Proofreading: Feel the Pain
If you are a business owner, you write every day. Emails, notes, newsletters, articles, blog posts, Facebook updates, you name it, you’ve gotta write it. And as far as writing correctly, you either chew your nails over “its” versus “it’s”, or you don’t—you write what you think is right and hope the reader will forgive you if it isn’t.
You might think that it’s easy as an editor to proof my own stuff, but no. It’s even more painful, because I check everything I write thoroughly and still make mistakes. I’m here to tell you, though, how important it is to make sure everything you write is as accurate as possible, because it all reflects on you as a business person.
I have seen much in my years of editing for businesses. Believe it or not, I have seen people misspell their own company name, which to an editor is like fingernails on a chalkboard! So here’s my advice.
Don’t trust that computer program. Forget spell check and grammar check; you won’t like it when they turn “publick” into “pubic” after you’ve sent out that nasty letter to your local library. Do the work. Use Merriam Webster for spelling and a free online writing guide like Paradigm .
Check for more than spelling and grammar. Check font for consistent size; check headings (a typical place for errors); check your phone number, email address and company name. Proof also for clarity and tone.
Read it over. Don’t ever, ever, ever send anything out without reading it carefully first. The simplest email can turn off a customer if it’s full of errors, an attachment is missing, or you sound angry when you really aren’t.
Let it sit. The best thing you can do, if you have 24 hours, is to let it sit and read it again tomorrow. Pretend it’s wine and let it ferment (all right, a really cheap wine). You won’t believe what you find if you read it with fresh eyes.
Get help. If you aren’t good at writing, get help—have a trusted friend proof it, or pay someone to do it for you. We’re fast, we’re reasonable, and we’ll help you look marvelous. Good luck!
Fran Fahey, Fran’s Fine Editing
Categories: Business General, Proofreading, Writing, Editing
I couldn't agree with these points more. I have been writing marketing copy for years and learned the lesson the hard way to have professional assistance. I have a freelance proofer that is with me at my 3rd job. I actually made it a condition of me accepting my current position. He knows my style, brand and brings consistecy across various communication. I glady budget for him every year! I honestly would be fired if proofing was my actual job. I have found that suggesting a proofer puts some people on the defensive but I insist and often have had things proofed on my own to prove how valuable it is! If you are responsible for publishing communicaitons (any of them) then proofing must be part of your process. Get a Fran and save the embarrassment and your butt! (this wasn't proofed)
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Thanks for commenting, Christina. Great writers aren't always great proofers (and vice versa, also), and when you can find someone who gets to know your style, it's a marriage made in heaven. Thanks also for the plug for my services!
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Great tips Fran. Especially the let it sit 24 hours. I find when I do that, I can go back in and refine what I wrote so it is clearer and more concise. I tend to read my bigger stuff out loud before I hit send as well. That tells me if I'm missing something I thought I included.
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Thanks, Jen, for commenting. Reading messages out loud is an excellent idea!
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Many interesting topics here, i see
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Thanks for beautiful and targeted advise, its really good and work, I am going through in learning process. Good list! Reading backwards and reading out loud are the two most important tips that I give new authors when working with them on page proofs. Some people tend to read too quickly to proofread effectively, and in those cases I suggest moving your finger along under each word as you read — the physical action helps to keep the eyes from racing ahead of the brain.
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Thanks for your compliments and for sharing your tips. I do use the finger method myself, and you're right, it slows me down enough to stop speedreading.
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I subscribe to the RSS feed.
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I beg Sorry for my english. But he could not express his opinion. You have very interesting site.
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