Pressure's On!

It's not easy being the scribe of The Pensive Proofreader.  While I started this blog with the greatest confidence as a commentary on the state of proofreading and all things editorial, the truth of the matter is that I'm constantly in a nervous sweat that there may be errors in my own copy.  Obviously, this is not acceptable.  What's more, what right do I have to point out the proofreading shortcomings of others if my own copy contains the occasional mistake here and there?       

   
It's every proofreader's nightmare.  However, it's also every proofreader's reality.  As difficult as it is to accept, we must embrace the simple fact that we are all human beings with both the potential and probability to err.  It's going to happen, and when it does, hopefully the damage will be minimal.  It may even go unnoticed for awhile.  But when we slip up and the error is eventually sighted (by others, not ourselves), the repercussions can be harsh, irreversible, and potentially career-damaging.  A misspelled word or name, a missing logo or an inaccuracy of any kind can earn us an unwanted one-way ticket to the end of the unemployment line, our dignity destroyed, our professional credibility shaken, and our confidence shattered.        

Proofreading is a unique profession.  There isn't much of a safety net, especially if you're the sole proofreader on the team, and the pressure to produce perfect copy can be intense.  It's somewhat akin to being a goaltender on a hockey team where the position tends to be less about the physical game and more about the mental game.  It's not about how you do something, but rather, what you do, what you see, and what you correct and clarify.  A proper frame of mind is critical.  Proofreaders, same as goalies, must retain mental focus and concentrate intensely on that which surrounds them.  The slightest distraction, be it physical, natural, reactionary or entirely unintentional, can disrupt the proofreading process, throwing it into complete chaos. 

What's a proofreader to do?  We've all been disrupted by the call of nature, a ringing telephone or a litany of assorted distractions which dare threaten the sanctity of our focus.  Unfortunately, there are no easy answers.  Spell checkers, of course, are helpful to weed out certain errors, but we can't trust them to catch everything.  It's our job.  So what we're left with is our focus, our sound judgment, and our common sense.  We must employ these not-so-secret weapons all throughout the process without fail.  Or in other words, in the end all we have is ourselves and the tools with which we started the job, along with our stalwart determination to persevere in our quest for quality proofreading.