Proofreader

Having a guest clinician in front of your choir is like having a good proofreader.

Anything longer than two sentences, I want a proofreader.

It’s not because I think I’m a poor writer – I’ve got a handle on the basics. It’s simply this: mistakes creep into everyone’s writing. We can become blind to our own mistakes, reading what we think we wrote instead of what is actually on the page. A proofreader cuts right through that, without fail. They see things I can’t anymore.

The things I’m worried about for emails with impact, critical texts, and even social media posts are:

  • clarity of tone
  • minimal typos
  • accuracy of information
  • thoroughness

Given those goals, I’m asking for proofreading help – and providing it – all the time.

As a conductor, I think often about the value of having a guest worth with my ensemble as similar to having a proofreader. They cut through the things I’ve stopped noticing, and help my ensemble perform at their peak.

The goals are similar, the challenges are related, and the solution is the same: get a proofreader.