Ep. VII - Book lover turned copy editor
Meet Nasrin!
“It's a tough job to get. I had a lot of rejections until I got this. It wasn't even like solid rejections, it was like, get your foot in the door, and then get the door slammed on your foot.”
From the casual banter to the nitty-gritty details of proofreading and copyediting, Nasrin has come to appreciate her new role at Professional Sports Publications — a fascinating one, often overlooked by many.
Many might not even know what this job entails — the role of a proofreader is a crucial one in ensuring the accuracy and quality of the content that goes out to millions of PSP’s clients.
On the job
On a typical day, Nasrin dives into a sea of documents, ranging from team guides to municipal hospital guides, meticulously combing through each one for errors, mistakes, and inconsistencies. Armed with a keen eye for detail and a passion for precision, she works to ensure that every piece of content meets the highest standards.
But what exactly does a proofreader/copy editor do? It's not just about spotting typos and grammatical errors. It's about ensuring consistency in style, verifying factual accuracy, and maintaining the overall integrity of the content. From checking run seams to verifying information against Excel sheets, the job requires a combination of meticulousness and organizational skills.
Nasrin explains herself as part of a small but dedicated team, working both in-office and remotely to tackle the mountains of work that come her way. With multiple projects and deadlines looming, she has had to learn to navigate the complexities of managing the workload while maintaining quality and accuracy.
“My biggest hurdle is making sure I can get everything I need to get done in the day done,” Nasrin shared. “I've never been the type of person that plans out my week, but I've had to be now.”
Why proofreading?
For her, she explains, it was a discovery that aligned perfectly with her passion for the complexities of the English language, reading and editorial work. While initially aspiring to delve into book editing, Nasrin found herself seeking any and all experience she was able to get her hands on, someplace that would invite challenges and opportunities to learn and grow.
“It's a tough job to get,” Nasrin explained. “I had a lot of rejections until I got this. It wasn't even like solid rejections, it was like, get your foot in the door, and then get the door slammed on your foot.”
“And it's because I'm in a really small department, I work in a big office, and my department is teeny weeny,” Nasrin said of her job search. “It's competitive. What got me my job wasn't my experience, you have to enjoy what you're doing.”
Challenges
Yet, like any job, being a proofreader/copy editor comes with its unique set of challenges. From juggling multiple tasks to meeting the diverse expectations of different stakeholders, it's a balancing act that requires adaptability and resilience. But Nasrin takes it all in stride, finding fulfillment in the work and the impact it has on the final product.
As with anything, it is important to work in moderation. Nasrin spends several hours a day just reading document after document, in order to keep her mind keen and anew, she indulges in short-lived breaks where she dives into one of her favorite hobbies – reading. It may not sound like a break to most, but Nasrin spends most of her free time lost in a fantasy novel as she does on occasion at work.
As technology continues to evolve, so too does the field of proofreading and copyediting. What was once a labor-intensive process of printing out pages and marking them with a red pen has now transformed into a digital workflow, thanks to tools like Adobe. While the fundamentals remain the same, the tools and techniques have adapted to keep pace with the demands of the industry.
What’s next?
Looking ahead, Nasrin has big dreams and aspirations. While she appreciates the stepping stone that her current job provides, she envisions a future working with authors and publishers, helping to shape the next generation of literary works.
“I thought it would be cool to be a proofreader for Audible,” she said. “The books that they have narrated into more of a script format, being able to do that sounds cool. I also really want to work at like a book publisher, either, like Simon Schuster, Penguin Random House, or Harper Collins. I want to work with authors and help them through the editing process of their manuscripts and novels. So I want to gear into more of a creative outlet.”