This can be a visitor contribution by Charles Cuninghame, web site copywriter.
I’m positive we are able to all agree that proofreading is the least enjoyable a part of running a blog. However whereas it could be tedious, it’s properly definitely worth the effort.
Typos are usually not solely embarrassing, they will additionally price you cash.
In a extensively reported examine, British entrepreneur Charles Duncombe discovered a single spelling mistake can lower your on-line gross sales in half! In case you don’t have a product, then you might be lacking out a weblog subscriber or repeat customer!
Right here’s a tried and examined proofreading course of that I’ve taught to many novice writers with nice success. When you get the hold of it, you need to be capable to totally proofread a median size weblog publish in 5-10 minutes.
What you’ll want:
- A printer
- A purple pen
- A highlighter pen
Step 1: Set it apart
Time allowing, set your weblog publish apart for some time earlier than you proofread it. An hour is sweet, a day is healthier. The extra time you set between the writing and proofreading, the extra refreshed you’ll be and higher in a position to spot any typos.
Step 2: Print it out
Analysis has proven that proofreading on-screen will not be as efficient as proofreading a printout. So do your self a favour and print your publish out. However run it by the spell checker first, to repair any apparent spelling errors.
Step 3: Mark up your adjustments
Prepare by minimising distractions. Proofreading requires your undivided consideration. So flip off your cellphone, shut your electronic mail and swap off the music.
Learn by your publish marking up typos and tough spots along with your purple pen as you go. Pressure your self to decelerate and focus. Give attention to every phrase and character as you learn.
Make your mark-ups apparent so that you don’t overlook them on the corrections stage. Punctuation marks (commas, apostrophes, full-stops/intervals, and so on.) are significantly straightforward to overlook. So it’s a good suggestion to circle the mark-up for further emphasis.
It’s additionally a good suggestion to place a cross within the margin subsequent to a line that incorporates a correction.
Step 4: Learn out loud
When you’re been by your weblog publish as soon as, learn it aloud. Studying aloud helps in two methods. Firstly, your ears will typically catch errors that your eyes miss. Studying aloud forces a better stage of focus than silent studying.
And secondly, studying out loud lets you write conversationally. In case your publish sounds clunky if you communicate it, it’s worthwhile to revise it till it sounds confidently conversational.
Step 5: Double-check particulars
There are some particulars which are significantly embarrassing or troublesome to get incorrect. So you need to double-check the next:
- The spelling of individuals’s names e.g. is it Janine or Jenean? Stuart or Stewart?
- Ditto model names e.g. is it Phrase press, WordPress or Phrase Press?
- Phone numbers and electronic mail addresses
- Costs
- Click on hyperlinks to verify they go the place you need them to.
Step 6: Make corrections
Make all of your corrections in a single go, not as you discover them. Be very cautious as you make adjustments. You don’t need to add in errors at this stage. Be particularly cautious with any sections you’ve rewritten. In case you’ve rewritten a good portion of your publish it’s greatest to print it out and proof it once more.
A standard mistake is lacking corrections you’ve marked up in your printout. In order you make every change mark it off your printout along with your highlighter. Whenever you’ve completed making adjustments, go over your printout to be sure you haven’t missed something.
Step 7: Last examine
As a remaining examine, run the spell checker over your corrected publish. Learn it on-screen to verify it seems OK. Break up any paragraphs which are longer than 5 strains. Now you’re good to hit the publish button!
Charles Cuninghame is a web site copywriter. For necessary paperwork he often hires a proofreader.
