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 Course

Finally, if you know an aspiring editor but they haven’t signed up to the Knowadays 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 pass grade of 80% or above on your first attempt at the final assessment, 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!