Words for Nerds is me, Laura K, who is a nerd if there ever was one. Book addict, information junkie, organizer, nit-picker, smitty galore.
I have a degree in literary theory and feminist theory, and worked in higher education publishing for three years. I’ve done grunt work, marketing work, copywriting, copyediting, proofreading out the wazoo, sales, database maintenance and triage, xerox machine de-jamming, and spreadsheet mastering. I have a weakness for things like semicolons, and consider myself a bit of an expert at noticing mistakes other proofreaders have missed.
I am back in school for the first time in six years, studying Library and Information Science, where I am learning all about organizing and researching and librarianing (oh, and lots of technology), and I am insanely excited. Everyone who knows me chuckles when they find out I’m going to Library School, and says something along the lines of, “Well, that seems obvious.”
I read, constantly. I have an unmanageable book collection, which seems to constantly expand despite my best intentions. I dream of having my own library someday, preferably with those wheel-y ladders. I read everything: fiction, history, biography, politics, science, philosophy, cultural studies–hell, I read style guides for fun. The only thing I don’t really read very much is poetry.
I’m hoping to take on some contract work copyediting, copywriting, and eventually, developmental editing. If you have any work of that sort, let’s talk about what I can do. Go ahead and check out my professional self.
This here site is intended to contain book reviews, information science stuffs, and goodies related to editing and writing, generally. I hope you enjoy it verily.
(PS — You can check my other bloggity blog, where I write about cooking and general food stuffs, at The Kitchen Illiterate.
Along the lines of poetry, I would suggest reading Pablo Neruda, particularly the Sea and the Bells.
OMG. We are soul sisters (albiet a generation apart). I spent 20 years in the military and I was so anal they put me in protocol. I’m one of the few who was the “last stop” before the general put his signature on a document - and if it didn’t pass muster, back to the poor author it went. But I was such a control freak about it, I got others to just accept that if I only changed grammar/format vs. content, they were content and would blindly approve my edits without even a glance. Now THAT, my friend, is power.
Feminist sutdies…that is new to me. My mother burned her bra in a demonstration in Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, Texas, in 1972. That was my crash course in Feminist Studies, and I was only 9. And much to her chagrin, I will take a seat offered by a man in a heartbeat.
I loved library school and graduated last December. I’m working in the government sector and I love it. Pray, avoid Public Librarianship lest ye become bitter and shriveled (and wear obtuse sweaters! LOL) Best of luck to you girl. You inspire me.
Just found your blog linked from a friend’s. I’m kind of a word geek too - so much so that I have a Word Nerd category.