Vale Proofreading

When we redesigned the branding for Vale Proofreading, my web designer and I thought it would be fun to have a company mascot. This led to the creation of Larry: The Grammar Llama (followed soon after by the rest of the Animal Editing Alliance - https://valeproofreading.co.uk/the-animal-editing-alliance/).

Since then, I have wanted a ‘real’ Larry for my office and last week in Centreparcs Longleat my wish came true. Larry now sits pride of place on my office desk. I hope he makes you smile on this gloomy January day. 🦙💗

Swipe to see Larry in progress ➡️

You may have noticed I have not been very present on the old socials. I have to be honest and admit that I do have a love-hate relationship with social media. Most of the time, I would rather switch off from it all, but I am aware that today it is necessary to have an online business presence, which makes it increasingly harder to ‘switch off’. Therefore, I seem to swing between constantly posting and never posting. This does not mean I am not working. I love proofreading, and I am constantly working and learning behind the scenes.

Recently, I have seen many businesses posting about their word of the year for 2023. After some deliberation, I have decided that mine will be ‘priority’.

Vale Proofreading is only one part of who I am, and I aim to recognise that this year. I will post when I feel it is relevant. I will push my business if the time is right, and I will take on new challenges if I feel motivated to do so.

More importantly, I won’t compare myself to other businesses (similar or otherwise), I won’t choose to sit behind a desk or stare at a device when I could be outside in nature or spending valuable time with family or friends, and I won’t worry if I don’t achieve everything I have planned.

If 2020-2022 taught me anything, it was that life doesn’t always have to be amazing and exciting; it is always the smallest things that take up the largest spaces in our hearts. I would rather work on a small project and build a wonderful rapport with a client while still making time for living rather than taking on an overwhelming, stressful project that doesn’t allow me time to breathe.

What are your hopes for 2023? I’d love to hear all about them.

Happy New Year!

I really hope you all had the best 2022 possible and you continue to have a wonderful 2023.

Nobody has ever been criticised for writing that was too clear.

Academic writing should be concise.

It should communicate your ideas in the simplest and most precise way possible.

Check out Archimedes’ two top tips for clarity.

Part Two…

Sage: The Word Wizard
The parts of speech and their functions are difficult to understand, but this wizard makes them seem simpler with his magic.

Professor: The Proofreading Parrot
Want to know why proofreading is important? Ask Professor, he’ll talk your ear off about the subject.

Lexi and Con: The Linguistic Lemurs
This awesome duo is always on the lookout for new and interesting vocabulary.

Eagle-Eye: The Word Bird
Eagle-Eye is extremely focused on finding unusual words to decipher.

Mark: The Punctuation Shark
This guy is sharp. He never misses the (punctuation) mark.

Victor: The Verb Vulture
Even native speakers find verbs confusing. Victor is always on the hunt to find creative ways to explain them.

After the outpouring of love for The Animal Editing Alliance, they are back on to show you what they’re all about.

Larry: The Grammar Llama
This llama doesn’t want any drama. He’s here to help with short, useful and easy-to-remember grammar tips.

Archimedes: The Academic Owl
Wise beyond his years, Archimedes is our resident academic skills guru.

Paige: The Bookworm
Catch Paige early for a good book recommendation.

Digit: The Number Cruncher
You can smile at this crocodile; he will devour any number confusion you may have.

George: The Comma Chameleon
Confused by commas? George is the lizard to change that.

Beatrix: The Spelling Bee
Want the latest buzz in the spelling world? Beatrix is a hive of information.

Course complete. 🎉

I started this course AGES ago. I planned to complete it as quickly as possible and move on to the next. In the meantime, however, I started a part-time job (which compliments my business so well) and the summer holidays occurred, and all of a sudden, the course fell by the wayside.

It became a source of dread for me. I wasn't sure I had the time or energy for it, so I considered not finishing it. It is likely that many students and small business owners can relate to this feeling when it comes to writing or creating content.

After my boys returned to school, we suddenly had a routine again, so I figured why not get back to it? I'll tell you what... I thoroughly enjoyed it. I took my time and I learned so much.

There are times when we need to step back and realise that life is not a race.

Through this experience, I learned more about my clients. They're often in such a hurry to submit or publish their work that they lose their love for it. I hope that after they receive the proofread copy and reread what they have written, they will realise what they have achieved and regain their pride and love for their work.

And what is my next step? For now, I'm enjoying taking some time to build my business, work with lovely new clients and enjoy my favourite time of the year. 🧡💛💚

Every single word in the English language falls into one of only nine classes or parts of speech.

We use thousands of words, and they can all be separated into just nine groups! That is pretty cool.

The parts of speech explain how a word is used in a sentence.

A good understanding of each of the nine parts will help you improve your writing, particularly if English is not your first language.

In the ‘Back to Business Bootcamp’ asked what would change for Vale Proofreading in the final part of the year. The only thing that changes is the fuel that keeps me going. It really isn't autumn without a pumpkin spice latte, is it?

This weekend we’re visiting , and I don’t know who is more excited – me or the boys? 🚂 🏰 🧙🏻‍♂️🎃🕷🪴🍺🎬

However, as much as I love Harry Potter (and I REALLY do), I want to introduce you to Vale Proofreading’s wizard – Sage: The Word Wizard. 🧙🏼‍♂️
 
When I started this Instagram account a little over a year ago, Sage was the first member of the Animal Editing Alliance to be featured. I planned to introduce the nine parts of speech and explain them in more detail over the following weeks. However, as Harry once said, ‘when have our plans ever actually worked?’ Other posts took precedence, and Sage found himself obliviated. 🤨
 
So, in honour of our visit to Hogwarts and the start of, hands down, the best and most witchy (is that a word?) season – autumn, a time of pure magic, Sage will be back tomorrow to explain the parts of speech. 📙

Why are they important? To write a convincing sentence, you must know the parts of speech. They are the building blocks of sentences that help you develop and advance your writing abilities.🖋
 
Also, because I love autumn so much, this page will undergo an autumnal facelift for the next few months. Stay tuned for new cosy, seasonal colours and fonts.🧡💛💚🤎
 
Can you tell I’ve pretty much been off social media for over a month? This is such a long post. For now, let’s say, mischief managed. It’s good to be back. ☺️