The proof is not in the pudding

…and my Lovelihood™. Reed by name, reading by nature. Since 2011, I have been helping non-native English speakers get published in specific contexts within the intricate structure of an ever-changing global language. So far, this has ranged from creating content and translating commercial webpages for a range of start-ups and bigger companies with major international clients, to being part of the academic publishing process: getting doctoral theses finished, funding applications accepted, and articles and books published. In the last 9 years I have broadened my network –  mostly through personal recommendations – to work with individuals in most of the major universities here in Finland, and some also from elsewhere in Europe.

Since 2011, I have been helping authors draft the final versions of their texts and manuscripts in English. Some of these have been in a business and commercial context, but the majority have been academic publications – ranging from doctoral theses and funding applications to articles published in journals and books, as well as whole books.

Using highlighted text and clear comments (rather than often unwieldy track changes), and through precise and sensitive communication with authors, I help them to communicate what THEY want more cogently and persuasively. Where necessary, I can sharpen the meaning to make it less ambiguous in some places, and soften it in others when that is required, with the overall result that the language becomes the perfect vehicle. By providing a choice of corrections with the implications of each in the comments, the author is given more control of the language used, rather than less, and can choose accordingly with the minimum of fuss.

Teen myös suomi-englanti käännöstyötä. Enimmäkseen olen kääntänyt kaupallisia verkkosivutekstejä, mutta myös akateemisia artikkeleita ja tiivistelmiä, sekä kirjallisuutta ja lyriikkaa. Olen lisäksi esimerkiksi editoinut erään suomalaisen muusikon 200-sivuisen elämäkerran suomi-englanti -käännöksen, joka käännetään edelleen englannista portugaliksi Brasilian markkinoille. Pystyn tämän lisäksi kääntämään myös ranskasta suomeen tai englantiin.

With my continuing experience as a musician, especially since 2011, when Räjäyttäjät got started, I am now quite accustomed to using a range of digital audio work stations (most recently Ableton Live) for recording, mixing, editing, and sometimes even for performing with in live situations. I have, for instance, used Wii-controllers to trigger and control a digital musical interface (most recently in July, 2018 at Ilmiö festival). This was something I first explored in my Masters thesis in Music, Mind and Technology.

Playing in a range of very different venues and circumstances has led to me to develop my confidence both in using the technology to record others with various different requirements and my own ability to perform. This is NOT Räjäyttäjät, for instance:

I have also recorded audiobooks for my children and done voice acting for commercial videos. For the latter, I can also check the English to be read before recording, as part of an all-inclusive service at no extra cost. I’ve also recently been acting in a nationally broadcast TV advertising campaign in Finland.