Plagiarism on the grand scale has been made more and more tempting and easy for lazy [writers] by people who provide whole essays on all manner of subjects on the web. – Manning Murphy (2019) To understand the nature of plagiarism, it is useful to consider the origin...
Debating accreditation: This was the title of a contribution by the PEG newsletter editor at the time, André Snyders, in the edition dated November 2007. How far we have come. And how long it has taken! Sixteen years on, the questions regarding whether or not we need...
In our last article on technology for editors we looked at the basic components of a computer and the main differences between a desktop and a laptop computer. This article highlights some of the main problems you might experience with a laptop that indicate it may...
I recently came across Alexis Grewan’s four-part series, which was posted between November 2021 and January 2022. This post will add my contribution as a follow-on to Alexis’ excellent series. For those who missed her posts, here are the links:...
Editors and websites This straightforward guide by Debbie Emmitt certainly helped me improve my editor website. Debbie is a copy editor and author with over 20 years of experience in web content. She brings together all of her skills in this tidy and easy-to-read...
Let’s face it: working remotely can be lonely. Yes, we love the independence and flexibility that being a freelance editor or proofreader allows, but there may still be times when we feel isolated while we work alone in our carefully organised home offices. So, how...
What you charge depends on what type of editing or proofreading service you are offering and how much your client is willing to pay. The more work you do, the more you can charge. Unfortunately, there are conflicting ideas about what is a fair rate. PEG members should...
I tried to find points of reference for this topic (the author's voice) and there were not any in my usual go-to sources. This suggests that the author’s voice is something that cannot be easily quantified or taught in a few easy steps. Maintaining the author's voice...
Your first few jobs as an editor can feel daunting and you may have questions about how best to tackle the initial paperwork so that the project starts without a hitch. Below are six tips to help you to quote efficiently and make sure that the client’s and the...
There is nothing more demoralising than pounding away at a task, delivering it in good time and then waiting to be paid – but never seeing that payment. Here are three things to put in place that, at the very least, should reduce the risk of not being paid for your...
(With a nod to How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell. I did not like the self-illustrated book but I loved the DVD.) You can make it easier to find files on your computer or smartphone if you structure your filenames according to how you are going to use...
Social media is the new normal with regard to business. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the POPI Act and its impact on direct marketing, and the need to establish an online brand, social media marketing has become an essential...
Developing a presence on the world wide web is crucial for freelance success. One of the best ways to market yourself as a language practitioner is by optimising your LinkedIn profile. The following basic principles can help to set you apart from your competitors: A...
In this fourth article in the series on social media marketing (SMM), I consider the questions: Content or paid SMM? What platforms should I consider? Again, I refer to the Digital 2022 Global Overview Report by DataReportal/We Are Social/Hootsuite as I delve...
In this third article in the series on social media marketing (SMM), we look at some of the basic data that relates to SMM and digital marketing (DM), the broader area of marketing in which SMM fits. For the purposes of this article, let’s assume that you have been...
This article appeared under the same heading in PEGboard July 2018. Time | Quality | Price Prompt delivery (time), excellent standards (quality) and affordability (price). As editors, this is what we want to deliver and it's what clients of editing services should...
In this second of the two-part article on marketing and (social media marketing) SMM for editors, the focus will be on the social media (SM) landscape in South Africa, as at end 2020. In my previous PEGblog post, I defined social media marketing (SMM) within the wider...
In this first of two articles, I will try to situate social media marketing (SMM) within the wider marketing discipline, after situating marketing within organisations. However, I will strip everything down to the bare bones and provide sound-bite type information...
Have you ever considered blog writing? In this edition of PEGblog, Faeron Wheeler gives us 10 valuable tips for better blog writing. Blog writing has become something of an artform on its own. There are rules and best practices that define the skill of writing...
In the first post in this series, we defined professionalism and identified three criteria of being a professional editor. We discussed specific knowledge and skill in the second post and remuneration in the third. In this final post, we'll look at an ethical code of...