Author: Stefanie Flaxman / Source: Copyblogger Whenever someone questions the importance of proofreading, my go-to response is: “Pubic r
Whenever someone questions the importance of proofreading, my go-to response is:
“Pubic relations is quite different from public relations.”
We all sometimes make a typo that omits or changes a letter in a word. A typo like that is difficult to spot when the mistake is still an actual word (or words). Just last week, I wrote “head lice” instead of “headline.” Again, two completely different things.
But I have an effective proofreading process that helps me find and correct errors before they are published. (Except, of course, when the error is a joke.)
Do you want to know techniques I use on my own writing as well as every article we publish on Copyblogger?
Walk the line
I’ve witnessed two different attitudes when it comes to how people feel about typos.
Some find them unacceptable and a reason to stop reading a publication. Others aren’t bothered by them at all and don’t understand why anyone would make an effort to prevent them.
I’m sure you’re not surprised that my outlook falls in the middle between those two extremes. I walk the line.
It’s a bit excessive to call a website “untrustworthy” if there is a typo in a piece of content or if an author doesn’t strictly follow grammar rules, but publishing your writing with a number of mistakes isn’t wise either. It can even lead to customer service headaches.
Established publications might be able to “get away with” occasional typos. Their audiences (for the most part) will be forgiving.
But if your website isn’t well-known and trusted yet, you want to demonstrate that you treat your content with care and aim to create the best possible experience for your readers.
Try one of the three methods below when you’re ready to polish your writing before you publish it.
1. Peek-a-boo proofreading
For this first method, you’ll need an opaque object that you don’t mind holding while you proofread.
It could be a note card, your phone, a slab of smoky quartz … whatever is handy and near your desk. Speaking of “handy,” your hand also works as this “object,” if nothing else feels right.
Start at the beginning of your text and cover the second word with the object so that you only concentrate on the first word in the document. Once you make sure it’s the correct word, surrounded by the correct punctuation if any is needed, shift your focus…
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