What does a proofreader do?

A proofreader checks and edits text to ensure it is free of typographical, grammatical, spelling, punctuation, syntax, and formatting errors, as well as stylistic inconsistencies, etc. Depending on whether or not editing is involved in the process, proofreading (i.e. editing) might also include making changes to the content, structure, and language to improve grammar and style, e.g. by changing sentence structure or word choice.

How does proofreading
improve a text?

Proofreading always makes a text better. “Better” might mean easier to understand, easier to read, both – or something else. Autocorrect eliminates most spelling and punctuation errors, but it won’t change the tone, style, complexity, etc. in a text, and those aspects are important to retain the attention of your readers. Writers aren’t necessarily aware of their own shortcomings. Most readers will be.

Why isn’t Google Translate good
(enough)?

Maybe someday AI, deep learning, machine learning, and other types of tech will make my job obsolete, but until then, human beings are needed to fully make sense of texts, interpret their meaning, and consider their context. Google Translate is often quite useful but also makes catastrophic blunders – sometimes hilariously so. It does not fully understand intent, nor takes context into account. Some idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs are simply lost on Google Translate, so you might end up with a goat in the budget thanks to His lack of raining skills.

What is transcription?

Audio transcription is the process of converting speech into writing. The source file might be an audio recording (e.g. an interview) or a video featuring speech. A transcription provides a written record to review, search in, quote from, etc. Having a transcription saves you valuable time and ensures accuracy. Several factors determine the difficulty, price, length, quality, etc. of a transcription. I’ve written a bit about those factors here.

What is subtitling?

Subtitling is the process of adding text (often from a transcription) to any audio-visual media to express the meaning of what is spoken. Often subtitles include closed captions, which provide additional or interpretive information such as descriptions or non-speech elements. Subtitles aren’t just for the deaf or hard of hearing, but also useful when watching media:

• in a foreign language
• with loud volume and not wanting to distract or disturb others
• in a place with loud background noise
• with a sensitive subject matter in public.