Why Should You Use a Professional Proofreader?

So you have some natural flair with words, and you don't need to use a copywriter. But no matter how amazing your writing is - if it doesn't get your message across as clearly as possible, or if it has any spelling or grammatical mistakes, it immediately loses credibility.

No problem. You have spell check. That will take care of everything, right?
Wrong.

"Its possible to still have mistakes in you're copy after you've put it threw a spellchecker, even tough you might think its suppose to fix all you're mistakes: You won't believe the affects this could have on you're copy; you'll be left wandering watt went wrong."

Did you pick up all 12 mistakes in that paragraph?

Spell check wouldn't have found a single one. A proofreader on the other hand would have found and corrected every single one for you:
"It's possible to still have mistakes in your copy after you've put it through a spellchecker, even though you might think it's supposed to fix all your mistakes. You won't believe the effects this could have on your copy; you'll be left wondering what went wrong."

You might be able to count on spell check to spot all the obvious mistakes. But a computer can't figure out when you've simply used the wrong word and it doesn't spot all the punctuation errors.

Or maybe you think you can simply proofread your own work. You have a generally good grip on the English language, that's good enough right? Well, here's the problem with that: Proofreading your own work is the most difficult thing to do. Even professional writers - who are also professional proofreaders - will send their writing to other professional proofreaders. With your own writing, you already know what's coming next and so your brain might fix the problems automatically. And that means there's always a (fairly big) chance that you could miss a mistake - from something as simple as a little spelling mistake to something like getting the meaning of a sentence completely wrong.

That's why, before you submit any kind of writing for distribution or publication - you need to make sure it gets your message across as clearly as possible. This means it should be organised well and free of any grammar, vocabulary, punctuation and spelling mistakes. Proofreaders will find and correct mistakes - and improve the flow of your sentences.

If you make sure the last step of your writing process is making use of a professional proofreading service - you can rest assured that it will get your message across to your intended audience in the best possible way.

Get your worked checked by a professional proofreader, Jo Watson Productions offers professional proofreading, editing and wriiting services!

Translation - 4 Good Reasons to Use a Professional

Yes, English is considered the universal language of business. But there are many other languages across the world that you might need to communicate in.

South Africa is a great example as it has 11 official languages. If you want to appeal to people who speak a different language - it's much easier for them to relate to you if you communicate in their own language. So in order to bridge those cultural gaps and appeal to a larger market, you need to have some translation done. When you connect with your audience in their home language - it becomes more personal and localised.

In that case, you have a friend who speaks Zulu. She can translate all your documents for you quickly and easily. No need to waste money on a professional translator. Or you can just use Google translator and you'll manage, right? Wrong. Sub-standard translations will make your business look unprofessional and you'll lose credibility.

There are 4 good reasons why you need to make use of a professional translation service.

1. The human touch is still best
   Automated translators just don't get the job done as well as a professional (and human) translator can. If translation were simply a matter of plugging in a word for another word, like a code, then the automated translator machines would be all anyone ever needed. However, you have probably noticed that languages vary in grammatical structure and idioms that make word for word substitution impractical, and sometimes even dangerous.
   
2. Not just anyone can translate professionally
   A professional translator isn't just someone who is fluent in more than one language. They need to be linguistic experts with excellent knowledge and command of both languages - written and spoken. And in combination with the linguistic skills, they need good writing skills.
   
3. You're translating concepts, not just words.
   Translation is the communication of whole concept, not just words. That's why professional translators need to have an understanding of the etymology and idioms of the two languages and how they compare. An important skill of translation is knowing when to translate literally and when to paraphrase in order to best capture the original authors intended meaning.
   
4. Translating jargon takes special knowledge
   Professional translators need to be familiar with the subject matter of the text they are translating. This means they have to be comfortable with the jargon of the subject. They need to have a great enough understanding of the subject to communicate it in the target language - to various different audiences.

Your Quick Guide to More Concise Writing

People aren't interested in reading long paragraphs of writing unless they're reading a novel - especially when you're writing for the internet. So you need to make sure you say everything you need to say, in as few words as possible. Here are some tips on how to cut your word count and make your writing more concise, and therefore more compelling.

Be careful of repeating yourself
Watch out for unnecessary words that are already implied, like "end result" - it's already implied that the result is at the end. Other examples include "I saw it with my own two eyes", "close proximity" or "round in shape".
Also be watch out for phrases that mean the same thing as an adjective you've already used, like "Underprivileged people who don't have a lot of money can't afford luxuries."

Cut down on phrases
And then, like above, when you're describing something don't use a long phrase when just a word or two will do. So instead of saying something like "People who are honest always tell the truth.", you could simply say "Honest people always tell the truth." Or "The boy at the end of the queue had red hair." could rather be "The last boy had red hair."

Remove superfluous phrases
There are certain "filler" phrases that don't add any meaning to your sentences. This includes phrases "who was" or "that is" used in this way: "The man that is driving the red car is speeding." could just be "The man driving the red car is speeding." Other examples are "due to the fact that", "for all intents and purposes" or "a total of".

Ease up on the modifiers
Modifiers are words like "very" and "really", and they also don't add a lot of meaning to a sentence. Rather find more powerfully descriptive words than add modifiers to increase the meaning. For example, instead of saying "When I get home from work I'm always very tired." you could say, "When I get home from work I'm always exhausted."

Beware the clichés
Clichés are used so often that they've become completely worn out and don't add any meaning to your writing. All that it does is adds to your word count, and sometimes annoys your readers. So stay away from phrases like "tried and tested", "time is money" and "money makes the world go round".

 Jo Watson Productions offers professional writing services. Get any writing you need, from brochures to SEO articles, done for you - effectively. 

Editing Versus Proofreading - Know the Difference

Editor - proofreader. To-may-to - to-mah-to. They're basically the same thing right?

Well, not so much.
It's a pretty common misconception - many people say 'proofread' when they actually mean 'edit' and vice versa. But the two should never be confused. Although there are a few similarities - there's actually quite a big difference between the two.

Dictionary definitions
According to Dictionary.com, the definitions are:
· proof·read [proof-reed]
verb
1. to read (printers' proofs, copy, etc.) in order to detect and mark errors to be corrected.
· ed·it [ed-it]
verb
1. to revise or correct, as a manuscript.
2. to prepare (text) for publication by checking and improving its accuracy, clarity, etc
But what do they mean in practice?

Edit
Editors have a slightly more in-depth look at your text. They will go through your copy and make sure that it is free of any mistakes or inconsistencies. Many people think that editing simply means finding and fixing all the spelling mistakes. It's true that this is an important part of the job - but there are so many other elements that editors have to look out for.

They will go through text and generally improve the quality of writing and the way it flows. On top of fixing the spelling, punctuation, typos and other obvious mistakes - they fix the grammar and check that sentences make sense. They make sure the style and presentation is consistent and that names and dates are always treated the same. This means editors have to have a deeper understanding of the accepted style across various fields.

Proofread
Proofreaders are somewhat like the final checking point before something goes off to publication. So once the copy has been written, and edited, a typesetter will produce a proof copy of the final product - article, brochure etc. The proofreader will then check it in conjunction with the copy to make sure that no mistakes were made in the typesetting and that the editor didn't miss any mistakes in the original copy. 

 Proofreaders have a specially trained eye for catching small errors that most our brains' will just automatically correct. Another major different between an editor and a proofreader is that a proofreader has no editorial say. They simply highlight the errors they found and query it with the editors and typesetters. Proofreaders also have extra pressure to be extremely accurate because they are the last stage before publication.

It's a good idea for any writer to have their work edited or proofread by professional editors and proofreaders, because it's even more difficult to spot mistakes in your own work.

 Get professional proofreading and editing services to make sure your copy is perfect! Jo Watson Productions is a writing collective that offers full writing services, from brochures to articles to SEO writing; proofreading and editing services.

How SEO copywriting can benefit your business

 These days, nobody uses those big fat directory books anymore. It’s so much easier to just type in a few words describing what you’re looking for, and hitting enter. Tada! Just like that you have a list of options to have a look at – of which you’ll only look at the first few.

That’s why it’s very important for business websites to rank within the first list. SEO – search engine optimisation – is all about that. It’s about increasing your exposure on the internet and driving more traffic to your business website. There are a few special techniques to achieve this, and that is where SEO copywriting comes in.

SEO copywriting

SEO copy – whether it’s for website copy, an article or press release – is written to work well with search engines. This means it has to contain specific keywords that your users will type into a search engine that will bring up your site. SEO copywriters will develop the right set of keywords for your site, and use them in the proper balance. Content that doesn’t contain enough keywords won’t rank well, and search engines will reject content that is overloaded with keywords.

Writing for readers

SEO copywriting also requires a unique balance between writing for search engines and writing for your readers. SEO copywriters can provide content that is still creative and interesting, while it contains the right amount of keywords. You don’t want content that is simply stuffed with keywords and doesn’t make any sense to a reader. You want to capture readers’ attention.

On-site optimisation

This is where the balance between keyword use and content readability is the biggest challenge. SEO copywriters will write the content for your website in a style that is easy to read and specifically catered to web users. And they will select all the right information that your readers will be looking for. In between all of that they will insure that your specific keywords are sprinkled throughout in the right density to be noticed by search engines.

Off-site optimisation

Another great way to promote your website is by submitting articles and press release to other websites. This will create back-links that improve your site ranking and divert traffic to your website. SEO copywriters will write appealing articles and press releases that are specifically related to your products and services and contain all the right keywords.

Get your website noticed by search engines with professional SEO writing.

Get professional SEO articles or website copy to boost your website's popularity! Jo Watson Productions is a writing collective that offers full writing services, from brochures to articles to SEO writing.

How to Structure an Article - 6 Elementary Elements

Writing a good article starts with a solid structure. Before you start writing, you need to have a general idea of the flow of your information and having a structure in mind can help you organise your thoughts more easily. Here are some important things to consider about your article structure.

Introduction
Before you delve into the meat of your article, you need to prepare the reader for what they're about to find. Think of it as a warm up to ease your reader into your article. Give them the broad strokes of the article, and why the information is important to know.

Word count
When readers see pages and pages of writing, they're not very motivated to start reading. So keep it short - between 250 and 500 words. You don't need to waffle on about the topic, just get the main points across as concisely and effectively as possible.

Paragraphs
Paragraphs make readers more comfortable when they approach your article. Little bits of information are much easier to get through than a solid block. And you can use paragraphs to maximum effect by dividing your information into the different ideas you're introducing. Try not to expand one idea over more than two paragraphs.

Sub-headings
Sub-headings make readers even more comfortable by pointing out which idea you're developing in the paragraphs that follow. Choose a subheading that highlights the information that will follow. It's better to decide on your sub-headings before you start writing, that way you'll know exactly what each section should say. This makes the flow of information more organised.

Bullet points
Bullet points are sometimes a good way to present information. They appeal to the reader visually and they hold the promise of easy reading. But you need to make sure that bullet points will work for the information you want to list. You also shouldn't have too many bullet points in your list - 4 or 5 would be ideal. And always make sure that all of your bullet points are in the same grammatical format.

Title
I left the title for last, because it's usually better to think up your title after you've written the article. That way you have a much clearer idea of what the reader can expect from your article. The title is possibly the most important element of all - it needs to draw your readers in. So use your keywords and let the reader know what your article will be about, but make it inviting.
Article writing can be a highly specialised field - you can always make use of a professional article writer to take care of it for you.

Get professional articles written for magazines, newspapers, corporate publications or online publications. Jo Watson Productions is a writing collective that offers full writing services. - http://www.jowatsonproductions.co.za

How to use subheadings effectively

When you’ve missed the big final of your favourite sporting tournament, what do you do? You quickly catch the highlights! That way you can see the most important moments in the game and still follow what happened. And if you want to see the details, you can wait for a full rerun.

Subheadings are like the highlights of your article. Readers should be able to see by your subheadings whether your article has the information they need. With a big lump of text, all of your information is useless at first glance. Here are some helpful tips on using subheadings.

Map out the article

Readers should be able to skim just your subheadings and from there get an idea of what exactly your article is about. In other words, your subheadings alone should be telling your readers a short story on it’s own. Think of it as a map – you’re giving all the major destination points of your article. So each subheading should present a new idea, and it should give the reader a clear idea of what is to follow in the section that follows.

Give just the highlights

That being said, you also don’t want to give away your entire article in just the subheadings. You should give just enough information so that your readers know what they can expect in the article. But be careful not to provide too much information, remember – you still want them to read the whole article. So you want to provide an outline, and at the same time you want to intrigue your readers and make them want to read on.

Sell the benefits

In order for them to keep reading, readers need to feel like they’ll be gaining more, the further they keep reading. So, just as you promise a benefit in the title of your article, you need to spell out the benefits of each section. This helps to keep the reader interested.

Use them frequently

You want to use subheadings as much as you can – because the more you can cut your copy into smaller, manageable bits, the better. This is especially true if you’re writing for the web. With that in mind however, you also don’t want to overdo it. Subheadings are there to add to and enhance your copy, not replace it. The general rule is that every new idea, point or section deserves its own subheading. So scrutinize your article to see how many sections you can possibly break it up into.

  

Jo Watson Productions offers professional writing services. Get any writing you need, from brochures to SEO articles, done for you - effectively. 

Plain English – your answer to effective communication

The main purpose of language is to communicate information, thoughts and feelings. And when you communicate you want people to understand you, and you want to reach as many people as you can.

Yet the world is filled with pages of complicated jargon, officialese, and legalese – language that’s just trying too hard to sound posh. And this type of language creates a barrier in communication.

That’s where plain English comes in – it’s a way for you to reach the widest possible audience, with the greatest degree of understanding.

George Orwell

English novelist and journalist George Orwell was best known for his books “Nineteen Eighty Four” and “American Farm” – and his passion for clarity in language. This passion led him to write an essay in 1946 called “Politics and the English Language” – in which he provided some solutions to what he thought was wrong with the writing of the time.

He gave the following rules:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech that you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

And these rules basically outline what plain English is.

Plain English

Professor Robert Eagleson penned a popular handbook called “Writing in Plain English” which serves as a guide to writing more clearly. And he defined plain English as “clear, straightforward expression, using only as many words as are necessary. It is language that avoids obscurity, inflated vocabulary and convoluted sentence construction. It is not baby talk, nor is it a simplified version of the English language. Writers of plain English let their audience concentrate on the message instead of being distracted by complicated language. They make sure that their audience understands the message easily.”

It’s a very long definition – but it covers all the bases as to what exactly plain English is.

I also like the definition offered by the “Oxford Guide to Plain English” by Martin Cutts, “Plain English refers to the writing and setting out of essential information in a way that gives a cooperative, motivated person a good chance of understanding it at first reading, and in the same sense that the writer meant it to be understood.”

Basic guidelines

• Plan before you write
• Consider different ways of setting out your information
• Write shorter, simpler sentences
• Use words your reader will more easily understand
• Cut out unnecessary words
• Use lively verbs to express actions
• Use vertical lists to break up information

 
 
 Jo Watson Productions
 

How to write an effective headline – 5 fabulous tips

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

What is the main factor that makes you decide to buy a newspaper or magazine?

It’s the front-page headline – if it’s enticing enough you might just buy the whole paper, right?

The same goes for any article or blog post that you write. Effective headlines grab attention and compel the reader to read on.

1.     Use numbers

“10 reasons why using lists in your headlines works.” Nothing catches someone’s attention like a list of reasons, secrets, or types. Because the readers get a very specific idea of what they’ll gain from reading the article, they’ll be far more motivated invest some attention to your article.

2.     Start with your keywords

What is your article really about, or what do you want to emphasise? Think of the words your readers would search for if they were looking for this article – and then use those early on in your headline.

3.     Questions

When you use a question headline, you need to make sure it does more than just ask the question. You need it to entice the reader into asking the question and wanting to hear the answer.

4.     Use interesting adjectives

Instead of using the same old, boring adjectives you see in articles all over the media – dig into your thesaurus and find a more tantalising one!

See what I did there? Instead if just saying, ‘find a better one’, I used the word ‘tantalising’.

5.     Use clever tricks

There are some clever little tricks you can use to make your headline even more catchy. Just by adding in some simple alliteration you can make it roll off of a reader’s tongue with more flair. Witty puns, if done right, will also usually catch a reader’s attention. But you have to be careful here – a bad pun is not funny, it’s just irritating or insulting. A good pun-ny headline is also useless if no one understands it or it doesn’t explain what your article is about. So when you think up a creative headline, test it on someone else to make sure it works.

Jo Watson Productions offers full writing services. If you need to have an article written for you - because you simply don't have the time or you're struggling with some writer's block - let us handle it for you!