The proof is not in the pudding

One of the most hated activities in all of writing is proofreading. It takes a special kind of focus to sit down with a manuscript and go through, word for word, looking for the slightest slip. And even though books from respectable publishers will usually have undergone this process with at least three separate pairs of eyes, I have hardly ever read a published book where I didn't spot an error or two - which means that there were probably several more, as once I get into a book, I tend to read so quickly that I don't spot much at all.

This being the case, there was a huge temptation when I got a spam email from a proof reading service. What are the chances, I thought, that their email would have a mistake in it? Wouldn't that be deliciously ironic? I have reproduced it here for your delectation. I could only spot one punctuation error, but who know what might be lurking within. (And I do wonder about the journal publication service.) Meanwhile, back at the pudding*...

PROFESSIONAL PROOFREADING AND EDITING

X Proofreading company is one of the world’s leading editing and
proofreading companies. Our company’s primary objective is to provide
clients with prompt, professional, and affordable editing and
proofreading services. Our careful proofreading and editing services
provide clear, error-free materials that let you present a
professional image.

At X Proofreading company, we offer the following services:

1. Proofreading and editing
2. Translation from other languages to English
3. Manuscript write-up
4. Manuscript critiques
5. Publication of manuscript in a relevant journal

Send your documents for proofreading and editing to;

email address 1,

email address 2

* I should note that, as it often misrepresented as 'the proof is in the pudding', the phrase is 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating,' just as the proof of the writing is in the reading. I deduce that if the activity involving writing is proofreading, the activity involving pudding should be proofeating.

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