Editing
Grammar and spelling errors are lazy, unprofessional and inexcusable. K. Creative Survey Respondent [1]
“Any time I see poor spelling or grammar, my opinion of the business in question drops. I automatically assume they don't know any better, and why would you want to broadcast your ignorance to the world?” —K. Creative Survey Respondent [2]
Copy Edit
A copy edit addresses all the mechanical issues that affect your text’s readability (e.g. spelling, punctuation, grammar, diction, syntax, semantics) as well as those that impact your audience, such as coherence and cohesiveness, persuasiveness, voice, tone, and mood. The copy edit offers corrections and suggests ways to improve the text in order to maximize its effectiveness.
A copy edit is appropriate for academic writing, as well as most types of professional writing: from everything to annual reports and blog posts to contracts and correspondences, to presentations and web content.
For a copy edit I will correct or revise:
spelling mistakes or typos capitalization errors
word repetition or redundancies
inconsistent and improper presentation of numbers missing or incorrect punctuation
grammar mistakes,
syntactical errors
improper formatting of citations and references
other formatting errors or inconsistencies
semantic errors or weaknesses
what you have written that is not clear
I will
point out where you have not done in the body of your text what you pledged to do in your introduction
ensure that your text flows naturally, fluidly and coherently between sentences, and that the text maintains relevance and clarity.
see to it that the tone of the text matches both the writer’s intention, and the needs and expectations of the audience.
make certain that sources are properly quoted or accurately paraphrased, and that all claims are accurate.
I will also
· highlight all edits using the Track Changes function in Microsoft Word; this way you may accept any, all, or none of my edits.
· provide you with relevant feedback and suggestions
Pricing: The price of a standard edit is determined by the size of the text, how quickly you need it, and the strength of your written English (based on Cambridge English’s criteria for assessing writing performance). The cost per word begins at 0,029€. Minimum charge: 45,00€. For a quote please send me a page or screenshot of the text you would like to have edited.
[1] K. Creative White Paper: “Poor grammar is costing you money” Jan., 2011 https://kcreative.typepad.com/files/poor-grammar-is-costing-you-money---k-creative-white-paper-2.pdf Accessed 05.11.20
[2] Ibid.
Proofreading
A misplaced comma cost aircraft construction company Lockheed Martin $70 million. [4]
Seventy-nine percent of recruiters surveyed said that they would not pass on a resume that contained spelling or grammatical errors. [5]
Proofreading is the final step in the editing process. By the time a text is proofread, it has already been edited for organization, coherence, sentence structure, syntax, idiom, flow and tone. A text that is ready to be proofread will have only a few minor errors in spelling, missing punctuation, minor grammar errors, or typos.
If you ask for a proofreading, I will ensure that there are no:
spelling mistakes or typos
capitalization errors
inconsistent or improper presentation of numbers
missing or incorrect punctuation
grammatical errors
improper formatting of page numbers, tables, captions, headers, citations and references
formatting errors or inconsistencies
I will also
highlight all edits using the Track Changes function in Microsoft Word; this way you may accept any, all, or none of my edits.
· provide you with relevant feedback and suggestions
If I feel your text is not ready for proofreading, I will recommend either a copy edit.
Pricing: The price of a proofread is determined by the size of the text, how quickly you need it, and the number of words. The cost per word begins at 0,01€. Minimum charge: 25,00€. For a quote please send me a page, link, or screenshot of the text you would like to have proofread.
If I have already edited your text, the cost per word for proofreading your revised text begins at 0,005€ per word. Minimum charge 25,00€
[4] ContentMender.Com “Top 21 Common Grammar Errors That Kill Your Credibility” https://contentmender.com/top-21-grammar-errors-that-cost-you-readers-and-money/
[5] Talent Inc. “Hiring Managers "Spell out" the Biggest Deal-Breakers Regarding Job Candidates' Resumes“ https://www.talentinc.com/press-2018-02-14 Accessed 05.11.2020
Content Review
A study conducted by Global Lingo of the U.K. “found that 74 percent of consumers pay attention to correctness of the prose on company websites, and 59 percent of respondents said they would avoid doing business with a company that’s made obvious errors.” [6]
Whether you have a text that you are developing (e.g. a business report, promotional material, a resume, or press release), or a text that has already been published (e.g. a webpage, brochure, or instruction manual) it’s almost never too late to improve it.
A content review is a three-step process. First, I identify any superficial errors such as typos, spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, formatting inconsistencies, minor grammar errors, syntactic errors, and so on. In the second step I review the text’s style, flow, and effectiveness, then suggest ways to revise or rewrite any parts that are ineffective, don’t read well, or contain errors involving word choice, usage, sentence structure, or tone. Of course, no one knows better than you what your objectives are with regard to your text, which is why in the third step we work together to make sure that your ideas come through in a voice that is your own, and which can be heard by your target audience.
Pricing
A content review can be done by email, in a video conference, or, face-to-face. The rate is the equivalent of 0,75€ per minute for time spent working on your text, as well as collaborating and corresponding with you. Any travel costs will be added to the total.
[6] Snap Agency “Bad Grammar Costs More Than Money” April 20, 2016 https://www.snapagency.com/bad-grammar-costs-big-money/ Accessed 05.11.20
Presentation Prep
If, for native English speakers, the fear of public speaking curtails wages by 10%, college graduation by 10%, and limits professional advancement by up to 15% — imagine its effects on non-native speakers. [7]
As a lecturer at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg), each year I teach presentation skills to first-year students. So, whether you need to give a pitch presentation, a training session, a lecture, or perhaps even a wedding toast, I’m confident I can help you prepare for the event.
I will give you guidance on both verbal and non-verbal communication, including, pacing, clarity, connecting with your audience and maintaining their attention, gestures, pronunciation, where or how to stand, the organization of your material, as well as its cohesiveness, effectiveness, grammar, tone, and idiom.
For presentations of less than the 20 minutes this is an intensive 120 minute session. Cost: 120€, including video recording of your session.
For presentation longer than 20 minutes we will work together to create a schedule. Cost: 50€ per hour.
This work can be done online. If you are located within 50 kilometers of Basel, I may be able go to you. Any travel costs will be added to the total.
Teams: If you have a team that needs help to prepare for a presentation, I would be happy to customized a one, or two-day presentation training program specifically for them.
[7] Khoury, P. “7 Fear of Public Speaking” Statistics” Magneticspeaking.com https://bit.ly/3lxYF1Q Accessed 13.11.2020
Job Interviews
According to a European Commission report on European business, in many global businesses, and increasingly in medium sized business as well, “English is the preferred language for intra-company communications.” Quite simply, Europeans working in international trade are expected to be proficient in English. [8]
“Numerous studies have found that anxious applicants perform less well in interviews and subsequently receive lower ratings and are less likely to be hired compared to non-anxious applicants.” [9]
Job interviews are nerve-wracking enough in your native language. They’re even more stressful in a foreign language. But increasingly, to get ahead in the business world - or even to gain entry - you have to be able to comprehend, manage, and express complex information in English. But before that can happen, you have to get the job. Getting the job starts with successful job interviews. And I can help.
I will create a program that involves practice questions directly related to the position your are applying for; listening comprehension; job-specific vocabulary building; answer crafting; and non-verbal communication. Additionally, we will focus on any issues you may have with grammar, pronunciation, enunciation, or elocution.
This work can be done online. If you are located within 50 kilometers of Basel, I may be able to go to you. Any travel costs will be added to the total. Cost: 45€ per hour.
[8]The European Commission; “The Language Guide for European Business: Successful communication in your international trade”; p. 6 https://bit.ly/3krgQF7 Accessed 13.11.05
[9]Voyles, E. C. “DO ANXIOUS APPLICANTS BECOME LOWER PERFORMING EMPLOYEES?” Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, 2016; Accessed 13.11.20
Language Instruction
Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things. ‒ Flora Lewis
One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way. — Frank Smith
Learn a language, and you’ll avoid a war. – Arab Proverb