Welcome! I am Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy, and I have always been fascinated by the written word. As a child I spent hours locked away in my bedroom, book in hand. English was my favourite subject at school and I often wrote stories and articles, some of which were published in the local press or school magazine. My mum taught English as a Second Language (ESL) and was my main critic, so sloppy spelling or grammar was not allowed!
After completing my A Levels I indulged my love of the written word throughout my career. I spent several years working in publishing and that gave me the opportunity to hone my skills in writing, editing and proofreading. After taking time out to bring up my children I took on the challenge of a degree course and, as a single parent, graduated in 2005 with a First Class Honours Degree in Media Technology and Production.
I switched to visual media for a while, working as a picture research manager for one of the world’s leading stock photography libraries, and then spent some years publishing my own community magazine in rural Oxfordshire.
The Proof Fairy
The inspiration for The Proof Fairy came when I visited the website of a business acquaintance and spotted several silly mistakes that really altered my perception of the professionalism of the business. Knowing that the company had probably spent a lot of money on the design of the website, I saw an opportunity to help by offering my editorial services at an affordable rate – and The Proof Fairy was born!
The Proof Fairy began as a sideline to my magazine but has now become my main business. Over the years I have grown and diversified to meet my clients’ needs, offering a wide range of services including proofreading, copy editing, copywriting, blogging, newsletter creation and WordPress web design.
However, my main focus is on helping people realise their dream of becoming a published author. In March 2013 I wrote and self-published my first book, The Boy From Hell: Life with a Child with ADHD. Writing the book opened many exciting opportunities to me and fired up a passion in me to help other people write and self-publish their unique stories. In 2014 I trained as a coach and NLP practitioner and I now help aspiring authors take their idea for a book from possibility to plan to publication.
Away from the computer, I enjoy my life with two crazy dogs and an equally nutty cat, and enjoy photography, geocaching, crafting, eating out, live music, DDP Yoga, swimming and reading. You can find out more about me on my personal blog.