Job: corporate communications specialist, MCS Puerto Rico
ACES member since: 2022
Location: Puerto Rico
ACES involvement: I attend the monthly webcasts whenever possible or access the recordings afterwards. In addition, I attended the ACES VCON in 2022 and 2023. Last year, I served as judge in the Annual Headline Contest, and I became a member of the ACES Communication and Publications Committee.
Why did you join ACES: I was eager to join an editors’ association to hone my skills and meet colleagues from around the world. Editing communications in Spanish and English takes most of my daily work shift and I am always looking for webcasts and other training experiences. Because I learned English as a second language, I wanted to meet native English speakers to engage in conversations and gain confidence.
What you like about editing: I believe that audiences must receive clear and readable information that is useful to them. I support my internal clients by making sure their communications comply with grammar, punctuation, and mechanics rules. I also train my clients so they can become better writers. And I enjoy finding typos as a hobby. I read everything. Everywhere.
How you knew you were an editor: For group projects in high school, my classmates would assign me the editing task. I did a good job summarizing long paragraphs and fixing sentences.
Favorite editing resource: For communications in English, the Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation. For communications in Spanish, the website of the Real Spanish Academy (Real Academia Española).
Favorite editing catch, fix, etc.: Fixing run-on sentences and unparallel bulleted lists
When you're not editing: I love going to concerts. Growing up, my house was filled with music because my father is a musician. Music has always been a therapy for me through challenging times. It gives you hope.