Tag Archives: editing

Why You Need a Proofreader

How many times have you read something—a book for pleasure or copy for a website—and found an error? Maybe it’s something minor, but still, it’s an error. Of course, no one is perfect, and mistakes are going to happen, but even the smallest goof can cause big problems. Mistakes in your content can hurt your credibility and cost you money. Here’s how:

  1. Let’s say you put a new product up on your website that sells for $1,000. You’ve worked long and hard to get this product to market, and it’s finally out there for the world to see! Your phone is ringing off the hook with orders! But wait—why is everyone so upset when you tell them the price? You look at your site, and find that the price for the product is listed as $100, not $1,000. Oops…now what? It’s a minor error that will end up costing you big.

OR…This same new $1,000 product is up on your site, and you’re getting absolutely no calls. What the heck? You know it’s a great product that will solve a lot of problems for your customers. Why is no one biting? Again, you peek at the website, only to find it’s been listed as $10,000. Oh boy…no wonder no one is calling! Again, lots of money in potential sales lost because of a proofreading error.

  1. You’ve just opened a new restaurant. Your website is ready to go, with mouth-watering photos of your best dishes, your menu, your hour—you’re all set to tantalize diners. But, at the top of the home page, the headline reads: “Come visit us at the XYZ Restaurnat.” What? What’s that word? It’s only two letters transposed, but it’s the first thing that visitors see when they come to your page. It might not seem like a big deal, but it could be. If you don’t take good care of something as basic as your website, what else are you neglecting?

What if you’re an author with a great book? It’s a terrific story, one you’ve worked on for months, and it’s finally ready to share. You can’t wait to see the reviews! You dive into Amazon or GoodReads, and see a two-star review with this comment: “Great story, but the errors drove me nuts.” Or “I really wish this author had someone proofread this before it was released.”

Don’t leave your money, credibility, or reputation on the table because of errors in your content. If you’re looking for help with your proofreading, let’s talk. I can help. You can reach me here.

Your Website and Your Credibility

It goes without saying in today’s technological society that nearly everyone uses the Internet to search for information they want. Looking for a house painter? Google it. Looking for a good book to read? Try Goodreads or Amazon. Want to know what time that movie you’ve been dying to see is playing? You can check that out online as well. While everyone is talking about how important it is that your website be mobile-friendly—and it’s true that your website must be mobile-friendly—there’s one other important element your website needs. And that is to be correct.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Of course it should be correct. That doesn’t just mean that the information should be right. That also goes without saying. It also means that everything should be spelled correctly, sentences should be structured properly, subjects and verbs should agree in all sentences, and each sentence should end with proper punctuation.

Think about it. Would you consider eating at a restaurant that couldn’t properly spell the name of the town it is located in on its site? Would you hire a tutoring company with a sentence like this on their site: “We will helps your student gain understanding…” Probably not, right?

What you say on your website has a direct effect on your credibility. Remember that whatever product or service your website offers, your aim is to be looked upon as the expert at that thing. Whether it’s the best restaurant, the best house painter, whatever it is, you want to be seen as the authority in that area. Mistakes on your site can easily turn off potential customers, because they may not think you are the best at what you do if you don’t take the time to read your own content and make sure it is correct.

Look carefully at your website. Is it saying what you want it to say? Is it correct? Does it make sense? Look at it as if you were a potential client. Would you buy what you are selling based on your site’s content?

If you need help updating your website copy, contact me about my current web editing special at 973-362-5382 or sue@suetoth.com.

 

Six Tips to Help You Find an Editor

You’ve worked and slaved and worried about everything from word count to character development to a compelling plot to a great ending. Now your book is done (you think), and the next step is editing. How do you find the right editor? There are so many out there, and it’s so hard to choose. Here are some tips for finding the right editor to work with you and your manuscript.
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Onward and Upward

Expansion can be very exciting…it can also be very nerve-wracking. As I work to expand Editing By Sue, I am experiencing both of those feelings in abundance.

But this post isn’t about me, it’s about you. So with that, please allow me to introduce you to Editing—And More—By Sue. While editing is my first love, I have a passion for anything having to do with the written word, and I’m ready to share that passion with all of you.
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