As a published author, playwright, poet and an assistant editor in a previous incarnation, I was arrogant enough to think that doing a Diploma in Proofreading & Editing would be an easy task and that I would sail through with relative ease!
Boy, was I wrong!
After my first assignment, I realised I would be eating humble pie and that the course was far more challenging than I had imagined. I found some of the scientific and medical texts extremely demanding and I thank my tutor for her endless patience in pointing out every error in such a detailed and professional way.
I chose the course because I wanted a profession that I could do at home, in my own time, and one where I did not have to commute to a job in town – I live on Waiheke Island. Friends encouraged me to apply as I am known as someone who finds errors in printed materials. I even found an error in a Margaret Atwood novel!
Notwithstanding what I believed to be an eye for proofreading, I was proved wrong! It is so much harder than I had imagined, and in spite of reading and re-reading the assignments, I still managed to miss things!
I was struggling with a lot on the personal front during my year of study. I was recently recovering from open heart surgery and then was diagnosed with cancer. I was also given notice to leave my rental home of several years – all incredibly stressful. There were times where I felt unable to complete assignments as most of my time seemed to be taken up with going to hospital appointments or trying to find a place to live. I found Liza, the Principal, very sympathetic to my situation, allowing me some leeway when it came to handing in assignments.
But I did it! And practically within the allocated year! During that year I also proofread a novella and am currently proofreading a PhD thesis.
My thanks goes to the NZIBS for producing such a useful course and for tempting me to study some more!! Thanks to my tutor Val for her continuing encouragement and detailed responses to my questions. I am proud to be an NZIBS graduate!
Susi Newborn
Graduate of the Proofreading & Editing course.
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