right to read a book is an incredible freedom to identify, to know we aren’t alone, to escape, to become excited, to learn.

Would you not teach your kids to invest their money because there is a chance they may lose it? Would you not allow your kids to watch the news because there is a chance they may hear about violence or murder or sex or homosexuality? Kids aren’t stupid; in fact, they grow up much, much faster than any of us want them to. Are we supposed to send them out into the world blind to the realities that will quickly unfold before them? Do we send them out into the world believing the feelings they have are "strange" or that they are weird? No. To be confident, successful adults, children need to believe they are just like everyone else. They need to be able to relate to others.

What message are we sending to our children? If you don’t like something or if something is different, we throw it away or make it disappear. America preaches tolerance on one hand while they are demonstrating intolerance with the other.

During Banned Book Week, the librarian at the university I attended would post a list of books that were banned or had been targets of attempted bannings in the library. Next to the list, she would post a HUGE paper for people to sign after they had read one of the books. Our goal as a university: read as many of these "dangerous" books as possible in one week.

So, what books have been banned? What books are they TRYING to take away from us? Here is a list of some of them…I think you will be surprised.

The American Library Association’s top ten most challenged books in 2009 are as follows:

Book Title	Author	Reasons for Attempted Banning
ttyl, ttfn, l8r, g8r (whole series)	Lauren Myracle	Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs
And Tango Makes Three	Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson	Homosexuality
The Perks of Being a Wallflower	Stephen Chbosky	Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Anti-Family, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide
To Kill a Mockingbird	Harper Lee	Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs
Twilight	Stephanie Meyer	Sexually Explicit, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group
Catcher in the Rye	J.D. Salinger	Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
My Sister’s Keeper	Jodi Picoult	Sexism, Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide, Violence
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things	Carolyn Mackler	Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
The Color Purple	Alice Walker	Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
The Chocolate War	Robert Cormier	Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

There is a new list this year for the top 100 most challenged/banned titles of the decade (2000-2009). You can find them here: http://tinyurl.com/top100fcb. Again, I think you will be surprised by some of the titles: Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling), I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain), Captain Underpants (Dav Pilkey - seriously??), to name just a few.

So here is my challenge to all of you: READ, read, read - as many of these books as you can. Take a stand against this blatant attempt for the few to rule the many. Let me hear from you, what are your thoughts about the banning of these books – some of them classics! We grew up with these books. Why would anyone take them away from our children? Parents: be responsible for your own children. YOU take the responsibility to ensure your kids aren’t reading something they aren’t ready for or don’t understand. Who else knows them better?! But don’t tell me how to be a parent or how to raise my kids – or what book I can read! Does making the books go away make the "bad things" go away?

I could go on about this forever, but I will climb down off my soap box now and leave the discussion to you. =)

Until next time, make reading and writing your key to the future!

Your copy editor,

Laura

Editor Calling...EVERYONE!

2010-09-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

I grew up believing (still do) that my grandmother was both the greatest and the strangest person I had ever met. She used to send me Halloween cards in July and Christmas cards in August just to make me laugh. She was a divorcee who had been dating a truck driver for 20+ years. I thought there was not too much cooler in life than seeing my Nana climb out of an 18-wheeler! And she used some words that were...unique. Does your grandmother get "tickled to the peewadden" like mine? Then read on!

Tell everyone you know! I am compiling these strange words and phrases into a small book. The origin of words is something that has always fascinated me. Words are lost over time and new ones are created. And it all starts with normal people like me and you - and not-so-normal people like my grandmother. =)

So e-mail me your unique words and phrases along with a short story or explanation telling me who used it, how the word was used, what it meant (if you even know), and where it came from. You don't have to have the information in story form. We can work together to edit it into a short story you will be proud to pass down to other generations.

I REALLY look forward to hearing from you and learning some new words!

Until later,

Laura

Can a Proofreader Help Change Your Child’s Future?

2010-09-24T10:08:00.001-07:00

The answer is – YES! Being a former English teacher, I have experience guiding children in their writing and English studies. For ALL my clients, I provide a list of “suggestions” or explanations of the changes I make to their writing. This way, clients have the opportunity to learn from the changes I make. In the same way, I can take your child’s research papers and essays, clean them up, and provide explanations as to what was “wrong.” I can also help with basic grammar and punctuation skills they may be struggling with.

I know what you are thinking - have you seen the prices for good tutors?! My prices are negotiable and I have contracts to fit any budget. Furthermore, my prices are much lower than institutions because I don’t have to pay teachers or buy supplies because we will do everything online.

Ensure your child begins life with the best foot forward! Contact me today for more details!

There Are Signs Everywhere that You May Need a Good Copy Editor or Proofreader!

2010-09-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! I apologize that it has been so long since my last post. I just returned from vacation…well, sort of. Now, you know this copy editor never just stops to smell the ~~flours~~ flowers. I spent an amazing almost-two-weeks in South Padre Island, TX. If you’ve never been there, you should definitely go. The beach is beautiful, and if you vacation after the kids go back to school, you almost have the beach to yourself! But the best part is…I brought back something for you!

One of my favorite restaurants on Padre Island is called Blackbeard’s. I have been to Padre several times now, and I have eaten at this restaurant several times as well. However, I have never noticed the sign before (see below). I found others as well, but my husband refused to stop so I could take pictures because we were not supposed to be working. =)

Blackbeard's Restaurant, South Padre Island

After my return, one of my former colleagues sent me this picture of a department store sign in Tokyo. Now, of course, English is not the native language in Tokyo, so it would be even more beneficial to allow someone to check your writing before you do something so…permanent!

"Wemen's" Outlet in Tokyo

Especially in the business world, you simply MUST put your best foot forward at all times. People — customers — will judge your business (and sometimes even intelligence) through the image you provide them. What hidden messages is your business sending to consumers? When your business documents, or—GASP!—exterior signs are full of errors, many times customers will assume you do not know what you are doing or that you just don’t care. Ensuring that all of your business documents, signs, and correspondence are correct in every way demonstrates not only intelligence, but also that you care about your business enough to take the time to make it right.

I will post more pictures as I find them. And, of course, if you find an error that you would like to share, please e-mail it to me at laurasproofs@gmail.com and I will share it with the rest of our little community.

If you own or manage a business, don’t let poor grammar or spelling be the deciding factor for your clients. Contact me to edit your business or technical documents! I have several packages available to fit any budget.

Have a glorious day!

Laura

A Copy Editor's Fun with Homonyms!

2010-08-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

Throughout my years of being a copy editor and proofreader, I have cringed allot (or is it a lot) of times at the misuse of homonyms: words that sound the same but have different meanings…but you probably all ready gnu that. I never really found a usable rule when it comes to the usage of these words. My natural inclination is to have fun with them. With this in mind, I came up with a few examples of "Fun With Homonyms."

I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed writing them.
________________________________________
Choose the correct pair of homonyms from the list below to fill in the blanks in the sentences that follow.

ail/ale
allot/a lot
allowed/aloud
all ready /already
alter/altar
altogether/all together
ante/auntie
aunt/ant
bare/bear
bass/bass
bawled/bald
bee/be
better/bettor
birth/berth
border/boarder
boy/buoy
Chile/chili/chilly
dear/deer
err/air/heir
hair/hare
leased/least
pale/pail
read/red
scent/cent

1. If a bride wanted to change her loving words to her husband at the last minute:
She would have to ________ her vows at the ________.

2. A will leaving less to me than my sibling would:
________ ________ more to my brother.

3. If we can’t all get to the same place at the same time, then:
It’s not ________ possible to get ________.

4. If everyone was prepared earlier than expected, then:
We would be surprised to see everyone was ________ ________.

5. Becoming sick from a tavern drink would probably mean:
You would ________ from bad ________.

6. Being permitted to present your paper orally would mean:
You are ________ to read your essay ________.

7. Shaving a wild animal could easily leave you facing:
A ________ ________.

8. Leaving a buzzing insect alone would mean you:
Let the ________ ________.

9. A sweet forest animal might be:
A ________ ________.

10. You might call a fish with a very low voice:
A ________ ________.

11. If you received the newest advice from Carl Jung:
You ________ the ________ Book.

12. If you accidentally cut off the oxygen to your son:
You would: ________ with the ________ to your ________.

13. If you were an insect, I suppose that:
Your ________ could be an ________.

14. Playing poker with a relative is the only way I can think of that:
You could ________ with your ________.

15. Crying over hair loss means:
You ________ over going ________.

16. Renting an apartment in El Paso would make you:
A ________ ________.

17. Your son clinging to a floating marker would be:
A ________ on a ________.

18. I heard a rumor that:
People in ________ eat their ________ ________.

19. Is it possible to:
Give ________ in a ________?

20. If you win more at the track than your friend does:
You are a ______ ______?

21. What grows on the rabbit is:
The ______ of the ______.

22. If you rent the smallest room:
You ______ the ______.

23. Another name for a white bucket:
A ______ ______.

24. The smell of a penny would be:
The ______ of the ______.

There are plenty more ware those came from. Believe me, I have driven my family and watts left of my friends crazy with them over the past few days. Maybe you can send us some of your own. That way, I can print them and not have to except all of the blame myself. I will give one free hour of copy editing to the best homonym sentence sent in!

A common error I find when proofreading or copy editing materials is the author's use of the accidental homonym. It is fun to play with them; however, the wrong word at the wrong time can change the direction of an entire article or manuscript, or even worse, your resume. Remember, a copy editor is paid to make you and your hard work look the very best possible.

So the next time the correct word escapes you, think of me. =)

I can't wait to hear your answers!!

Until next week, write anything your heart desires…but then run it by me!
Laura

And the Winner Is...

2010-07-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

It has been a busy month! Whew!

I have received many many e-mails asking "Who won the free hour of copy editing?" So I will announce the winner today. First, I want to say thank you for playing along. I know the test was difficult. But you didn't think I was just going to give an entire hour away did you?! We will have another "test" soon, so don't worry if you didn't win this time.

Without further adieu...the winner is...

Charles Abbott, who lives and works about thirty minutes from downtown Tokyo. Awesome job Charles!! And thank you for participating. =)

Charles used his free hour when I copy edited his book, The Two-Minute Challenge: How to Reach Goals and Finish What You Start, which you can pick up now at Amazon.com!

"Join the journey for self-actualization, and learn what exemplary people do differently to help them reach their full potential."
Charles Abbott in The Two-Minute Challenge

You can also learn more about software, Japan, and Charles and his journey for self-actualization at his blog:

http://www.forthecode.org/

Until next time,
Watch your Ps and Qs...or is it P's and Q's (ask your copy editor),
Laura Roberts

Let the Expert Editor Put the CORRECT Words in Your Mouth!

2010-06-02T00:04:00.000-07:00

Are you trying to make the best impression possible in your business or at school? Are you striving to sound intelligent when you submit your résumé or college essay? Are you searching for just the right words to adequately describe scenes, plots, or feelings in your novel? What's even worse - have you ever felt that uncomfortable moment of silence when someone uses a word incorrectly – do you tell him or her or just let it go?

Test your knowledge in this short word usage quiz. The first one to submit ALL correct answers to me will get one hour of editing free. =) Submit your answers to laurasproofs@gmail.com so no one is caught cheating! And more importantly, have fun!!

Choose the correct word from the choices below:

1. The students ____ pass their exam if they studied hard.
a. would
b. will
c. did

2. My neighbor ____ regretted turning down the editing job of a lifetime.
a. entirely
b. bitterly
c. absolutely

3. The man ____ the woman on her choice of novels.
a. complimented
b. complemented

4. The students were to state a preference ____ six assignments.
a. among
b. between

5. Neither she nor I ____ playing hooky.
a. is
b. are
c. were

6. ___ and ___ are always playing together.
a. She/he
b. She/him
c. Her/him
d. Him/her

7. I cannot ____ a gift worth more than $10 when that was the agreed upon budget.
a. accept
b. except

8. ____ of who said it first, it was a very good idea for editing the website.
a. Regardless
b. Irregardless

9. She doesn't know ____ he plans to come to the party tonight.
a. if
b. whether

10. The ____ she picked out was absolutely perfect for her résumé.
a. stationary
b. stationery

11. She found that when given a choice, she preferred ____ different desserts.
a. a lot
b. a lot
c. many

12. He told her that she had to make a decision ____.
a. tonite
b. tonight
c. two night

13. ____ going to the store even if the kids don't want to!
a. their
b. there
c. they're

14. ____ going to be a beautiful day today!
a. it's
b. its

15. They tend to make ____ many writing errors when they do not go ____ bed on time.
a. to/too
b. too/to

16. He ____ his doctoral degree after many years of hard work!
a. attained
b. obtained

17. Since the young man stands to gain from his boss being fired, we cannot consider him a ____ party in the investigation.
a. uninterested
b. disinterested
c. cooperative

18. He played football better ____ his best friend, but they still loved to play together.
a. than
b. then
c. over

19. He says he is in love and the she is different ____ the other girls.
a. from
b. than

20. The editing test wasn't too bad. In fact, it was ____.
a. alright
b. all right

Shouldn't be too bad…I really took it easy on you. ;) Next week we will have a punctuation quiz! So study up you comma abusers!! =)

Until next time, never stop learning. Learning keeps your mind fresh and your world full of endless opportunities! But in the meantime, leave your editing to me.

Oh, and to my wonderful kids. You are allowed to give it a try if you want to score some major brownie points...but no free editing. You get that anyway. ;)

Have a wonderful week!
Laura

Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Paper!!

2010-05-17T13:58:00.001-07:00

It's been a long time since my last post, and for that, I apologize. Sometimes work gets very busy. =) However, there is an issue that I am continuing to experience day in and day out through my editing/proofreading work with people across the globe: plagiarism.

As a writer, teacher, and editor/proofreader, I find the issue of plagiarism very difficult to swallow. On the one hand, what's that old saying, "Plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery" (Charles Caleb Colton)? Notice the citation and quotes?

On the other hand, as a writer, editor/proofreader, and a hardworking former student – it is still theft in one of the most personal ways. Someone somewhere researched the subject matter, or has in depth knowledge of something that the average person does not. To take that material – be it another's college essay, technical document, business correspondence, or any of the vast amounts of information that you find on the Internet - and call it your own, might be flattering to some, but you are stealing someone else's hard work – and it is very illegal.

Many people don't see plagiarism as a problem, convincing themselves it is "common knowledge" or "no one will ever find out." But with today's incredible advances in technology, you may not get caught the first time…but eventually, everyone gets caught. It's as easy as running text through any one of the hundreds of plagiarism detectors out there, and if your material has more than 4-5 words in the same order as another text, it sends up red flags of plagiarism!

I actually spoke with someone yesterday (who will remain nameless) that told me he never wrote his own paper throughout his entire college years. Nice. I'm not going to go into how he did it, but it made me a little angry. Not only did he steal the work of many hardworking writers, but what about the students like me who toiled desperately into the wee hours of the night studying, researching, writing – EARNING our degrees? Ugh!

I have worked for many clients that have tried to plagiarize - I really just don't understand plagiarism. Why someone can't take a few minutes and just put the information into his or her own words and credit the author is beyond me.

So before you steal someone else's writing to use, in whole or part, as your own when writing school papers, technical and business correspondence, job proposals, Internet content, or any other fiction/non-fiction materials, think twice and let me help you make it legal!!

For more information about plagiarism and the consequences you face if you commit this heinous and completely pointless crime, check out the following fun tutorial from the wonderful people at Rutgers University Library:

http://library.camden.rutgers.edu/EducationalModule/Plagiarism/

Until next time, have fun with your writing, but keep it legal! I can help!

Laura