We still need proofers for our upcoming products

[Balok the Strange]

Greetings, all,

We are still in need of proofers to go over our new products. The only form of payment we can give for this job is a free copy of the proofed PDF once it goes on sale. We have run two previous open calls for this, but the results were less than satisfactory. We sent all of the applicants a proofing test, and most of them came back edited rather than proofed. I also had almost an entire batch of applicants never reply with a completed test. Now, I have had some issues lately with Yahoo dropping emails (I had to resend an editing test to about 15 people because Yahoo dropped the ball), so I can't really blame all of them. If you sent in a request earlier and did not recieve a response from me, than you are probably on that list of people on the bulk mailing that got lost. Please resubmit your name and I will send out the test.

I'm going to leave this call open for a while, and I will send out the tests every Saturday as long as it is open. Applicants will have five days to get them back to me. PLEASE remeber that you will be proofing it, not editing it. You are to look for layout errors and the occasional mis-spelled word. Please do not try to correct the grammar. Spelling or punctuation, unless it can be seen as an obvious and gross error, can be addressed, but that is why we actually pay the editors.

Anyone who edits will be rejected. Editors get paid, and if you think that a free copy of the book is payment enough for editing a book, than you are selling yourself cheap. We just don't want anyone to do more work than they need to for what they get out of it.

Please send all responses to balok_the_strange@yahoo.com .

Thanks.

 

[Tim Gray]

If your version of proofing does not include grammar, spelling and punctuation... it achieves very little, but yet you're going to all this effort to arrange it.

 

[Cathix]

If your version of proofing does not include grammar, spelling and punctuation... it achieves very little, but yet you're going to all this effort to arrange it.

When the product reaches the proofer, it's already been edited: checked for all of the above three points as well as checked for proper mechanics, passive voice and style.

While we do appreciate when a proofer discovers a stray extra letter or misspelled word, the point Balok was making is that the proofer's primary function is to troubleshoot layout. It's been our recent experience to have would-be proofers return a proofing test with recommendations to the text, while glaring layout errors have been left unremarked upon.

 

[Eosin the Red]

I had sent you an email, which never got a reply... I don't know if that error was on my side of the email or on yours but if a bunch of people never returned the proof you might want to check that.

I had some issues crop up that took me away from home for several days so right now ain't a good time, otherwise I would resubmit.

Randy

 

[Cathix]

I had sent you an email, which never got a reply... I don't know if that error was on my side of the email or on yours but if a bunch of people never returned the proof you might want to check that.

I had some issues crop up that took me away from home for several days so right now ain't a good time, otherwise I would resubmit.

Randy

We'll be sending replies to people in the next few days. Thanks for checking in.

 

[Tha Black Hand]

I sent you an email

Hey, Balok the Strange. I sent you an email, but just in case I'll also mention here I want to give your proofing test a shot. Please reply when you get the chance, but this Saturday is great for me to recieve it.

 

[Tharian]

Do you normally send out the file to proofed as a PDF as well? Do you have a process or such that proofers use to return information to you?

 

[Cathix]

Do you normally send out the file to proofed as a PDF as well? Do you have a process or such that proofers use to return information to you?

Since proofers are reviewing a (would-be) final product, they will be receiving a pdf to be proofed. We ask proofers to include comments in a .doc or .rtf file mentioning page number, column number, paragraph number, etc .

 

[Balok the Strange]

Hey there.

I have already sent out a few proofing tests to people who emailed me directly. I made a quick check here today and saw a few names that I did not send the test to. Some of you have said that you emailed me and were waiting for the test. I must apologize, but if you did not recieve a copy of the proofing test, I never got your email. I have been having issues with my Yahoo account over the past few months, and even after numerous emaile to their customer support, they have yet to be addressed.

If you did not receive the test, please email me again at milkbone@dogsoul.net . I apologize for any inconvenience or percieved rudeness. More and more often, Yahoo is letting me down. I sent out a mass mailing least month to almost thirty people, and not one of them got it.

Thanks a bunch.