@Santiago Engelhardt
Who am I
My name is Clay Johnson. I was born in Phoenix, Arizona in the United States, but I have been based in Berlin since 2011. I completed a Bachelor of Arts in German and History, as well as a minor in Psychology at Arizona State University in 2008. After these studies, I moved to Europe and began teaching English as a foreign language to adults and children on a freelance basis, first in Poland, later at summer schools in England and as a volunteer in Honduras. After relocating to Germany, my main goal was to complete a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Latin American Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin while I continued teaching English. It was during this time that I began proofreading and translating, both at various university institutes and for other institutions and organizations. Since finishing my Master of Arts in 2016, I have continued my editing, proofreading and translating business as a freelancer.
My areas of interest and expertise include sociology, political science, history, psychology, pedagogy, education and music. The foreign languages that I am most proficient in are German and Spanish, but I am able to read Portuguese and Polish as well.
Feel free to visit my profiles on Linkedin and ProZ as well.
How I work
I read every paragraph of every manuscript that I receive thoroughly. If I don’t understand something, I ask questions. Moreover, if there is something that appears to be confusing or unclear in the text, I leave comments for the author. In the case of copy editing, I make suggestions if I think that another expression would be more fitting. I read and reread: in the case of copy editing and proofreading, I revise a text three times. In the case of translations, I reread my own translation three times – once directly after it has been translated and twice more later. I prefer to do revisions on different days so that I always look at the text with fresh eyes, which ensures that I catch even the smallest errors. Once I have returned your text to you, I am always ready to answer questions, incorporate suggestions and reread my work if necessary. Whatever the subject and assignment is, I will always strive to offer you a reliable service!
