Meet Our Tutors: Mandy
Mandy has lived in Canada for over 20 years, though she’s originally from Scotland. When she started looking for flexible work to complement her healthcare career, she decided to turn a lifelong love of reading into something more formal and trained as a proofreader and editor.
Flexibility had always been a priority for Mandy – and once she’d found a working style that offered it, she was keen to help others do the same. When a tutoring opportunity came up at Knowadays, she jumped at it, and she’s been supporting learners ever since.
Read on to hear more about her journey.
Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you based, and what does your background look like?
I’ve lived in different places in Canada for the last 20 years, though I’m originally from Scotland. Currently, I live near Vancouver, BC. My background is working in healthcare.
How did you end up working in proofreading and editing? What drew you to it in the first place?
A few years ago, I was searching for some extra work. I’ve always loved reading, and I decided to train in proofreading and editing. I completed a couple of courses, including Becoming A Proofreader in 2018. This opened the door to working with Proofed. Having flexible work has always been important to me, so the work with Proofed suited me really well.
What does your working life look like today?
I feel very lucky because my work is so flexible. I work some set shifts with the tutor team at Knowadays. I also still work as an editor at Proofed, and recently I’ve had time to take on more work there with a few business teams. I also do volunteer work outside of editing and tutoring.
When did tutoring come into the picture, and what made you want to do it?
In 2019, after I started working at Proofed, a tutoring opportunity came up at Knowadays (then Proofreading Academy). I jumped at the chance because I had loved completing Becoming A Proofreader!
What do you enjoy most about working with learners?
It’s rewarding to explain a tricky concept in a way that helps learners understand something new and to point them to additional resources. It’s fun to learn from students and gain new perspectives as well!
What does the support you offer learners look like day-to-day?
I grade final assignments, offer feedback on practice exercises, and answer a wide range of questions. Questions come in from prospective, current, and returning learners, and there’s always something new to think about when putting together answers.
How do you typically approach giving feedback, and what do you think learners value most about it?
We give written feedback on final assignments in a structured format that highlights the positives as well as what was missed. Feedback is often straightforward to put together when it relates to specific issues, such as spelling, punctuation, grammar, or style guide points. But it can take more time to explain things for other issues, such as edits that might improve the text but were unnecessary. We each have a different way of explaining things, and I think learners value our detailed personal responses.
Is there anything you wish you’d known when you were starting out in editorial work?
It can be physically demanding at times! Like many people, I find that sitting or standing at a desk for long periods can cause muscle tension and tired eyes. Of course, taking regular breaks is essential.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about taking a course but isn’t quite sure yet?
Ask us any questions you have! Good opportunities might be waiting for you if you complete our courses.
What do you like to do when you’re not working? (Any recent reads or other recommendations welcome!)
I love running, hiking, and generally being outside in nature. Enjoying spotting wildlife is part of that. I also like yoga and reading, and I’ve started listening to audiobooks as well. Recent enjoyable reads/listens are Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris, A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke, and The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.
Take Your First Step with Knowadays
For Mandy, proofreading was never meant to be a complete career overhaul – it was a way to build something meaningful alongside everything else in her life. She now works with Proofed and tutors for Knowadays, and the flexibility that drew her in at the start is still what she values most.
Thinking about taking that first step? Whether you want to proofread and edit full-time or start a flexible side hustle, our Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor courses have you covered. You can work entirely at your own pace, with lifetime course access and one-on-one support from friendly tutors throughout. You can also buy both courses as a bundle to save 15%. If you’re not quite sure yet, try two free lessons first!
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