Coordinating Conjunctions Quiz

See on Amazon

Introduction

I'm starting to create a series of quizzes to highlight the errors I see most often while proofreading. In order to prevent possible copyright violations, all the sentences will come from my own books.

In my opinion, we learn by doing things right, so I'll do everything I can to help everyone score 100%. You will see the questions here, and then you can take a quiz online. 

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions combine clauses that can stand independently as sentences. When using a coordinating conjunction to combine sentences, sometimes a comma is added and sometimes it is not. 

Use the acronym FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to recall the coordinating conjunctions.

The rule is simple. If there is a subject in the clause after one of the coordinating conjunctions, there is a comma before the coordinating conjunction.

If there not a stated subject after the coordinating conjunction, there is not a comma before the coordinating conjunction.

Take the quiz online. The access code is test. Use your own name or make up a name.

Examples 

1) Which of the following is correct?

a) It gives valuable information to help you set realistic expectations along the way and will help you set goals for yourself.

b) It gives valuable information to help you set realistic expectations along the way, and will

help you set goals for yourself.

2) Which one of these is correct?

a) Astute readers will see these secrets and take action for success.

b) Astute readers will see these secrets, and take action for success.

3) Which one of these is correct.

a) The money is nice to have, but I cannot quit my day job yet.

b) The money is nice to have but I cannot quit my day job yet.

4) Which choice is correct?

a) The numbers do not lie. Either I did the work, or I did not.

b) The numbers do not lie. Either I did the work or I did not.

5) Which of the following is correct?

a) I have a master plan when I write a book, and I follow a process when I write.

b) I have a master plan when I write a book and I follow the process when I write.

6) Which one of the following is correct?

a) People used to take time off, but now society demands too much.

b) People used to take time off but now society demands too much.

7) Which one of the following is correct?

a) Writing activities must consume 75% of your time, or you will fail in the long-term.

b) Writing activities must consume 75% of your time or you will fail in the long-term.

Take the quiz online. The security code is test. Use your own name or make up a name.

Grammarly Handbook - The "Best" Source of Grammar Rules

Introduction

What is the "best" source of grammar rules? In my opinion, the source should be correct, and the source ought to be easy to access. In addition, the source should be well-organized. The Grammarly Handbook meets all three criteria.

Description

The Grammarly Handbook has a home page with a long subject list. It is easy to find the answer to most grammar questions. The explanations are short, so it doesn't take much time to find the answer.

I keep the bookmark on my bookmark bar at the top of my browser, so it's easy to find.

Self-Study

We make most grammar errors when we don't know we are making an error. I started spending ten minutes a day reading the Grammarly Handbook. Eventually, I'll finish the book.

Conclusion

For those who are serious about improving their writing, the Grammarly Handbook is an excellent resource.

Proofreader as a Coach (Special Offer Included)

See on Amazon

Introduction

Proofreading costs money because proofreaders like to eat, and writers are often short on money. This is the problem. What is a possible solution? 

Error Count

Experience tells me I will find at least 60 errors for each 1,000 words I proofread. Most of these are not trivial errors, and many of these errors can earn the dreaded one-star review for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. How much is it worth to avoid the one-star review?

If a book is 50,000 words long, I will almost certainly find at least 3,000 errors. Let me rephrase that. I will almost certainly find the same two or three errors repeated 1,000 times! The last sentence hints of the solution.

Figure out how to eliminate errors before repeating them 1,000 times! If a writer can eliminate their common errors, then their book may be good enough.

The High Cost of "Whole Book Proofreading"

The writer has two choices. My current rate is $3.99/1000 words. This includes proofreading, in-depth editing, and explanations of errors. The cost for 50,000 words would be almost $200. Should writers pay this much to eliminate thousands of errors?

It doesn't matter if they should. What matters is if they can, and many cannot.

The Solution

Are you seeing it yet? 

If a writer completes their 50,000-word book before hiring a proofreader, then they are likely to have about 3,000 errors. The writer CANNOT find these errors because they don't know the source of the errors. 

So what's the solution?

The solution is clear! Hire a proofreader after you have written 1,000 words; learn your common errors and don't make them again! 

Special Offer

Purchase a copy of Write, Edit, Revise and study the book. I wrote this book in simple language, so it is easy to understand. According to one of the reviews, maybe I made it too simple. You will learn how to construct sentences almost without effort. 

When you are ready, email me a copy of the purchase confirmation from Amazon, and I will proofread 1,000 words! We can work together to find your common errors, so you don't make them again.

If you hurry, you may catch the price at $2.99. I did just raise it to $3.99. 

PS: If you use Kindle Unlimited to buy the book, the offer is limited to 500 words. Please read at least 10% of the book, so I get paid something.

(Note: This offer will last at least one week. Afterward, it may end at any time.)

gershon_ben_franja@yahoo.com

Book Release: How to Start a Successful Proofreading Business.

See on Amazon

Much has happened this year. A new business and a new book. I even have a new name: Commakazi.

The wave of writing eBooks for profit is over, and it's time to Catch the New Wave in the Kindle Revolution. 

What happened? We all know what happened. 

When I started writing eBooks for Amazon in November 2012, there were 1.76 million eBooks on Amazon. Now, there are over 3.1 million eBooks. 

Unless the writer is in the top 1% or higher, they won't earn a significant income. 

It’s like the California Gold Rush all over again. Many people made their fortunes during the gold rush – selling picks, shovels, and other supplies to the miners. 

The miners are those writing eBooks for Amazon. The easy gold has been mined, and they are making less money each month. 

The proofreaders, and others who provide services to eBook writers, are the ones making the most money now.

There are three copies available for gifting. (Sold. There may be more tomorrow.)  Please enter your email in the comments and ask for the gift. If you know me from Facebook, you can indicate you want a copy in the comments and contact me on Facebook.

Take the Comma Challenge and Win a Free book!

The Challenge

First Two People to Score 100% get a Free Copy of my New Book

I've removed ALL the commas from the chapter below. Correctly place all the commas required near the word and, and I'll gift you a copy of my new book when it's released tomorrow.

Hint: Click Control-F to highlight the "ands."

Enter your answers in the comments by copying the word before and the word after the word and, including the correct comma placement.

Example: word and, including 

Chapter 2: Hire a Proofreader!

Introduction

We will have to show our future clients the value of hiring a proofreader. If we don’t hire a proofreader for our writing we will have no cre-di-bil-i-ty!

We should never ever under any circumstances try to sell a product we don’t use ourselves! What did I do today? I hired a proofreader for this book on www.fiverr.com!

Who to Hire

If you want to skip reading the rest of the book then hire me!

We both knew I was going to say that didn’t we? Why should you hire me?

First of all, you want to build a business don’t you? What better way is there to build a business than to follow another person’s business plan? Not anyone’s business plan but someone who tells you their business plan and shows it to you in action! It’s like buying a franchise for nothing! I will by example show you how I develop client relationships. You see this is my extra value for you!

What about Fiverr?

This is interesting. In a couple days my proofreader will know my “secrets.”

I searched for proofreaders and editors on www.fiverr.com and found one that proofreads 3000 words for $5.00 and promises 24-hour delivery. This is perfect for me as I can write 3000 words a day. Later we can discuss why this is important to me.

If the relationship works reasonably well then I’ll include a link to her gig. (It worked.) www.fiverr.com/midnightwriter

Note: We shouldn’t expect perfection from anyone. Besides, proofreading isn’t the key value a proofreader provides. That’s a mysterious concept isn’t it? At this point my proofreader may be scratching her head and wondering “What is the key value?” Isn’t the whole point of proofreading to eliminate mistakes?

Reducing errors is a minor side-effect. Yes I’m intentionally being cryptic so you will ask yourself “What is the crucial benefit we offer writers?”

Hiring a Friend

Try this once for free and it may work splendidly. Try it every day and you will lose a friend.

Conclusion

We must use our own product to be successful. Can you imagine selling cars if you didn’t drive? We learn by doing not by reading so if you’ve never hired a professional proofreader then now is the time isn’t it?

Win 10,000 Words of Free Proofreading - Take the Comma Challenge. We have a winner!

The Challenge: Insert 60 commas in their proper places, and Win 10,000 Words of Free Proofreading. 

(Only One Winner. Contact information for winner available upon request.)

Copyright Gary Thaller

Source: Sales Team One by T.R Colby

(Used with Permission.)

Send entries to gershon_ben_franja@yahoo.com

Please include Comma Contest in the subject line

M.C Simon hurdled the comma challenge and has joined the ranks of Commakazi's. 
Not only did meet the challenge, but she went the Extra Mile and wrote a magnificent blog post about the challenge. Don't miss this post. It's the best I've read in years!
Warning: Do not drink any liquids while reading M.C's blog post!

Friday October 21 1904: New Suit

Editor’s note: The last week was uneventful and I’ve omitted those pages.

Today was an excellent sales day and I sold my 28 pieces of fruit before eating lunch. Learning my customers’ names has paid off and they are showing commitment to buying from me every day. Many times they call my name before I see them and because of this I’ve been able to increase my sales to 28 a day. Today I decided it was time to buy my first suit.

I planned to go to Bloomingdale’s on 59^th and Lexington which is only a few blocks from the YMCA. When I got there I saw a small store across the street with a gold triangular sign that said “Tailor - Selling Visions since 1873.” Intrigued I decided to stop in before going to Bloomingdale’s.

As I walked in the six bells above the door rang and an old man with a long beard greeted me saying “Hi I’m Abraham E. Golding and to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?” I introduced myself and told him I was looking for a suit. Abraham said “Here we sell visions here not suits. What is your vision?” Still smarting from the presentation last week I told him I wanted a suit to wear to church and on special occasions.

Abraham pulled on his beard and said “The first and last words of the Torah are ‘Bereshit Ysrael’ -- In the beginning Israel.’ The word Israel means ‘God wrestlers’ and we have been making it difficult for God almost 6 000 years but God hasn’t given up on us. We have fallen away from God’s vision many times but He keeps guiding us back with love and sometimes with affliction therapy. Tom what is your “Israel?”

I looked down at my feet for a minute thinking and then raised my eyes and said “Abraham I want to be a sales rep with the company that has the best sales reps around the country.”

Abraham explained “In Hebrew we have a way of expressing the future in the past tense. I think Americans would say ‘It’s as good as done’ to express this idea. Americans would say ‘I am a sales rep with a company that has the best sales reps around the country.’ This will always remind you of your Israel. In the next week try to find one word that expresses this for you.

“What are you doing now?”

“I’m selling bananas on Wall Street!”

“That’s an impressive start. God started in the beginning and you should start in the beginning too. Remember these times and they will help you stay humble when you reach your Golden Banana. Let’s take a look at some suits if we may.”

Mr. Golding started walking slowly through the store while I followed and he explained there were many different styles of suits. Each style was like a uniform with bankers lawyers doctors businessmen and salesmen having a different style. Then he talked about quality. The first rack had suits that were $12 and they were for those who were near the bottom of the business and had no visions of going higher. The second rack was $18 and were for the next level of management or for those who were aiming to get there. He led me past the $12 $18 and $24 racks and then walked back to the $18 rack.

Mr. Colby I think you are a $24 man. My chest swelled because that was the first time someone called me Mister and the first time someone called me a man. Then he said maybe you are an $18 man. Do you have anyone working for you? “No sir ” I said “but I plan to have some boys working for me soon.” He said that I was unquestionably a $24 man since I will soon have some people working for me. I gulped because I was thinking I could get a suit for $10 at Bloomingdales but I wanted to be a $24 man.

Abraham picked out a charcoal black suit with faint golden pinstripes and handed it to me. Let us choose some shoes and then you can try this suit on. When I put the suit on it was too bulky and I had to pull up the legs of the trousers so they didn’t drag on the floor. I noticed the bottoms were cut funny and they looked like this: vvvVVvvv.

Mr. Golding had me stand on a platform in front of five clear mirrors and a two clear mirrors in the back so I could see myself from all sides. He told me he would alter the suit to fit me and in the future he would alter it again for free as I grew taller. He figured I could grow for a year before I had to buy another suit.

He started making strange markings on the suit with a piece of flat yellow chalk. He explained the pants should rest on the front of the shoes so there was a sharp crease at the bottom. They should be loose enough so I didn’t have to pull them up when I sat down but they should not look baggy. As he made marks on the lapels he told me they should stay flat on my chest when I sat down but they should not look too tight. He marked the arms so just the right amount of my shirt would show. Then he made some chalk marks on my back.

Afterwards Mr. Golding suggested I own two shirts so I could have a clean one every day. He recommended a laundry near the YMCA. Then he told me I would need four ties and to alternate them each day. One tie came with the suit and he picked three more for me. Then he helped me choose some suspenders and socks. The shoes I was wearing while trying on the suit fit perfectly so I took those.

I was adding the prices in my head and realized I didn’t have enough money. Mr. Golding said that was not a problem. I would pay when I picked the suit up Tuesday and I would only pay if I were happy with the fit. He totaled the bill and it came to $36.00 a reasonable price to pay for my vision. We shook hands and Mr. Golding congratulated me on the first steps of fulfilling my vision.

Keep your Writer's Voice!

A writer's voice is their personal writing style. Proofreaders correct for grammar and punctuation and may also suggest minor word changes. Editors may suggest restructuring sentences, or they may suggest rewriting sentences. Overzealous editors change so much, the writer doesn't recognize the sentences.

In my opinion, the changes should be large enough to fix what is incorrect and the changes should be small enough, so the writer won't notice where the changes were made.

Which of these sentences fulfill the criteria? 

1. “Mr. Volpe,” I said, “How much do you pay for each banana?” He paused a second and told me they were two cents apiece, and he sold them for three cents.

2. “Mr. Volpe,” I asked, “how much do you pay for each banana?” He paused a second and told me they were two cents apiece, and he sold them for three cents.

3. He paused a second, told me they cost him two cents apiece, and he sold them for three cents.

4. After pausing for a second he said, "They cost me two cents apiece, but I sell them for three cents."

 

5."Two cents."

Where is the comma error? There is at least one!

Comma-kazi Dogfighter

A highly rated proofreader from www.fiverr.com proofread this chapter for me. Then, after much studying, I found the errors she missed. Is your proofreader a Comma-kazi Dogfighter?

I will proofread up to 1,000 words for commas, other minor errors, and a bunch more in return for purchasing two of my eBooks priced $2.99 or more. Please contact me for availability.

gershon_ben_franja@yahoo.com

Thursday, Oct 13, 1904: Volpe’s Grocery

After breakfast with Dale, I ran to Volpe’s Grocery to buy bananas for the day. I brought a bag with me with the intention of buying 14 bananas. This would save me trips back and forth to the store during the day. Mr. Volpe said, “Kid, I can’t sell you 14 bananas, or I won’t have any left for my regular customers. I can give you one bunch of about seven bananas.” I could see Mr. Volpe wasn’t going to budge, so I asked Mr. Volpe if he could sit on the bench outside for a bit so we could discuss it.

1.      g. (FANBOYS) Both clauses can stand alone as independent sentences, so I added a comma before or.

After we sat on the bench, I asked Mr. Volpe if there was a way we could work things out. He explained he had to take care of his regular customers first, or he would risk losing them as they would go to another store next time if he didn’t have the fruit they wanted. He would lose not only the banana sales, but he would lose the rest of the customer’s order, too. I could see his point, so I asked if there was something else we could do. For today, he said, I could buy seven bananas and seven apples. This seemed like a reasonable compromise, so I readily agreed to that, but I had bigger plans.

Mr. Volpe, I said, “Can you tell me how you purchase your fruit each day?” He said at the end of each day, a messenger boy took an order to Giovanni’s, and the order would be delivered early the next morning. “Mr. Volpe,” I said, “How much do you pay for each banana?” He paused a second and told me they were two cents apiece, and he sold them for three cents. I thought for a bit and asked, “What if I ordered fruit the day before?”

2.      g. If you have extra information in a sentence, the information should be separated by commas. Added a comma after day.

Mr. Volpe told me that would help but what if I did not show up because of a severe rainstorm or something. That could easily happen as it often rained in New York City that time of year. He would be left with extra fruit that would spoil if I didn’t come. I was starting to understand his concerns, and suspected he had some fruit spoil every day because he wanted to have enough for his regular customers.

3.      g. (FANBOYS) The highlighted phrase cannot stand alone as a sentence. Therefore, I deleted the comma before the pink word.

I told Mr. Volpe I was not going to be a fourteen banana man for long, and soon, I would like to get more fruit from him each day. I explained I wanted a harmonious relationship with him, which would be honest and beneficial for both of us. Just then, a customer came, and I heard Mr. Volpe greet her by name, and they spoke for a while in the store before they came back out. I thought hard while they were talking.

4.      g. Interjections, like this one, are set apart by commas.

5.      In this case, if the comma is not added after soon, then the next clause could not stand alone as a sentence. Then, all commas in the sentence would need to be removed.

When he came out, I asked Mr. Volpe if he could order more fruit each day if he knew I was a guaranteed buyer. He said he could do that without a problem if I paid him in advance. I readily agreed to that and handed him 42 cents for the next day’s order. He smiled at me, and he told me I could have my fruit today since I was now a regular customer.

6.      I added a comma after me as I wanted to emphasize the smiling. I added “he” to make the next clause able to stand on its own as a sentence. Without this change, the comma after me would not be allowed.

Then a thought flashed into my mind, and I asked Mr. Volpe if I could someday order 140 pieces of fruit a day. He said, “Why certainly, give me a few days to set it up with Giovanni’s so he can buy from his suppliers.” Then I asked if we could negotiate the price a bit since he would have a guaranteed sale, and he would not have to spend time stocking his store. He told me that if I bought 100 pieces of fruit, he got a discount from his supplier for all his fruit that day, so he could sell it to me for 2 ½ cents apiece. We shook on it, and I went off to Wall Street to make my sales for the day. I felt happy because Mr. Volpe and I worked out a deal that was beneficial for both of us.

7.      Added “he” so the clause would be able to stand alone as a sentence. Because of this, we can add a comma before and. This gives a chance for a breath in a long sentence.

I had a hard time selling fruit today since it was raining. There was also more shouting on the street than yesterday, and I suspected there was something going on with the stock market. Finally, I made my sales and went to the YMCA with $0.98 in my pocket.

8.      g. changed as to since.

When I got back to the YMCA, Dale asked me about my day, and I told him everything that had happened. He asked me if I knew the difference between my customers and Mr. Volpe’s customers. I thought about it, and said Mr. Volpe knew his customers’ names. They were not really customers at all, they were friends. Dale didn’t say a word, but gave me a look that said there should be more.

9.      g. (FANBOYS) Both clauses can stand alone as independent sentences, so I added a comma after the pink word.
10.  g. If you have extra information in a sentence, the information should be separated by commas.

I exclaimed, “They aren’t buying food from Mr. Volpe, they are buying Mr. Volpe because they feel like a family member!” Right then, I resolved to learn all my customer’s names and treat them like my brothers and sisters.

11.  g. Changed period to exclamation point to match “I exclaimed.”

What Heavy Editing Looks Like.

The author gave me permission to post editing changes as examples while I edit his book. These changes will only remain until the next chapter is ready. Consider it a serial book. This is the first pass, so I may miss some errors.

Introduction

My part in this story starts in 2006 when my mother died. My brother, sister, and I had a great relationship, and executing the will was very friendly. There was some money to be divided, and we had to divide the personal items. We divided these in terms of what they meant to each of us, rather than on what they could sell for.

g. added “Oxford comma” after sister as it was standard in 1904.

g. Delete very as the word is overused.

g. Added comma after us to separate the parenthetical expression

My brother was working with Habitat for Humanity, so he inherited all of my father’s tools. He also inherited my mother’s big diamond ring because he has a couple of daughters who might wear them later.

g. Replaced got with inherited.

g. Replaced got with inherited.

My sister asked for the old Wurlitzer piano she learned to play on. She also asked for some furniture.

All I wanted was the two boxes in the attic, which were handed down from my mother’s father. I had seen these in the attic from the time I was little, but nobody ever opened them, and we didn’t know what was in them

.

This year, I finally got around to looking inside. What I read kept me enthralled through the night. Tom Colby emigrated from Ireland in 1904, and this is his story. Tom became one of the top sales reps in the country, and he founded “Sales Team One”.

g. Added comma.

g. Added he.

g. Added quotes and italiced.

g. Restructured sentence – original: Finally, this year, I got around to looking inside

Each day, Tom would write a page about his life in America. I reckon there are about 10,000 pages in the boxes. I’m dedicating this book to T. R. Colby, and to all sales reps and sales managers.

g. Added comma.

Gary Thaller, Editor

g. Italicized

---

Section after completing corrections

I only this minute arrived at Ellis Island after sailing from Dublin, and I was worried. Mom died on the voyage to America, and I didn’t know what would happen since I was only 14 years old. Would they let me into the United States, or would they send me home? Would they place me in an orphanage? Would I even get a chance to live the American Dream? I was scared, and thought about dodging the line and sneaking off to New York City.

I had $50 in my pocket as everyone did. That was a requirement back then to immigrate to the United States from Ireland.

Finally, I arrived at the front of the line and found I didn’t need to worry. They stamped my papers and sent me on my way. Some nuns with square faces stuck a banana in everyone’s hand for a snack. I wasn’t hungry, so I stuck it in my pocket.

Mom told me that if I wanted to get wealthy, then I should go where the wealthy people are. I found a group of men talking and asked them, “Where are the wealthy people?” They laughed and made some jokes at my expense, but I wasn’t giving up. I asked some more men and some old guy said, “If you want to find the rich people, then go to Wall Street.” “Where’s Wall Street?” I asked. He pointed in the general direction.

There was a colossal building with magnificent columns, and someone told me it was the New York Stock Exchange. The cornerstone said it was built last year.

On the streets around the building, men in cheap suits were shouting at men in windows. They were shouting out names and prices, and others would tell them if they were buying or selling. I asked what was going on, and was told this was the “Curbstone Exchange.” People were buying and selling stocks, and they were all trying to get rich.

How was I going to create wealth here? I put my hands in my pockets, and found the banana. I don’t know why, but I held the banana in the air and shouted, “Banana, 10 cents!” A guy near me grabbed the banana and stuck a dime in my hand. I looked at it in awe and shed a tear when I saw the head of the Statue of Liberty on it.

On the way to Wall Street, I passed a grocery store with a box of bananas out front. I recalled bananas were 3 cents apiece. I ran back to get three bananas, and went back to Wall Street to sell them.

Commas Bomb Us!

This is an excerpt from my book

How to Start a Successful Proofreading Business

Catch the New Wave in the Kindle Revolution

(Coming soon!)

copyright 2015 Gary Thaller

Introduction

Today when I was proofreading a book, I needed to confirm some comma corrections I was making in the book, so I did some comma research.

Show of hands: How many of us would put a comma after today?

Hypothetical Poll results

Yes: 347

No: 358

Don’t know: 496

How many errors are there?

Today, I saw a factoid that stated, "Half of all the commas used in a book are wrong, and half of all the places where there is not a comma and there should be are wrong."

Should the phrase “and there should be” have a comma before and after it?

Should the a in “and there should be” be capitalized? 

Corollaries:

• The writer will think half of all the comma corrections by the proofreader are wrong. The writer will be right half the time.
• Readers are wrong half the time they think they spot a comma error. Readers are wrong half the time when they do not spot an error.
• If the same document is sent consecutively to 10 proofreaders the number of comma errors will stay the same.

Should there be a comma after proofreaders? Is it correct to put a comma after proofreaders?

What does this mean? Every comma used in a book has a 50% chance of being wrong. For every comma in a book, there are an equal number of places a comma should have been used but wasn't.

Would it be correct to put a comma after used? Is it incorrect to omit the comma?

The book I’m editing has about 8,700 commas and according the half-wrong theory there are 17,400 comma errors.

Do we want to leave 8,700 errors in an 82,000 word book? Wouldn’t a client be justified to refuse payment if we left 8.700 errors in their book?

Sickening Examples

The reason these are sickening examples is most of us will feel sick to our stomachs after reading them. Do you?

Which sentence is correct?

“Beverly come here!”

“Beverly, come here!

The answer is there is not enough information to decide.

Should there be a comma after the first is in the previous sentence? Would it be wrong to put a comma after the first is?

Karen, my proofreader, will decide.

Or should it be, “Karen my proofreader will decide.”

Is either choice correct? It depends.

What I am doing about it

What do I always do when I want to learn something? I write a book, right?

This time, I'm going to make a "book" for my personal files. I will copy websites with comma rules into a Word document. Many website creators copy Strunk and make their own examples.

 

Each time I suggest a comma correction, I will cut and paste the rule, in shortened form, from my personalized comma document to the client’s final draft in shortened form.

Would it be wrong to put a comma after document?

Can most of us define a parenthetical without Google? Can we define an appositive without Google? Which one of these requires commas to set apart a phrase? Which one of these prohibits the use of commas to set apart a phrase?

By now, we are all squirming and wishing I didn’t broach this topic – I know I am! I won’t ask if there should be a comma before “and!”

Take the "Hypothetical Comma Challenge!"

Hypothetical offer: I will proofread a document, of any length, for 5 cents for each comma in the document. I will also charge 5 cents for adding commas where there is not a comma.

If you need help, then "Comma" see me!

I'm booked solid until the end of April 2015. Sorry about that!

 

How to Start a Successful Proofreading Business:

Catch the New Wave in the Kindle Revolution!

Copyright 2015 Gary Thaller

Chapter 1: This is my Vision!

Introduction

How does a business start? Have you thought about starting a business? Have you thought about starting a proofreading business? Maybe you already started a proofreading business and want to learn more. Let’s start together by discussing the initial phases of business development.

What is a Dream?

Dreams are potential and dreams are a thought without action. They are like a rocket sitting on the launch pad that will not launch without ignition.

Dreams are the times we idly plan to do something, knowing we are not ready to act. Dreams are the times of logical research, false starts, “failures,” and quitting.

There is NO SUCH THING AS FAILURE. In the dream stage, failure or quitting means we decided not to pursue the dream – that’s all! I’ve written 51 eBooks and “failed” to write about 25 others.

Why did I fail? I never got the vision for the eBook! We MUST have a vision to succeed, and without a VISION, we shouldn’t start unless we enjoy not finishing.

What is a Vision?

When I have a vision, I can clearly see the end from the beginning. When I had the vision to start a professional proofreading business, all of a sudden the steps spread out in front of me. I could clearly see each step along the way, the advantages, the pitfalls, the trials and errors, the testing of theories, gathering clients, etc.

And now, we will share our visions together. I’ve been through this process many times, and when I have a vision, I KNOW I will be successful! And if you come along with me on this journey, you will KNOW you will be successful!

Recognizing a Vision

This is where I get excited, and hopefully some of it rubs off on you; I also hope some of your excitement rubs off on me!

First of all, how can we tell we have a vision? Oh, we can tell all right – when we have a vision, we can’t think of anything else. The vision dominates our thoughts and detonates ideas in our mind throughout the day.

Detonates ideas? What does this mean? It means our subconscious is excited! Somehow, through dreaming, we launched our dream rockets and they exploded into PASSIONATE DESIRE.

Guess what? When we have a passionate desire, it means our subconscious is working on a plan – we can’t stop it, it must happen – and suddenly, when we aren’t expecting it, our subconscious downloads a plan! Not an idea, not a partial plan, not more research, not more reading, not more discussing with others – our subconscious downloads a complete plan into our conscious mind!

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever been so excited about a project you couldn’t think of anything else? Have you ever seen the end from the beginning – what does “the end from the beginning” mean anyway?

Seeing the End from the Beginning

Many people attach a religious or mystical meaning to this phrase, but it is merely a basic concept. Let me give an example, as we do it every day without thinking about it.

Today, my son and I went to the grocery store. The end was groceries in the house. The beginning was a mental picture of groceries in the house. It was at the level of a vision because we could see the end from the beginning and we knew it would happen.

To get to the end from this beginning, all we had to do was fill in the blanks with actions.

My proofreading vision is so strong, that even though I haven’t yet built the complete business, I can see all the steps along the way. I KNOW, with certainty, that I will succeed.

By the end of this book we will both know WE can succeed together.

Conclusion

I’m excited, but perhaps you aren’t excited yet. After all, maybe you don’t have the vision fever yet. So, we will need to share information in our logical minds and maybe you will experience your own vision.

Let’s move on to the next step – can you guess what it is? I’ll tell you what my first guess was: writing a business plan. In fact, that was going to be the next chapter! But… I was wrong.

Seven Day eBook Challenge for Bloggers

Introduction

Recently, I completed a 30-day blog challenge , where the goal was to make a blog post every day for 30 consecutive days. Have you ever dreamed about transforming your blog into a book? If not, why not? Maybe it would take too much time from your schedule, maybe you didn't want to learn a new skill, or maybe you thought it would be too hard. Let's take the "Seven Day Book Challenge" together!

Why you MUST Write a Book!

Are you a coach? Do you sell computer applications? Are you a freelance writer? Do you want another marketing venue? Do you want a passive venue where you market once and Amazon spreads the word? Then write a "How to" book for instant credibility! Imagine having a link to your book on your website!

This is where I was three days ago when I started my new book, "How to Start a Successful Proofreading Business: "Catch the New Wave in the Kindle Revolution."  Together, we can produce approximately 3,000 words a day. My book will be about 24,000 words, so I'm taking eight days to write the book, and one day to upload the book to Amazon.

Before I started my book, I hired a proofreader. Yes, proofreaders use proofreaders as we know the value. Aside from professional proofreading, my proofreader is my accountability partner. I must submit 3,000 words a day, and she must return my work within 24 hours.

Your Written Business Plan

When I began writing eBooks for Amazon, I wrote "Write to Hike!" It is more than a book about learning to write so I can achieve financial freedom. It is my business plan! How many bloggers have a written business plan? Would you like someone to help you create a business plan? Would you like someone who has published 50 books on Amazon help you write your book? 

Marketing

How many of you read "Zero to Blogger in 30 Days!: Start a blog and then join the 30 day blogging challenge to get results (Marketing Success Book 1)" Did you read the book because you joined the challenge on Facebook? Or did you join the challenge on Facebook because you read the book? Either way is a winner!

How Hard is it to Write a Book

A writer with PASSION can easily write 3,000 words a day! We can work with 1,000 a day if that's what you need, but it will take a longer.

The hard part is proofreading and editing. Let me handle that task for you. Bloggers are professional writers, and professional writers can produce a first draft that is near a final draft.

What my Services Include

Action plan and accountability

People who don't have an action plan miss deadlines, lose interest, and fail!

I will work with you to develop a schedule to publish your book on time. Here is a sample of my communications with you:

Project Schedule

Monday: Chapters 1-4: Started 7:12 am. Estimated completion: 10:12 am. Completed: 9:48 am

Tuesday: Chapters 5-6: Estimated start: 8:45 am

Wednesday: Chapters 7 to 10

Thursday: Chapters 11-12

Friday: Quick review of complete manuscript.

Estimated Completion Time: Late Friday morning

Editing

I will make suggestions, but not changes, and especially not writing style changes. I may give you suggestions for new chapters, and I may suggest deleting sections that don't match your book's thesis. 

Format your eBook for Amazon

Book Cover

I don't design book covers, but if you ask around, someone will make a recommendation for a Fiverr gig.

Your Responsibilities

You must have a passion and a vision! You must be able to see a published eBook in your mind.

Clear a time in your schedule. This is not a "work it into your spare time" project. It is a commitment to succeed! Neither one of us can afford to miss the deadlines we jointly establish before starting. I focus on one project at a time so I can give it my full attention.

Write your book description. You can use eBooks in your category as examples.

Create a chapter outline before starting and complete your brainstorming. Start writing the day before we start. 

Upload your book to Amazon. 

Deliver your files to me in .docx or .doc format.

The Cost

For the first 15,000 words, you can buy one of my books on Amazon for each 1,000 words I complete. All but two of these are $2.99. Two of them are $3.99. After that, it's $3.33/1,000 words. 

The Value

• Self-esteem
• Marketing Platform
• Written Business Plan
• And more!

Sign up Now!

Remember, I focus on one project at a time, so get in line as soon as possible!

gershon_ben_franja@yahoo.com

Please put "I have a book vision" in the subject.

Form a Mastermind with your Proofreader

Introduction

"By definition, a mastermind alliance is two or more people working together for a common purpose."

Napoleon Hill: Yesterday and Today

I take this a step further by eliminating the word 'alliance.' I also eliminate words like group, etc. Why? Because an effective Mastermind transcends individuality. Two people become as if they are in one mind where there can be no conflict. Questions? Yes. Disagreements? Yes. Hurt feelings? No. 

How do I form a Mastermind with my clients? How would you form a Mastermind with your proofreader? What might the Mastermind look like? Zip on to the next section for one opinion.

Define the Common Purpose

When the writer joins with the proofreader, it helps to have a common purpose. What is the common purpose? This is the crucial question.

The writer must step away from their reasons for writing their book. The book is finished, so those reasons are no longer important. The proofreader must step away from their reasons for proofreading, as those reasons are no longer important.

After walking for a couple hours this morning while pondering the common purpose, I settled on:

Reader Experience

When these words came to me, I asked myself: "What about reader experience? Doesn't this require some adjectives? Will my clients know what it means? My Inner Coach said "No, do you see why it two words are enough?"  My cheeks were turning numb as it was only seven degrees out. How could I agree with my Inner Coach? Then it hit me!

The word "reader" takes me out of the role of a proofreader and into the mind of the reader. The word "reader" takes the writer out of the role of a writer and into the mind of the reader. 

Now, we are on the same side of the table. We are two readers working together as one to... to do what?

Now it's time for the adjective. "Aha!," I exclaimed to my inner Coach. "We can use 'Enhance Reader Experience.'" 

"Nope," he said. "'reader experience.' Think about it for another mile and get back to me."

Finally, as my fingers were turning numb from the cold, I got it. When the proofreader and the writer consider a change, they can use "reader experience" in the communication. 

"Does this passage detract from the reader's experience? Will the change enhance the reader's experience?" 

For minor errors,there is no need for this discussion. However, as a proofreader, I often stray into editing. What if I am confused by a sentence that is grammatically correct? What if I see an entire chapter should be rewritten to enhance the reader's experience?  This is where the words "reader's experience" are handy.

"Do you think rewriting this sentence would enhance the reader's experience? Perhaps, as a suggestion, we can word it this way: ________"

The final decision rests with the writer, as it's their book. 

Communication

Tell me what you want and I'll give it to you. Tell me what you don't want, and I won't give it to you. Please, give me feedback as I proofread.

We are working together with the common goal of: "Reader Experience." We must communicate to work efficiently. So, how can we do that?

We change the process from the way many proofreaders work. I only proofread  3,000 words a day. I send the suggestions to the writer as early in the day as I can. Ideally, they make the changes they accept to their master file, and then tell me if my method of proofreading works for them. It's my job to do what works best for the writer, and I can only do this if the writer tells me what they like and don't like about the process.

Levels of Proofreading

There is no clear definition of proofreading, editing, copywriting, etc., as the boundaries overlap. It helps to delineate the boundaries at the start.

When I wrote "Sales Team One," I asked my proofreader to highlight any obvious typos, but to ignore everything else. Why? Sales Team One is historical fiction set in 1904, so, I had to write as if the book was written in 1904 by the well-known characters in the book. (Notice the unusual comma usage and the longer sentence structure.) The narrator is 14 years old, so I had to write like a 14 year old boy would write in 1904. 

An experienced writer might ask me to ONLY highlight extra spaces, punctuation errors, spelling errors and obvious grammar errors. They are happy with their writing style and don't want any suggestions. 

Meanwhile, a new writer wanting to improve might ask me to highlight every extraneous word. They may ask me to suggest alternative words such as "bellowed" instead of "said," "raced" instead of "ran quickly," etc. 

Other writers might have what I call "evaluation anxiety," and only want spelling, punctuation, and grammar suggestions.

I'm happy to cross-over into editing if that's what my client wants. I'm happy to stick with stereotypical proofreading if that's what my client wants. All it takes is open communication.

How I get to Know my Clients

Confession time: I'm learning from a mistake. I received a final draft, and I started proofreading with a magnifying glass. To make it worse, I started to suggest changes based MY style and not my CLIENT'S STYLE. So, what is the solution?

Be a Reader First

One of my programs converts any file to an audio book. In the future, the first step will be listening to the entire book while I walk -- listening as a READER, not a proofreader. Remember, the goal is READER experience. 

Many styles are used by writers. As in the previous sentence, and in this one I might add, the passive tense is used effectively by many writers.

Other writers use an action packed active voice. They write in shorter sentences. They get to the point. They write in shorter sentences and they get to the point. 

Any style can work, and I can adapt to the writer's style. 

Conclusion

When we work together as one mind, working with a common purpose, we can enhance the reader's experience. To do so, open communication is essential. It's my job to match what my clients want.

Good News/Bad News

Yesterday, a writer gave me six books to proofread. He has a flexible timeline. I agreed to schedule one book every other week for 11 weeks so I can leave the open weeks for new clients. Eleven weeks, or sooner, is my commitment. If I have open days, I will slide his project earlier.

Meanwhile, I still have openings for new clients, but they can slam shut if you don't contact me early!

Please contact me even if you haven't started writing your book. We can reserve a date to start proofreading. To maintain top quality, I proofread one book at a time. 

Gary Thaller

gershon_ben_franja@yahoo.com