Profile On: Emily Haag, Polished Pen Editorial

Emily Haag of Polished Pen Editorial often has some interesting posts on LinkedIn! They tend to focus on horses and grammar. Emily kindly answered some questions about her editing work.

How much of your day/week is related to horses?
That partly depends on how horsey the project I’m working on is. If it’s horsey, then quite a lot, but I also work outside of my niche. In terms of being with horses in person, I’m saving up for my own. When I get them, every day will have a lot to do with them! Right now, I have a lot less to do with horses than I’d like, which is partly why I’ve chosen an equestrian niche.

What is it exactly that you do?
As a proofreader, I check people’s writing for errors and inconsistencies in spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization and formatting. When writing comes for proofreading, it should already say what the writer wants it to say. I do the final polish to make sure that it looks professional, that readers will have a smooth experience and that there’s nothing left that will distract or confuse them. Think of it as getting a horse ready for a class where turnout is important. You want it to look immaculate.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full-time professional and earning a liveable income?
Yes! Although most proofreaders offer editing as well, there are some like me who stick purely to proofreading and proof-editing (which adds awkward wording and such to the things checked). I’m the only one I know of with an equestrian specialization, but any writing that’s seen by the public can benefit from a proofread. This includes websites, newsletters, brochures, pamphlets, advertising and signs, as well as the more obvious books and magazines.

Profile On: Emily Haag, Polished Pen Editorial

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
Although some proofreaders are employed in-house by publishers, many are self-employed. In general, training by your national editorial society, or another country’s, would be a good place to start.

In the UK, the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading and the Publishing Training Centre have good quality, widely recognized courses. In Australia, there are the Canberra Society of Editors, the Institute of Professional Editors and province-specific editorial societies, most of which have workshops, and some have courses or mentorship programs. The Society for Editing (ACES) in the US offers a wide variety of webcasts.

Favourite horse memory?
It’s so hard to choose! Possibly spending time with Robin, my favourite pony. My funniest horse memory is from early on. The other pony in my riding lesson, Lucy, tried to drink from the instructor’s bottle of water, which was on a block in the middle of the arena.

Future goals?
My business goals are to become well-known for what I do and expand into copyediting. I’d also like to network a lot more with equestrian business owners.

My personal goals are to buy some land and keep my own horses, as well as a few other animals. If things go according to plan, one of my first two horses will be a Dales pony.

Best thing about your profession?
Some of the things I proofread can be very interesting, and I’m always learning something new. The flexibility of being self-employed is an added bonus.