Amanda Woods , Weston-super-Mare, United Kingdom

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Amanda Woods and I am a qualified proof reader. I have worked around the world for the last 30 years in various industries and I am, therefore, fully aware of the technical terminology used in subjects ranging from medicine and law through to engineering and cosmetic industries. In Hong Kong I worked for both the Hong Kong Tourist Association and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council both as a proof reader and sub-editor, making sure that the copy was put into readable English rather than a literal translation from Chinese. In every position I held, it was imperative that material was produced that was correctly spelled and grammatically correct. I have also been involved in creating marketing material and checking legal documentation.

I am a voracious reader and have an extensive vocabulary at my disposal. I often discover spelling and/or grammatical mistakes in the books that I read and believe that this definitely detracts from the pleasure a reader experiences. I am a firm believer that reading material needs to be spelled properly and is grammatically correct in order for the subject material to be communicated as effectively as possible.

I am also a fast reader. This does not mean that I skim the material I read, rather the opposite. For example, I recently read the Elton John Autobiography, Me. I read the book in a single day and was able to discuss it in depth with others, who had taken an average of 4 days to read the same book.