Tips for self-editing and proofreading

As most soloists can’t afford to pay a proofreader to edit their writing, the occasional typo is inevitable. However, to make sure your final copy is as good as possible, here are some tips for self-editing and proofreading.

Even professional proofreaders miss things! I used to cringe for days over mistakes until I realised if I continued cringing, I’d end up permanently stooped. That’s not to say I like mistakes, I don’t. But we’re just human.

Most of our clients forgive us our occasional lapses. However, problems occur when you’re trying to win new clients or have an uneasy relationship with a client.

In these cases, your grammatical mistakes and typos matter. When I was facilitating a business writing course once, a woman came back after a break and said: “I’ve just received an email from a barrister. I didn’t feel comfortable about his advice and this email confirmed it. He used a wrong apostrophe! I’ll never trust him again.”

Ouch. It was just an apostrophe!

So how can we make our final copy as good as it’s going to get? Here are seven tips for self-editing and proofreading.

1. Take a break. If you edit your work straight after you’ve finished writing, you don’t see it clearly. Any break is helpful, but overnight is best as then you approach your work with fresh eyes.

2. Use Spell Check - and please set the default to Australian spelling. I think it’s worth using Microsoft’s grammar check, even though it’s hopeless, as it will occasionally pick up something basic, such as a subject-verb agreement, you’ve missed.

3. Read your work through five times for a Rolls Royce edit:

once for meaning (Is it clear?)
twice to change grammar, words etc. (Is there a better way of saying this?)
once for layout, headings, hyperlinks, tables etc.
one last time for anything you’ve missed.

I realise this is a bit over-the-top, but I want to stress that one quick read-through is not enough and you edit more thoroughly if you look for different things on separate readings.

4. When self-editing the second and third times concentrate on:

sentences - are they too long?
words - are any unnecessary?
grammar
consistency
unnecessary repetitions
typos
layout.

5. If you’re editing on screen, proofread a hard copy as well. Unfortunately when self-editing and proofreading we don’t see things as clearly on the screen.

6. Some people find it helpful to read:

word-by-word
with a ruler underneath each line
aloud
with another person, where one person reads and the other follows the text
in reverse order, i.e. they either read point 7 before point 6 or literally read sentences in reverse order.

7. Ask a friend or colleague to read your work for you. But choose someone with that eye for detail - not all people have that skill.

With self-editing and proofreading, you may even pick up that rogue apostrophe.

Mary Morel, The M Factor, works with individuals and organisations to improve their writing (grammar, reports, board papers etc.)

14 comments | Add your own 1 2 3 | Next» View all»

Regarding rogue apostrophes - even Flying Solo articles (or info about the article writer) have them ... many people continue to put apostrophes in plural cases, which is an incorrect use of the apostrophe. For example, the plural of logo is logos, NOT logo's; the plural of cd is cds, NOT cd's. The apostrophe indicates ownership or something missing, not plural. eg it's indicating it is, or the cat's bowl (the bowl of the cat). I have written a whole article about this at my own website. Cheers. Karen Curran from NSW
I realise that spelling differs between countries, does Grammar also differ between countries?
When I lived in Canada I had continual arguments with the editor of the local newsletter about the phrasing of my writing but I have never had the same issues elsewhere?
Can I add a comment to point 3 -- go out on the deck and read it to your chickens who are always interested in letters to the tax office. Heather Smith from SUNNY BRISBANE! | Read my articles
I've also found that by double-spacing my copy before printing, I have plenty of room to make comments with my red pen, without having to resort to miniscule writing! Amanda Jephtha from Sydney
I always thought proofreading was two words??!! And you used the word/s so many times!
Is it aren't or arn't?? The latter just doesn't look right.
Considering the terrible standard of spelling on many newspaper blog comment pages, I don't know that spelling matters all that much anymore. Although I did check out a competitior's website and found about ten spelling mistakes recently, and thought of them, oh you're f**ked! Ben from sydney
Hi Ben,
Here is a link to a website with the sales pitch - Would you like to spell check your website with a fine tooth comb?
Try for free a beta version of a website spellchecker http://beta.spellr.us.
I did and found a couple of words that had slipped under the radar. Heather Smith from SUNNY BRISBANE! | Read my articles
Correct grammar? I can't even get a Please or Thank you from the kids at local supermarket! Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles

14 comments | Add your own 1 2 3 | Next» View all»

Add Your comments

Preview comment

Name

Website *

Town / city and country

Email (never sold, displayed or given away)

* This will link your name to your site. So please avoid self promotion elsewhere! We delete spam, disrespectful or off-topic comments.