I used to believe that proofreading my work well was impossible. Even after I entered the writing field in my first year. But as I started my journey into the depths of blogging (for both business and pleasure), I discovered there are five GREAT ways to proofread your work in a timely and professional manner. Yes, how to improve your proofreading skills is easier than you think! It can be done in five steps! Seeing as I am not the only one out there who endures deadlines regularly, I will share those steps with you today!
1. Take a Break
This step may seem counterintuitive, but taking a break should be the first thing you do after completing an article. Yes, siree, if you try to proofread your beautiful words right away, the stress of staring at a screen for several hours will start taking its toll, and believe me, you don’t want to suffer from computer migraines— or any migraine for that matter!
So, after completing your writing task, take a break for at least an hour. Close your eyes and listen to music or meditate. Or if you enjoy the quiet, have a rest. Avoiding all screens and unnecessary reading to prevent head pain is essential. If you are under the gun to make a deadline, taking a fifteen to twenty-minute break will still make a difference. But I strongly recommend taking an hour to recoup.
2. Read Outloud
Nothing has ever sounded the same in your head as when you speak it out loud. When proofreading, it is common for your mind to play tricks on you by filling in missing words and even automatically putting words out of order (or spelt wrong) in the correct order. But, if you read your document outloud, your voice makes it easier to stay focussed, allowing your eyes to catch all kinds of errors. It is almost like having a second pair of eyes!
3. Start from the Bottom
I use this method every single day! When you start from the very top, it is easy to get tired from repeatedly reading the same thing. But if you take a moment to start from the very end paragraph and work your way up, the reading will feel like an entirely new process because you are less familiar with the ending of your article than you are with the beginning. This will trick your brain into thinking it is reading something brand new, and your ability to focus will increase. Sometimes, this method can even cause feelings of excitement to stir inside you as you read.
4. Use Your Cursor
Traditionally, proofreading was done by hand. If you look at books such as Copyediting and Proofreading for Dummies, you will find lessons on using handwritten symbols in printed works. But even so, the most common proofreading method is done through a computer. Often, with Microsoft Word, track changes. So, instead of using a ruler like you would do with a printed manuscript, use your mouse cursor under each word as you go along. This will keep your eyes from wandering.
5. Keep a List of Commonly Misused Words
There are tons of words out there that are either misused or misspelt. This is through no fault of your own. The English language is very complicated, and it is not uncommon for teachers to misuse words when teaching a class. I know that has happened to me! And, of course, some words sound the same but mean different things, which makes it very easy to make spelling mistakes as you go along.
A good example of commonly misspelt words is “there,” “their,“ and “they’re.“ We know the difference between these words in theory, but it is easy to use the wrong version when we are typing a mile a minute to keep up with everything involved in writing a booming article! Everybody is also different, so some words will be easier to misuse than others. But everybody has their word challenges; if you read too quickly, you will miss them! So keep a list next to you of all the words you struggle to remember the use of regularly. This will make your proofreading journey an easier one!
“Isn’t there an even easier method of proofreading, Karri? Like using Grammarly or something?”
Yes and no. Programs such as Grammarly and Ginger can be great for pointing out a few misspelt and, occasionally, misused words that an ordinary spell checker will miss. However, the suggestions given are only sometimes correct! Some grammar rule suggestions must be corrected, and these programs’ word suggestions can be ridiculous! Whenever a program highlights an “error“ on your page, ALWAYS double-check it! Don’t just click the suggestion and be on your way without looking at it first, or you may end up with more errors than when you started! The human eye should always be considered.
Programs only catch some misused words, too. And to make matters even worse, they will never see the grammar rules involving title italics and quotation marks.
