Easy Peasy Books

079: The Hidden Cost of Typos: Proofreading Beyond Your Manuscript with Jennie Jolly

• Gillian Whitney • Season 3 • Episode 9

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0:00 | 32:08

Think proofreading ends with your manuscript? Think again. In this eye-opening conversation, professional proofreader and copy editor Jennie Jolly (author of the popular Fowl Language newsletter and co-author of Becoming Unstoppable) reveals why authors need to think beyond the book when it comes to creating a clean, credible author brand. From Amazon descriptions and author pages to social media profiles and websites, your words are working 24/7, and every typo chips away at your credibility. Jennie shares the psychology behind why mistakes matter, the difference between forgivable one-off typos and damaging pattern errors, and why even the best writers can't catch their own mistakes. Spoiler alert: your brain fills in what you meant to say, not what you actually typed.

Whether it's a missing letter on your homepage or a misspelled word in your evergreen email sequence, small errors create friction that pulls readers out of the experience and makes them question your authority. Drawing from her diverse background as a teacher, paralegal, and editorial assistant, Jennie offers practical tips for DIY proofreading, explains when to call in professional help, and reminds authors that while one typo makes you human, repeated mistakes damage trust. If you're serious about building your authority through your book, this episode is a must-listen. Your words deserve to make the best first impression everywhere they appear.