Proofreading Tips From the Proofreading Experts

  It doesn't matter whether you are writing a casual email, an important job application letter or copy for your website, producing something that is free from grammatical and spelling errors is critical.

Proofreading is time consuming and mundane and for this reason many people opt to use automated spell checkers. However, as we have proven on this site, many of these software programs have flaws and can miss very obvious errors. https://traductoresabc.com/ There really is no substitute for thorough proofreading, and you should never treat this part of the writing process lightly. Many people say that they don't actually know how to proofread properly. For this reason we have compiled a list of tips that may help you if you wish to check your own work for spelling and grammatical errors.

Proofreading requires concentration

Before starting the proofreading process you need to find somewhere quiet where you can place all of your attention on the task at hand. You cannot adequately proofread a document while sat on a bus or train, or while the television is on in the background. You need to have your attention based solely on the document you are proofreading and should try and place yourself somewhere that is free from distraction or potential interruptions.

Create a physical copy of the document you are proofreading

Professional proofreaders will always create a physical document for proofreading purposes and will often commence the editing process by making notes on this document. If you are going to proofread a piece of text yourself you shouldn't try and do it from a computer screen. Text appears differently on screen and this can affect how your eyes see something.

Proofread by reading the document out aloud

Many proofreaders will read something out aloud to themselves when they are attempting to identify potential grammatical errors. When reading something aloud you utilize two senses; your sight and your hearing, and therefore increase your chances of identifying something in the written document that does not quite sound right. Something as simple as a misplaced comma will impact how a document is read and, when the reader poses in the wrong place as a result of seeing the comma, will instantly stand out as being incorrect.

Proofread homonyms with care

When proofreading, the most common mistakes that our copyeditors spot concern the use of homonyms. A homonym is a word that is pronounced in the same way as another word but has an entirely different meaning. Examples of homonyms are tea and tee, bear and bare, so and sew etc. Both human proofreaders and computerized proofreaders often miss errors relating to homonyms because they are not easy to spot. However, it is crucial that you check for them thoroughly, as a misused homonym can reflect extremely badly on your ability as a writer. For this reason you need to be extremely careful when you are proofreading and need to be prepared to invest a great deal of time and effort into thoroughly checking your document.

Pay attention to contractions and apostrophes when proofreading

Another common area in which our proofreaders identify mistakes is related to the incorrect use of apostrophes and contractions. Very often errors are made with words like you're and your, their and they're and-the most common one of all-it's and its. These types of errors are quite often caused by a lack of grammatical knowledge and understanding as opposed to being the result of poor proofreading. If you are unsure of the grammatical rules underpinning the use of apostrophes and contractions then you really should consider using online proofreading services.

Proofread text by reading it backwards

One technique that professional proofreaders use is to read the document backwards; starting with the last word and finishing with the first word. Although this sounds a little odd, it really is effective in assisting you to spot errors. Again, this will take a great deal of time and effort but it will undoubtedly help you to identify errors that you may have missed when you read the text in the normal manner. One of the main reasons this works is because the human brain is trained to read things in a certain way, and will often connect words automatically, even if they are not actually there. By reading something backwards you force your brain to concentrate on each word in turn and therefore proofread what is actually on the paper as opposed to what your brain is tricked into seeing.

Enlarge the text before proofreading

Another trick that many proofreaders use is to enlarge the font of the text that they are proofreading. This makes it much easier to spot mistakes.

Proofread your document a day or two after you wrote it

It is always useful to leave some time between writing a document and proofreading it. Quite often you may have been concentrating on the text for sometime and may miss mistakes because you are too immersed in it. By extracting yourself and returning a day or two later, you will be able to proofread the document with fresh eyes and will be in a much better position to spot mistakes. If you are in a rush consider using an online proofreading service. For a low price you can submit your document and have it proofread by experts while you sleep.

Ask for someone to help you to proofread your document

Even when you have already proofread something yourself you should always look for a second set of eyes to double check your work. They will be able to read your document from afresh and-because they will not be as closely engaged with it as you are-they will be more likely to be able to identify errors. If you are not confident in your own ability to write well, asking for help will be all the more critical. If you have the resource you really should use a professional proofreader. There is no substitute for English experts who know how to spot problems and errors. Proofreading services are not the unattainable, expensive options that they used to be. You can access great proofreaders online at very affordable prices.

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The Proofreader: The Author's Last Line of Defense

I once was at an event where I met someone who worked for a newspaper. I asked him, "Are you the editor or do you write a column?" He replied, "No, I'm just the proofreader." The response made me laugh because he implied that he didn't think too highly of his role at the newspaper; in my opinion, however, the proofreader is one of the most important people in the production of any piece of writing-whether it's a newspaper, book, or marketing piece.

You probably know someone-it might even be you-who takes delight in finding typos and telling everyone about it. This person isn't afraid to post a comment on your Facebook page or blog to point out the word you misspelled. Even people who aren't that rude will often think less of a book or publication when they see that it is filled with typos. Errors in a publication cry out that the work is of poor quality. And today, with the influx of self-published books into the market, I am more careful than ever in reading a few paragraphs and looking for typos before I decide whether to spend money on a book.

An editor is a vital part of a book's production. A traditional publishing house will assign an editor to a book, but it will also assign a proofreader. Often, three or four people will edit/proofread the book before it goes into publication. Self-published authors who do their homework generally realize they need an editor, but they don't always realize that they also need a proofreader.

An editor might also do the proofreading, but I would caution any author to remember that all editors are not the same. Editors come with various qualifications and skills. One might be good at content editing to help you enhance your plot and characters, but he might not catch a typo like "lightening" when you meant "lightning" or even be a good speller. Another editor might be able to punctuate sentences properly, but he does not have the creative mindset to know how to develop a storyline or make an argument flow. And even the best editor is likely to become so close to the work, just like the author, that after the first or second pass through the book, he tends to read with his memory, believing he knows what is on the page, rather than with his eyes, which would actually see what is on the page.

The editors I know who produce quality work are aghast when typos are found in books they have edited, and they are also willing to admit they are not perfect-that they can miss a misspelled word, or a word that is misused in a certain context. And a good editor will not be territorial but rather pleased that an author hires a proofreader to double-check the work.

Problems can occur when working with a proofreader, so authors must be upfront with the proofreader about what they want. Many times I've heard editors complain about proofreaders because authors come back to them saying the proofreader found all kinds of errors in the book; the editor then discovers that the proofreader, instead of proofreading, decided to play editor and rewrite the book, not correcting typos but changing phrases based on his own stylistic preferences; the author, in turn, not possessing good editing skills, might not know the difference between rewording a grammatically incorrect sentence and a stylistic change, which can lead the author to believing the editor was incompetent because the proofreader went overboard.

To solve this problem, authors should always let proofreaders know that they simply want the proofreader to look for typos or grammatical errors. Nothing stylistic should be changed. Furthermore, authors should communicate with both the proofreader and editor. The editor should be allowed to look at the changes or corrections the proofreader suggests and then approve them or explain why they should not be accepted. The editor should get this second pass both so he is aware of where he made a mistake and to ensure that the proofreader is not introducing new errors into the book. I can't tell you how many times an author who hired a good editor ends up producing a book with typos because the proofreader was incompetent. Remember, just because someone is a teacher or has an English degree does not necessarily mean he or she will make a good proofreader any more than a good mechanic will necessarily be a good person to design a vehicle.

When hiring an editor, let him know up-front that you plan to hire a proofreader also. If he becomes argumentative about it, you might want to look for a different editor. If you and the editor are in agreement that a proofreader is a good idea, you might ask the editor to recommend a proofreader-perhaps he has worked with a proofreader in the past and they have worked well together. If not, ask for recommendations from other authors you know. While you can go online to find a proofreader, it's always best to get recommendations. And before you hire a recommended proofreader, look at the book he proofread. If Mary Jane tells you that Henry proofread her book and did a great job but you find a typo on the first page, think again-if you read another ten pages and don't find a typo, Henry might still be a good choice; no one will catch every typo. Just be discerning and do a little research before hiring a proofreader.

Finally, just as you would ask your editor to give you an edit sample of a few pages to determine whether you can work with him, you should ask the proofreader to give you a proofreading sample to see what sorts of errors or issues he will catch. If he rewrites your manuscript, think again, or realize that he's finding issues that your editor should have caught. The point is to make sure you know what you are paying for before you hire someone.

A proofreader can be the last line of defense between an author and the reading public. Don't try to cut corners by not hiring a proofreader. Good proofreading is essential for producing a quality product that will make readers rave about your book rather than rant about your typos.

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.