proofreading tasks

Editing and Proofreading

What this handout is about.

This handout provides some tips and strategies for revising your writing. To give you a chance to practice proofreading, we have left seven errors (three spelling errors, two punctuation errors, and two grammatical errors) in the text of this handout. See if you can spot them!

Is editing the same thing as proofreading?

Not exactly. Although many people use the terms interchangeably, editing and proofreading are two different stages of the revision process. Both demand close and careful reading, but they focus on different aspects of the writing and employ different techniques.

Some tips that apply to both editing and proofreading

• Get some distance from the text! It’s hard to edit or proofread a paper that you’ve just finished writing—it’s still to familiar, and you tend to skip over a lot of errors. Put the paper aside for a few hours, days, or weeks. Go for a run. Take a trip to the beach. Clear your head of what you’ve written so you can take a fresh look at the paper and see what is really on the page. Better yet, give the paper to a friend—you can’t get much more distance than that. Someone who is reading the paper for the first time, comes to it with completely fresh eyes.
• Decide which medium lets you proofread most carefully. Some people like to work right at the computer, while others like to sit back with a printed copy that they can mark up as they read.
• Try changing the look of your document. Altering the size, spacing, color, or style of the text may trick your brain into thinking it’s seeing an unfamiliar document, and that can help you get a different perspective on what you’ve written.
• Find a quiet place to work. Don’t try to do your proofreading in front of the TV or while you’re chugging away on the treadmill. Find a place where you can concentrate and avoid distractions.
• If possible, do your editing and proofreading in several short blocks of time. Your concentration may start to wane if you try to proofread the entire text at one time.
• If you’re short on time, you may wish to prioritize. Make sure that you complete the most important editing and proofreading tasks.

Editing is what you begin doing as soon as you finish your first draft. You reread your draft to see, for example, whether the paper is well-organized, the transitions between paragraphs are smooth, and your evidence really backs up your argument. You can edit on several levels:

Have you done everything the assignment requires? Are the claims you make accurate? If it is required to do so, does your paper make an argument? Is the argument complete? Are all of your claims consistent? Have you supported each point with adequate evidence? Is all of the information in your paper relevant to the assignment and/or your overall writing goal? (For additional tips, see our handouts on understanding assignments and developing an argument .)

Overall structure

Does your paper have an appropriate introduction and conclusion? Is your thesis clearly stated in your introduction? Is it clear how each paragraph in the body of your paper is related to your thesis? Are the paragraphs arranged in a logical sequence? Have you made clear transitions between paragraphs? One way to check the structure of your paper is to make a reverse outline of the paper after you have written the first draft. (See our handouts on introductions , conclusions , thesis statements , and transitions .)

Structure within paragraphs

Does each paragraph have a clear topic sentence? Does each paragraph stick to one main idea? Are there any extraneous or missing sentences in any of your paragraphs? (See our handout on paragraph development .)

Have you defined any important terms that might be unclear to your reader? Is the meaning of each sentence clear? (One way to answer this question is to read your paper one sentence at a time, starting at the end and working backwards so that you will not unconsciously fill in content from previous sentences.) Is it clear what each pronoun (he, she, it, they, which, who, this, etc.) refers to? Have you chosen the proper words to express your ideas? Avoid using words you find in the thesaurus that aren’t part of your normal vocabulary; you may misuse them.

Have you used an appropriate tone (formal, informal, persuasive, etc.)? Is your use of gendered language (masculine and feminine pronouns like “he” or “she,” words like “fireman” that contain “man,” and words that some people incorrectly assume apply to only one gender—for example, some people assume “nurse” must refer to a woman) appropriate? Have you varied the length and structure of your sentences? Do you tends to use the passive voice too often? Does your writing contain a lot of unnecessary phrases like “there is,” “there are,” “due to the fact that,” etc.? Do you repeat a strong word (for example, a vivid main verb) unnecessarily? (For tips, see our handouts on style and gender-inclusive language .)

Have you appropriately cited quotes, paraphrases, and ideas you got from sources? Are your citations in the correct format? (See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for more information.)

As you edit at all of these levels, you will usually make significant revisions to the content and wording of your paper. Keep an eye out for patterns of error; knowing what kinds of problems you tend to have will be helpful, especially if you are editing a large document like a thesis or dissertation. Once you have identified a pattern, you can develop techniques for spotting and correcting future instances of that pattern. For example, if you notice that you often discuss several distinct topics in each paragraph, you can go through your paper and underline the key words in each paragraph, then break the paragraphs up so that each one focuses on just one main idea.

Proofreading

Proofreading is the final stage of the editing process, focusing on surface errors such as misspellings and mistakes in grammar and punctuation. You should proofread only after you have finished all of your other editing revisions.

Why proofread? It’s the content that really matters, right?

Content is important. But like it or not, the way a paper looks affects the way others judge it. When you’ve worked hard to develop and present your ideas, you don’t want careless errors distracting your reader from what you have to say. It’s worth paying attention to the details that help you to make a good impression.

Most people devote only a few minutes to proofreading, hoping to catch any glaring errors that jump out from the page. But a quick and cursory reading, especially after you’ve been working long and hard on a paper, usually misses a lot. It’s better to work with a definite plan that helps you to search systematically for specific kinds of errors.

Sure, this takes a little extra time, but it pays off in the end. If you know that you have an effective way to catch errors when the paper is almost finished, you can worry less about editing while you are writing your first drafts. This makes the entire writing proccess more efficient.

Try to keep the editing and proofreading processes separate. When you are editing an early draft, you don’t want to be bothered with thinking about punctuation, grammar, and spelling. If your worrying about the spelling of a word or the placement of a comma, you’re not focusing on the more important task of developing and connecting ideas.

The proofreading process

You probably already use some of the strategies discussed below. Experiment with different tactics until you find a system that works well for you. The important thing is to make the process systematic and focused so that you catch as many errors as possible in the least amount of time.

• Don’t rely entirely on spelling checkers. These can be useful tools but they are far from foolproof. Spell checkers have a limited dictionary, so some words that show up as misspelled may really just not be in their memory. In addition, spell checkers will not catch misspellings that form another valid word. For example, if you type “your” instead of “you’re,” “to” instead of “too,” or “there” instead of “their,” the spell checker won’t catch the error.
• Grammar checkers can be even more problematic. These programs work with a limited number of rules, so they can’t identify every error and often make mistakes. They also fail to give thorough explanations to help you understand why a sentence should be revised. You may want to use a grammar checker to help you identify potential run-on sentences or too-frequent use of the passive voice, but you need to be able to evaluate the feedback it provides.
• Proofread for only one kind of error at a time. If you try to identify and revise too many things at once, you risk losing focus, and your proofreading will be less effective. It’s easier to catch grammar errors if you aren’t checking punctuation and spelling at the same time. In addition, some of the techniques that work well for spotting one kind of mistake won’t catch others.
• Read slow, and read every word. Try reading out loud , which forces you to say each word and also lets you hear how the words sound together. When you read silently or too quickly, you may skip over errors or make unconscious corrections.
• Separate the text into individual sentences. This is another technique to help you to read every sentence carefully. Simply press the return key after every period so that every line begins a new sentence. Then read each sentence separately, looking for grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. If you’re working with a printed copy, try using an opaque object like a ruler or a piece of paper to isolate the line you’re working on.
• Circle every punctuation mark. This forces you to look at each one. As you circle, ask yourself if the punctuation is correct.
• Read the paper backwards. This technique is helpful for checking spelling. Start with the last word on the last page and work your way back to the beginning, reading each word separately. Because content, punctuation, and grammar won’t make any sense, your focus will be entirely on the spelling of each word. You can also read backwards sentence by sentence to check grammar; this will help you avoid becoming distracted by content issues.
• Proofreading is a learning process. You’re not just looking for errors that you recognize; you’re also learning to recognize and correct new errors. This is where handbooks and dictionaries come in. Keep the ones you find helpful close at hand as you proofread.
• Ignorance may be bliss, but it won’t make you a better proofreader. You’ll often find things that don’t seem quite right to you, but you may not be quite sure what’s wrong either. A word looks like it might be misspelled, but the spell checker didn’t catch it. You think you need a comma between two words, but you’re not sure why. Should you use “that” instead of “which”? If you’re not sure about something, look it up.
• The proofreading process becomes more efficient as you develop and practice a systematic strategy. You’ll learn to identify the specific areas of your own writing that need careful attention, and knowing that you have a sound method for finding errors will help you to focus more on developing your ideas while you are drafting the paper.

Think you’ve got it?

Then give it a try, if you haven’t already! This handout contains seven errors our proofreader should have caught: three spelling errors, two punctuation errors, and two grammatical errors. Try to find them, and then check a version of this page with the errors marked in red to see if you’re a proofreading star.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Especially for non-native speakers of English:

Ascher, Allen. 2006. Think About Editing: An ESL Guide for the Harbrace Handbooks . Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Lane, Janet, and Ellen Lange. 2012. Writing Clearly: Grammar for Editing , 3rd ed. Boston: Heinle.

For everyone:

Einsohn, Amy. 2011. The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications , 3rd ed. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Lanham, Richard A. 2006. Revising Prose , 5th ed. New York: Pearson Longman.

Tarshis, Barry. 1998. How to Be Your Own Best Editor: The Toolkit for Everyone Who Writes . New York: Three Rivers Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Proofreading Guide for Beginners: An In-Depth Walkthrough of This Career

By Ashleigh Ferguson

So you want to be a proofreader? Great! Whether you’re looking to proofread as a side-hustle or as your career, proofreading is a viable option for a satisfying and lucrative job.

Kudos to you for taking the next step by researching the possibilities.

If you’re already a big fan of ProWritingAid, you’re already a lover of words and the mechanics of writing. You’re definitely ready to take the plunge.

We’re going to make this really easy for you. This article is your one-stop guide to becoming a proofreader.

What Is Proofreading?

Who is a proofreader what does a proofreader do, what does proofreading involve, how do i become a proofreader, what skills are needed for proofreading as a job.

• What’s the Average Salary for Proofreading Jobs?

Before I explain what proofreading is, we need to briefly touch on the stages of editing.

While the editing process may vary from person to person, there are a few key stages that are always included:

• Developmental editing
• Copy editing
• Proofreading

As you can see, proofreading is the final stage of the editing process. It is the final check after formatting and before self-publishing or sending a manuscript to an agent or publisher.

As a proofreader, what exactly is your job?

A proofreader reads a book’s printed proof to check for typesetting errors before the final print run.

They don’t work with the author on their manuscript to make any substantial changes to the story. If you’re looking for a more interactive role, then you might be looking to be an editor .

If you’re going to be a proofreader there are few things that will become a part of your routine.

While responsibilities might vary from company to company and job to job, as a proofreader you’ll be responsible for catching spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

There are many niche areas of proofreading that you can dabble in. For example, you may choose to work on documents specifically related to law, medicine, technology, or art.

For our purposes, we'll focus on the tasks you might complete as a proofreader for fiction manuscripts.

These are a few of the questions you’ll ask yourself as you proofread:

• Are the italics consistent?
• Are the headings all formatted correctly?
• Are there any missing page numbers?
• Is there any double spacing between words?
• Are there any missing headers or footers?
• Is the quotation mark usage consistent? (e.g. all curly or all straight)

These aren't all of the things you'll look for, but this list gives you an idea of the kinds of errors and inconsistencies you'll need to spot.

No matter where you are in life, if you want to become a proofreader, there are options. Let’s look at the educational requirements.

What Degrees Can Help Me to Become a Proofreader?

Let’s start with degrees. Majors in Communication, English, and Journalism are common for proofreaders—but they're not essential.

These particular degrees all introduce you to the rules of grammar and writing, as well as helping familiarize you with writing to a certain style guide. Plus you’ll have a leg up in proofreading vacancies that require a first degree.

If you’re a final year English student who’s unsure of what to do with your degree, proofreading is definitely an option. Or maybe you’re already in the communications industry. Proofreading is a great way to pivot into another related field.

"Proofreading" as a job title is a bit of a broad brush, so you might want to niche down a bit. Certain positions will definitely call for an advanced degree and perhaps experience in a particular area.

For example, a background in law will give you an advantage if you were to apply for a position proofreading legal documents.

How to Become a Proofreader Without a Degree

However, that’s not to say that you can’t be successful without a degree. In fact, certifications are becoming more commonplace. These courses will cover a few things such as:

Make sure you evaluate the courses against your needs so you’re getting exactly what you need out of it.

Major accredited institutions include the U.S. Proofreader Certification Association or the Editors Association of Canada.

Both are referred to as the gold standard when it comes to being certified as a proofreader.

The process is similar for both: you select the credentials that best suit you, pay the requisite fees and take the exam, and if you pass you’re all set! You’re now a certified proofreader.

The next step is to find clients in your chosen niche. You can also supplement what you learn in your courses with writing experience. Seeking out internships is a sure way to gain relevant experience that puts you in a better position to land a job.

In addition to training, there are certain skills that you’re going to need if you want to become a proofreader. Let’s look at soft skills and technical skills.

Soft Skills Needed to Become a Proofreader

There are some soft skills that are indispensable in this field. You’ll need to have eagle eyes and care enough about the nitty-gritty.

You know the saying The devil is in the detail ? That’s your mantra now.

You also need to have a willingness to research the things you don’t know.

This is a particular asset if you’re hoping to work across industries as you’re bound to come across topics that you’re not familiar with.

Good time management will also become invaluable as you work to meet deadlines, and good communication skills are key when working with clients.

You’re essentially acting in the capacity of a problem-solver for your clients. You want to ensure that they’re not only getting a bang for their buck, but also that you deliver the services professionally.

What Technical Skills Do I Need to Work in Proofreading?

Since we’re in modern age, you’ll find that most of your proofreading tasks will require a computer.

Which is why it’s super helpful if you possess some proficiency in word processing, editorial software, and spreadsheets.

There are some clients who specifically seek freelancers who are familiar with specific editorial styles, so it doesn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook and/or the Chicago Manual of Style.

Of course these are all things you can learn if you don’t already have knowledge of them.

Is There Any Software That Can Help With Proofreading?

Using software as a proofreader isn't cheating—it's efficient. By automating certain tasks like US and UK spelling consistency, punctuation consistency, and acronym checking, you leave more of your attention for the trickier stuff.

ProWritingAid's Consistency Report will highlight where a writer has used hyphens and em dashes interchangeably, capitalization inconsistency, English language inconsistencies, differently-typed ellipses, and more.

You're being paid to proofread. You'll go back over the writing after fixing errors with ProWritingAid—but the software will catch the glaring errors that may distract you from the finer details.

Try the Consistency Report with a free account.

What’s the Average Salary for Proofreading Jobs ?

According to proofreading expert Caityln Pyle , "proofreaders can charge per word, per page, per project, or per hour. It depends on the length of the project and your own preferences."

She mentioned that she was able to earn $43,000 a year as a proofreader, and that was only part time!

Which pretty much matches the data from the United States Bureau where the median wage is $41,140 with the ability to earn upwards of $65,840.

And of course, as a freelancer you’re free to charge what you want, backed by your skills and experience.

Is There a Demand for Proofreading Services?

You bet your bottom dollar there is. As long as there are documents being written, there are mistakes being made.

And as long as mistakes are being made, you guessed it, there will always be a need for proofreaders to spot them.

There are numerous freelancing opportunities to take advantage of. There are plenty of online job sites that post proofreading vacancies, whether part-time or full time.

Once you've built up a solid client base, all that's left to do is manage them. If each of your clients requires different styles, terms, punctuation, and capitalization, keeping track of them all can become a headache.

ProWritingAid's Style Guides allow you to create custom rules for your writing's grammar, style, and punctuation. Check out our guide to creating style guide rules to see how you can automate those client-specific demands.

Ready to Embark on a Career in Proofreading?

Of course you are! That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? And we’re here to tell you, you have all it takes.

When it comes to embarking on something new, imposter syndrome may kick in from time to time.

But don’t be deterred, use these tips as the starting point to gain the momentum you need. You’ve got this!

Take your writing to the next level:

20 Editing Tips from Professional Writers

Whether you are writing a novel, essay, article, or email, good writing is an essential part of communicating your ideas., this guide contains the 20 most important writing tips and techniques from a wide range of professional writers..

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Ashleigh Ferguson

Ashleigh Ferguson is a former copywriter on the ProWritingAid team. With an affinity for learning new things, you can always count on her to know some random fact. She’s a self-proclaimed ‘Fix-it Felix’ and a newly minted ‘candle lady’.

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17 Essential Proofreading Skills and How to Improve Them

| Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

Proofreading is the process of reading a piece of text and carefully checking for errors. This process usually occurs before submitting, presenting, or publishing the document. 

No matter what your profession is, proofreading is critical to every profession because everybody writes. I’ll show you 17 essential proofreading skills and how you can enhance them. 

How You Can Proofread Effectively

The act of proofreading occurs after editing. Proofreaders focus on surface-level errors like grammatical errors, misspellings, and formatting issues. One way to proofread effectively is by reading the paper aloud to check how it sounds on paper.

Double-check the following writing features:

• Verb tenses.
• Preposition use.
• Proper names.
• Punctuation.
• Page numbers.
• Header and footer.

Another proofreading technique you can try is reading backward. The brain sometimes has an auto-correct function that doesn’t let you see errors, especially misspellings. It also helps to proofread only one kind of error at a time.

If you want to be a quicker proofreader, try evaluating the texts you work with. Make a list of errors commonly made by the writer, then prioritize them while performing your task.

Make sure you have your resources close to you if you’re unsure of any error. A dictionary will help you find a term’s correct spelling and meaning. Other helpful tools include a thesaurus, style guide, and punctuation book and orther proofreading books .

17 Crucial Skills You Need to Be a Proofreader

Let’s explore these 17 skills you need before becoming a proofreader . 

Know When to Ask for Help

You can be at the top of your game and have access to all the best tools, but sometimes, the best tool in your arsenal is a second set of eyes. When you’ve run through your checklist, used Grammarly, and proofed it yourself, fire it over to a friend or colleague and have them check it over. Sometimes, a fresh look can spot something you missed. 

Easily Find and Correct Issues with Capitalization 

Aside from getting a grasp of language, it would help if you also made it a goal to correct a wide range of capitalization errors. It’s one of the few writing skills we tend to overlook because capitalization doesn’t completely change a sentence’s meaning.

However, proper capitalization is integral in providing precise information. It also indicates professional and accurate writing. 

Language experts agree that capitalization is essential to communicate particular terms to readers. For instance, we should always capitalize proper nouns to indicate their specificity.

Another rule is always to capitalize the first letter of a sentence’s first word. Doing so indicates the start of a new statement, idea, or thought. 

Proofreaders focus on every word when fixing capitalization errors. Make sure to perform this technique when offering proofreading services.

A Grasp on Spelling and Punctuation

Correcting punctuation mistakes on a document is also part of the proofreading process. Proper punctuation is one of the basic skills that everyone should learn in high school. It helps you relay your message to your reader through stops, pauses, questions, etc.

But some punctuation rules can be complicated even after taking English classes. Some rules depend on the style guide you’re using, such as the use of the Oxford Comma. 

Expert editors should know whether they should use parentheses or em dashes to separate additional information. Understanding the difference between a hyphen, en dash, and em dash is also part of excellent proofreading skills. 

A skilled proofreader knows how to find spelling errors in a piece of writing quickly. They know online editing tools and spell checkers are insufficient to spot these errors. Only an excellent human proofreader or editor can spot contextual misspellings.

Network with Others in Your Community 

As proofreaders, editors, and writers, we tend to be the solitary type. But finding and building a community of others in your field can aid you in your business. Swap notes, gain leads, learn tips you never knew before, and have a support system. 

Use Software as Aids, Not a Means

There’s no avoiding the rise of tech and writing software. The trick is knowing how to work WITH it to make your job easier. Tools like Grammarly Premium and ProWritingAid are geared toward writers, but they can service as one of many lines of defense for proofreaders. 

Be a Master of Your Computer Skills

Aside from linguistic skills, a proofreader should also know how to use digital tools to make editing easier. Proofreaders must know how to use spelling, grammar, and style checkers to look for linguistic errors in a piece of writing.

Some common mistakes they can spot on online documents include misspellings, grammar errors, and style mistakes. Grammarly and ProWritingAid are two special software programs you can try. 

Grammarly uses artificial intelligence to check more than just spelling and grammar. It also detects the tone and style of the message. This online writing assistant also suggests sentence rewrites for lengthy sentences. 

The only downside to these AI writers and editors is their inability to spot contextual errors. They also can’t fully make suggestions based on the editorial style preferences of your clients.

Knowledge of PDF markup tools is also one of the industry-specific proofreading skills you need. Some software programs you might use include Adobe Acrobat Reader, Nitro Reader, and PDFelement Pro. 

Concentrate!

Being a successful proofreader is more than just having a solid command of language. A certain degree of focus is essential to make the writing process more time-saving.

Don’t let an email or SMS notification instantly take away your concentration on the texts you’re proofreading. Being constantly distracted will make you unable to spot acute errors. You won’t be able to finish your work on time, and your future employer will not appreciate it. 

Stay focused for a long time, but don’t forget to take frequent breaks. Try the Pomodoro Technique so as not to prolong your break time. This system includes 25 minutes of working and then a 5-minute break. 

Know Your Plate Size

As creatives, it’s easy to get carried away, especially when we work for ourselves. I know I’m guilty of loading up my plate with more work than I can handle. 

If you’re self-employed, you never want to say no to a potential new client or the promise of extra work. But it can actually do more harm than good. KNowing when to say no is an essential skill for proofreaders if you ask me. 

Having a manageable workload gives you the space to focus and do a better job instead of rushing and possibly missing things. 

It’s All in the Details

Proofreaders have ninja-like skills that allow them to finish their jobs on time. They know how to spot misspellings and grammatical errors with just one look at the paper. One of the essential steps to finding them is reading line by line. 

If you have enough industry experience, you should make corrections one at a time. For instance, you read the paper line by line for incorrect spelling. Then, you give it another read for punctuation mistakes, and so on. It’s one of the most essential steps to polishing the text.

Don’t entirely rely on online grammar checkers, as they sometimes make improper corrections. They also cannot make suggestions based on different editing styles. Knowing how to edit content for language errors will give your reader a desirable experience. 

Top-Notch Communication Skills

You can’t just accept a job or project, do the work, and hand it back. You need to communicate with employers and clients in a practical but respectful way. Figure out a way to deliver information and criticism in a way that seems constructive and professional. 

I can’t even guess how many people I’ve stopped working with over the years simply due to their poor communication skills. This is definitely a crucial skill to hone. 

Learn to Be Independent and Be Okay with It 

If you’re a social butterfly, I’m sorry to report…this line of work is pretty lonely. So, you should know how to work alone with an array of texts, including financial texts, novels, nonfiction, and legal writing.

It’s not enough that you have a good grammar game. Freelancers have greater professional independence, so they must know how to create schedules, set rates, and pay taxes independently. 

Always create SMART goals for your proofreading projects. This acronym stands for systematic, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. You must meet deadlines, set timelines, and communicate with your client.

Set additional goals for yourself and your proofreading career. Set a specific week to enroll in a proofreading course, so you can keep enhancing your skills. 

Have the Right Tools

Every job is easier to manage when you have the right tools in front of you. Now, that doesn’t mean you need to run out and buy all the best software and fancy pens you can find. 

For example, the right tools for me are ones that help keep my thoughts and tasks organized. Notepads, spreadsheets, calendars, and checklists are at the top of my list for must-have tools for proofreaders.

Also, having access to editorial style manuals, including the ACS Style Guide, AP Stylebook, APA Style, and the ISO 690 are important. 

Marketing Skills Wouldn’t Hurt 

This one is two-fold. As a proofreader, your job isn’t marketing; that’s pretty evident. However, a good understanding of how marketing works can definitely help you do your job. How? Two ways:

Let’s say you have a client who needs you to proofread a series of emails for a marketing campaign. A general knowledge of what to look for would be good. 

The second way marketing comes into play here is for yourself. No one will know you exist if you don’t do some level of self-promotion. Learning how social media marketing works could mean the difference between a steady flow of work and a constant grind. 

Learn to Navigate Job Boards

This isn’t directly tied to your ability to do your job, but if you’re self-employed and are responsible for generating your own leads, studying the job boards can really help you out. 

Rather than waste time and effort on advertising or cold calling, take a look at what postings might be available on the slew of freelance job boards out there.

Not only that, but spend some time learning how they work, how to apply for jobs properly, and how to manage expectations. 

Manage Your Time Like a Pro

Let’s face it; working by yourself means you’re accountable for your own schedule. It also means there’s no one around to stop you from wasting time on social media. 

Create a daily and weekly schedule for yourself, stick to it, and you’ll have a winning formula to get the job done. 

Rest days are a critical element of work-life balance. Working all day can increase your stress and decrease your brain function. It will also make you less productive. 

Learn Simple Formatting

This won’t apply to all corners of the proofreading world, but if you ever happen to work with authors or publishing companies, you’ll need a basic understanding of formatting.

Where does a proofreader come into this? Checking to ensure pages are aligned, chapter headings are capitalized and error-free, page breaks are correctly placed, etc. 

Always Learning

Let’s face it, the world around us is constantly changing. Programs are always updating and improving, styles and standards are often changing to accommodate new words and techniques. 

It’s important for proofreaders of every kind to always be in a state of learning. Read articles in your niche, catch the latest publishing trends, and see what others are doing. Stay in the now, and you’ll never be left behind. 

Practice Your Proofreading Skills Now

Being an excellent proofreader is just not enough these days. The competition is thick, and you need to stand out by ensuring these skills are always practiced. Read, write, format, be diligent, and always be one step ahead. 

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Proofreading can be a difficult process, especially when you’re not sure where to start or what this process entails. Think of proofreading as a process of looking for any inconsistencies and grammatical errors as well as style and spelling issues. Below are a few general strategies that can help you get started.

General Strategies Before You Proofread

General strategies while you proofread, when you are done.

• Make sure that you leave plenty of time after you have finished your paper to walk away for a day or two, a week, or even 20 minutes. This will allow you to approach proofreading with fresh eyes.
• Print out a hard copy. Reading from a computer screen is not the most effective way to proofread. Having a hardcopy of your paper and a pen will help you.
• Have a list of what to look for. This will help you manage your time and not feel overwhelmed by proofreading. You can get this list from previous assignments where your instructor(s) noted common errors you make.
• Don’t rush . Many mistakes in writing occur because we rush. Read slowly and carefully to give your eyes enough time to spot errors.
• Read aloud to yourself. Reading a paper aloud encourages you to read each word and can help you notice small mistakes.
• Read aloud to a friend and have the friend give you oral feedback.
• Have a friend read your paper aloud while you don’t read along.
• Use the search in document function of the computer to look for common errors from your list.
• Read from the end. Read individual sentences one at a time starting from the end of the paper rather than the beginning. This forces you to pay attention to the sentence itself rather than to the ideas of the paper as a whole.
• Role-play. While reading, put yourself in your audience's shoes. Playing the role of the reader encourages you to see the paper as your audience might.
• Have a friend look at your paper after you have made all the corrections you identified. A new reader will be able to help you catch mistakes that you might have overlooked.
• Make an appointment with a Writing Lab tutor if you have any further questions or want someone to teach you more about proofreading.
• Ask your teacher to look at the areas you usually have trouble with to see if you have made any progress.

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Proofreading Checklist

• 14-minute read
• 17th March 2023

In this post, we’ve compiled a comprehensive checklist for proofreading your work to a professional standard using the collective knowledge of our expert editing team . 

Whether you’re a proofreader yourself or want to proofread your work like a pro, be sure to bookmark this handy resource! If you want to skip the explanation of each step, you can view the checklist at the bottom of the page .

Why You Need a Proofreading Checklist

A proofreading checklist is a great resource for anyone who writes. Instead of trying to remember everything (and inevitably missing things because you’re human and have a lot to think about in a day), you have a resource that highlights common errors and mistakes. You can stay on track, avoid silly mistakes, and make sure your writing is clean, professional, and error-free. 

The Proofreading Checklist – At a Glance

• Create a clean copy
• Confirm the dialect
• Consult any notes
• Review any feedback

Use Find/Replace

• Check spelling
• Fix punctuation
• Fix the formatting

Check Capitalization

• Remove contractions
• Remove first-person pronouns
• Review abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms
• Check grammar
• Consider the meaning, content, and word choice
• Do final checks
• Create a track changes copy

Below we’ve broken down the checklist in detail, so you can understand what each checklist item means. 

The Proofreading Checklist – In More Detail

Create a clean copy.

When you want to proofread a document, it’s useful to make two copies. The first copy is the original document, and the second is your “clean copy.”

When you’re ready to begin proofreading, open the original document, click Save As , and add “Clean Copy” to the beginning of the document name. Then remove “Track Changes” under the Review Tab (if working in Word) so you can make changes without marking up your document in red.

Confirm the Dialect

Depending on the English dialect required for the document, you might need to change the language settings on your document. This will help catch regional spelling mistakes.

  To check your language settings, go to File , select More , and then Options . You will see the Word Options page pop up. Select the Language tab on the left. Make sure the correct language is listed under the “ Office display language ” box.

  Under the “ Office authoring languages and proofing ” box, you will see the “ Add a Label ” option to the right. Select that and add your English dialect, such as English (United States) or English (United Kingdom).

Consult Any Notes

Always review any style guides, referencing guides, or assignment requirements. If you’re a freelance proofreader working for a client, check your client’s notes to make sure you haven’t missed any details or overlooked specific requirements.

If you’re working with a specific referencing guide, check out our comprehensive guides to all major referencing systems (e.g., MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and APA).

Review Any feedback

If you’re a student, review your feedback from previous writing assignments. Do you see any recurring comments? If so, write those down and look for those issues in your current work. If you’re a professional, you can do the same by making a list of feedback you’ve received from colleagues or supervisors.

You know your writing best, so think about mistakes you’ve made in the past and things you tend to struggle with. Make a list of those items before you start so you’ll remember to keep an eye out for them.

Proofreading Methods

Now, you’re ready to begin proofreading your document. Here are some general tips to make sure you catch every mistake and error as you go:

  If you have a   reference list , it can be helpful to proofread this first. Be sure to check your referencing system for guidance in this section. Reference lists should always start on a new page (unless specified otherwise). You can do this by inserting a page break.

When you start proofreading the main text, go through each page twice before moving on. If reading one page is too much, try going paragraph by paragraph instead. Take your time and give your eyes frequent breaks so you don’t miss anything. Additionally, the Read Aloud function in the Review tab can help you catch sneaky errors.

You should always use find/replace when you see recurring errors, especially spelling errors. Additionally, use find/replace to remove double spaces in the text.

Check Spelling

Thanks to spellcheckers, spelling mistakes are easy to find and correct. However, technology sometimes overlooks them , so it’s still important to pay close attention to spelling. Additionally, ensuring consistent spelling among names of people, groups, places, and organizations, as well as paying attention to dialect differences, is key to achieving neat and professional writing.

Here are some common spelling mistakes to look out for:

Fix Punctuation

Punctuation includes all marks and symbols, such as commas, colons, semicolons, quotation marks, and parentheses. Punctuation is just as important as correct grammar. Like grammar, punctuation marks add clarity and meaning.

Punctuation usage also varies among English dialects (i.e., British vs. American vs. Australian English), so make sure your punctuation usage follows the right dialect.

Here are some common punctuation mistakes to look out for. If you’re not sure how to use a specific punctuation mark, click on the link to find a detailed article on the topic.

• Misuse or overuse of semicolons and colons
• Missing end punctuation : periods, question marks, and exclamation points
• Quotation marks around direct quotes
• Use of brackets and parentheses
• Apostrophes with possessive nouns
• Correct punctuation with conjunctions
• Oxford commas in American English
• Misused, overused, or missing commas
• Hyphens  in compound adjectives before nouns (except when they end in -ly)
• Unspaced em dashes for parenthetical information in American English
• Spaced en dashes for parenthetical information in British English
• Unspaced en dashes for ranges of dates or figures
• En dashes for relationships of equal weight (e.g., “student–teacher relationship”)

Check Formatting

Always check your document for formatting mistakes or inconsistencies, as they detract from professionalism and neatness. These can include empty lines at the start of the document, spaces at the beginning of a paragraph, or graphs, charts, figures, and tables that spill over into the margins.

Capitalization should follow standard rules and be consistent. For example, the titles, headers, and subheadings might all be sentence or title case . Additionally, ensuring that proper nouns (e.g., names of organizations and places) are capitalized correctly and avoiding random capitalization will enhance the overall quality of the writing. When writing a CV or resume, always check the capitalization of job titles .

If you’re unsure about capitalizing a term or phrase, check a dictionary. If you can’t find guidance from a dictionary, such as for scientific terms or jargon , look at other works or websites that use them and maintain consistency.

Here’s a short list of capitalization guidelines:

• Capitalize proper nouns.
• Use consistent sentence or title case for titles, headers, and subheadings.
• Capitalize titles (e.g., Mr., Dr., and Ms.).
• Be consistent.

Remove Contractions

Contractions are shortened versions of two words commonly used together. For example, “I am” becomes “I’m” or “should have” becomes “should’ve.” Avoid common errors with contractions, such as “should of” becoming “should’ve” or “would of” becoming would’ve.”  

While contractions are used in spoken language regularly, they should not be used in formal writing. However, contractions can be used in creative writing, especially in dialogue .

Remove First-Person Pronouns

In formal writing, such as academic or certain business writing, it’s best to avoid first person pronouns and language (e.g., “in my opinion,” “I think,” or “our research”). However, this can vary depending on your guidelines and requirements.

Always check your style guide or ask your academic supervisor for further guidance. Overall, if you can reword the text to avoid using first person language, do so. For other types of writing, such as poetry or creative writing, pronoun usage is up to the author.

Review Any Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms

Abbreviations are shortened versions of words, such as “min” for “minute.”

Acronyms are a type of abbreviation where only the first letter from each word is included, creating a new term. For example, “National Aeronautics and Space Administration” becomes NASA or “as soon as possible” becomes ASAP. Acronyms are spoken as a single word. We don’t spell out N-A-S-A, we say NASA .

Initialisms are like acronyms, but the new abbreviation is not read as a word. Instead, we spell out the initials, such as BBC for “British Broadcasting Corporation.”

Let’s look at how to use abbreviations in writing. One rule remains the same for all types of writing (in general): abbreviations should be fully introduced on the first use. For example: 

An exception to this rule is if the term is used only once in the text. In that case, you should use full terminology by itself. Additionally, you don’t need to introduce commonly known abbreviations, like TV. Which terms this includes will depend on your academic or business field, so follow referencing guides as needed.

Abbreviations in Academic Writing

You should treat abstracts as a separate document from your thesis or journal article. This means that if you introduce an abbreviation in the abstract , you still need to introduce it on the first use in the main body.

Additionally, avoid using abbreviations in headings and subheadings unless it makes them too long (consult your style guide on these matters as well). Last, avoid using abbreviations in captions and descriptions of figures, charts, tables, or graphs. These items can be used independently from the manuscript, so it’s important that the terms are spelled out in full.

Check Grammar

Everyone makes grammar mistakes in their writing. However, missed grammar errors can make it difficult for your readers to understand the meaning.

Below is a list of common grammar errors to look out for when proofreading. If you need a more detailed explanation, click on the item to find an in-depth post on it.

●   Subject–verb agreement

●   Use of nouns

●   Correct article usage (i.e., a, an, the)

●   Use of non-restrictive and restrictive clauses (i.e., who, which, that)

●   Consistent and correct verb tenses

●   Comma splices

●   Faulty parallelism

●   Incomplete or difficult-to-understand sentences

●   Confusing pronouns (e.g.., correct uses of “he,” “she,” and “they”)

Consider the Meaning, Content, and Word Choice

Sometimes we use the wrong word because we make a spelling mistake or have a fundamental misunderstanding of a word’s definition and usage. That’s okay! What’s important is that you ensure proper word usage in your writing. When in doubt, use a dictionary.

Additionally, use the right words to convey your desired tone. For example, avoid using casual, conversational, and emotive language in academic and business writing to achieve an objective, professional, and confident tone.

For example:

Last, check each sentence for overall clarity and meaning. This can be remedied by ensuring proper grammar, punctuation, and word choice. However, there could still be some sentences that are too long (aim for around 25 words per sentence), awkward, or wordy. Reading aloud can help identify these sentences.

Conduct Final Checks

Once you finish editing, you’re not entirely done. It’s important to review your proofreading marks to ensure you didn’t miss anything. Do another find/replace to remove any double spaces you might have introduced while proofreading.

Scan the text to see if Word has highlighted any errors you might have missed (look for the red squiggly lines). Last, double-check any style guides, referencing guides, assignment requirements, or client notes to ensure you haven’t missed anything.

Create a Track Changes Copy

The final step in your proofreading process is to create a   “Track Changes” copy . To do this, you need to save the “Clean Copy” document you’ve proofread. Then, go to the Review tab, click Compare , and upload your “Original” and “Clean Copy” documents (“Original” goes in the first box, and “Clean Copy” goes in the second box). Click OK .

Save the “Track Changes” document and rename it with “Track Changes” instead of “Clean Copy.” You should now have three documents: Original, Clean Copy, and Track Changes.

The Proofreading Checklist

Jump to section, share this article:, want to save time on your content editing, our expert proofreaders have you covered., learn more about proofreading & editing.

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Blog • Understanding Publishing

Last updated on Jul 01, 2024

What is Proofreading? Beginner's Guide to an Essential Edit

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

Whether you’re a student, a mechanic, a doctor, or a professional writer, you’ve probably come across proofreading in some form or another — though you might not be aware of it. So much of the work people do these days revolves around the written word. Mistakes in their writing can have a massive impact on their success — which is where proofreading comes in!

In this post, we’ll have a look at the ins and outs of proofreading, from the perspective of experienced proofreaders in the publishing trade .

What is proofreading?

Proofreading is the act of reading written work and marking any errors . These mistakes most commonly involve spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency .

What is a proof?

The ‘proof’ in ‘proofreader’ comes from the publishing term describing an early printed copy. Traditionally, typesetters would arrange letter tiles onto large plates that are then used to print pages of a book. But before they started churning out thousands of copies, a ‘proof’ version was sent to the publisher for a final check .

With modern digital publishing (and computerized printing methods), proofreading is now usually done on a computer — though some proofreaders still prefer marking up physical copies .

What is the difference between proofreading and editing?

In publishing, proofreading comes into play at the very end of the editorial process , after a manuscript has been corrected by a copy or line editor. The proofreader’s job is to comb through the document and look for any mistakes that may have slipped through the cracks. Regardless of how meticulous the writer and editor have been, there will almost always be errors when dealing with a book of 80,000 words or more.

If you'd like to confirm which type of editing your book needs at its current stage, we recommend taking this quick quiz to find out:

What kind of editing does your book need?

Takes one minute!

Why is proofreading important?

You might remember, in early 2019, the television hit series Game of Thrones was coming to an end. Devoted and casual fans alike sat in front of screens to devour every moment of the final season. So it’s no surprise that when a Starbucks cup made an accidental cameo during one of the episodes, viewers were pointing out the gaff on social media in a heartbeat.

The show’s producers were quick to act, and 48 hours later, the disposable cup had been edited out of the show. Yet there’s no denying that hundreds, if not thousands, of viewers were yanked from the medieval realm of Westeros because of this tiny appearance of a modern artefact. Suddenly, the focus is on the error, and not the story.

Do you see where we’re going with this? A manuscript peppered with typos, grammatical errors, or contextual inconsistencies will jolt a reader out of the narrative the book is meant to tell. Instead of getting caught up in the story or thesis, they’re suddenly forced to mentally rectify the work’s mechanical mistakes. So proofreading is partly important because it allows your narrative to shine through uninterrupted.

What’s more, it adds a level of professionalism that is absolutely necessary if you’re looking to get publishers or readers on your side. When confronted with an obviously un-proofed book, both audiences will likely assume the author couldn’t be bothered to truly invest in their work. And if the author didn’t seem bothered to invest, why should they?

So whether you’re planning to seek out traditional representation for your book or to publish on your own, editing and proofreading is a vital part of the publishing process.

Q: If a proofreader is needed, does it mean that the copy editor has failed?

Eilidh L. (Editor)

No, it doesn’t mean the copy editor has failed if a proofreader is needed. Even the best copy editors aren’t perfect—no one can catch every single error. The industry standard for copy editing is a 90-95% catch rate, which is impressive, but it still leaves room for minor typos or formatting issues to slip through. That’s why a final proofread is essential; it provides a fresh set of eyes to catch anything that might’ve been missed and ensures the formatting and presentation are clean and consistent for a polished, professional result.

Eilidh is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺

Read 2 additional answers

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Eric H. (Editor)

The distinctions between copyediting and proofreading can grow fuzzy at times, but essentially, copyediting happens before design and proofreading, after. Even if your copy editor were perfect, turning an error-free manuscript into a book is going to introduce new elements that need to be checked. Are the margins consistent? Are all the headers the right level? Did a quotation mark of the wrong font sneak in? Are the page numbers on the correct side of the page? Even if they never actually speak with one another, the copyeditor, designer and proofreader engage in a sort of conversation to ensure the author's intentions get onto the page.

Eric is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺

Brett S. (Editor)

Personally, I find it hard to only do a copy edit or a proofread; I can't help but do both. But some people can switch off either service and just concentrate on one. So, no, if a copy editor has only done their job and not the job of the proofreader, that's completely acceptable. The copy editor is more focused on line edits, internal consistency, awkward dialogue, etc., whereas a proofreader will be looking for final corrections before typesetting, like typos, punctuation issues, formatting concerns, and the like.

Brett is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺

Answers provided by professionals available on reedsy.com

Working with a professional proofreader

A professional proofreader does more than just look out for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. They will also look for consistency issues that could hamper the reading experience. This would include:

• Ensuring that any web links go to the right webpage
• Checking that the index matches the content
• Confirming that the layout doesn’t fluctuate throughout the work
• Making sure that the images have correct captions
• Verifying that the copy adheres to the author’s chosen style guide

Proofreaders will not usually copy-edit, meaning that they won't make changes directly to the manuscript. Their primary job is highlighting potential mistakes, allowing the writer or editor to make the final decision.

Who should use professional proofreading?

In traditional publishing, every book will be proofed before it’s released to the public. If a reader were to find more than a handful of typos or grammatical mistakes in a novel, for example, it could negatively color their reading experience (and damage the publisher’s reputation).

In self-publishing, proofreading is becoming a non-negotiable part of the editorial process.  Independent authors often look for ways to reduce their costs, so they’re often tempted to proofread by themselves. But as the indie book market grows and its products improve in quality, getting a professional proofread quickly becomes common practice.

Outside of trade publishing, proofreaders will often find work in areas such as academia, journalism, and even advertising . In some corporate settings, they can even be hired to check through slide decks before presentations.

Q: Do proofreading tools like Grammarly take away the need for human proofreaders?

Dylan G. (Editor)

The problem with relying on any piece of editing software is twofold: 1) They tend to only catch a fraction of issues in a piece of writing, and 2) In my experience, the vast majority of what they suggest is flat-out wrong or misguided. When I used to double-check things by running them through Grammarly, I’d spend most of the time sifting through suggestions that would actually add errors and clunky language to a manuscript rather than fixing them. That’s why I recommend letting an editor figure out what’s useful and what’s not, rather than having to sort through it and figure it out yourself!

These days, of course, most people asking this question are asking more about generative AI tools than “traditional” editing software like Grammarly and ProWritingAid (and indeed, those companies have also embraced dubious AI features). The most important consideration for a writer using these AI models for any purpose is the legal and ethical consideration: there is no major generative AI language model that does not involve plagiarism and theft. They were built off of the copyrighted works of hundreds of thousands of published authors and tens of millions of other writers and internet users, taken without consent or compensation. Moreover, AI-generated material cannot be copyrighted, leaving even works that mix real writing and artificially generated text on legally shaky ground.

I’ve experimented with hundreds of editing prompts on the most up-to-date models like GPT4 and Claude 3.5, as well as writing/editing-specific services like the abysmal GrammarlyGO and ProWritingAid “Sparks,” with very mixed results at best. While they can generally produce “grammatical” text on a short sample, without relation to the larger context, nuance, and style of a manuscript, the edited text is rarely what you asked for. Many times, the edits are even the opposite of what you requested, or result in new issues, and the tools cannot even accurately describe what changes they made.

Ultimately, I can see many potential uses for both writers and editors with such tools (if the major ethical and theft issues are somehow resolved), but right now they are just as likely to make things up and lead you far astray as get you closer to a solid final product, not to mention plagiarize while doing so.

At the end of the day, you’re hoping for people to read your book. Having an experienced, personal, human eye in the editing phase is essential.

Dylan is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺

Absolutely not! Proofreading tools like Grammarly are handy for quick checks, but they’re no substitute for a human proofreader or editor.

Tools like Grammarly can catch typos and basic grammar mistakes and even suggest some rewording. But at the end of the day, they’re just following rules and algorithms. They don’t understand your writing like a human does, and they may not break a rule if you want it to be broken.

A human proofreader gets the context, tone, and the subtleties in your words. They know when a sentence needs to break a rule for impact and when your unique style is intentional. Plus, humans spot the tricky stuff—like homonyms (think “your” vs. “you’re”), awkward phrasing, and shifts in voice or consistency. And let’s be honest, Grammarly might give you suggestions, but sometimes it makes things sound robotic or just… off.

Bottom line? Use the tools—they’re helpful! But for that final layer of polish, flow, and true understanding, a human touch makes all the difference.

John M. (Editor)

Regarding Grammarly and AI generally, I was recently in contact with someone doing a PhD on AI's potential affect on book editing. So naturally I asked her if AI will run me out of business.

Her response was: "I think for now AI will definitely not run you out of business. You have a wealth of knowledge and experience that can’t be trained by a data set."

The same goes for proofreading. There's no substitute for an experienced professional when it comes to complex and subjective things like proofreading and editing

John is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺

How much does a professional proofreader cost?

Based on statistics from Reedsy’s marketplace , proofreading services cost $10 per thousand words, on average.

Of course, this is only a ballpark figure and the final rate will depend on a number of other factors. For example, if the proofreader needs to cross-check the index, this would naturally escalate the cost.

In non-publishing industries, costs may also vary. A proofreader with a deep background in technical writing may choose to charge extra for their expertise and fact-checking, for example. But whatever the cost, you can be sure that getting a professional proofreader is worth it.

Tips for finding a professional proofreader

There are a lot of proofreaders advertising their services out there — where do you begin to find the right one for your project? We’ve got some pointers down below.

• Ask your editor. If you’re already working with an editor, it’s worth asking if they offer proofreading services. If not, they probably know other professionals that they trust will be good for your project.
• Specify your preferences. Do you like to work digitally or do you focus better reading a printed manuscript? The proofreading process is a two-way street, and when both you and the professional agree on a method, everything will be much smoother and more efficient.
• Search niche marketplaces. If you’re writing a book, it’s better to go straight to editing societies' directories or publishing marketplaces, where the proofreaders’ credentials are checked, than to browse Upwork or Fiverr. That way you don't have to spend hours sifting through portfolios of proofreaders who aren't equipped with the right knowledge to advise you, not just on your writing but also on formatting your manuscript.

Hire an expert proofreader

Available to hire

Highly experienced, dynamic and astute Australian line/copy editor. I have a global client base.

Reliable and versatile proofreader and copy editor with a passion for all things Sci-Fi and Dickens.

I have many years experience of editing Open University materials - Spanish, education, history, music and ELT. I now edit fiction as well.

Browse more profiles on Reedsy

Proofreading your own work

When it comes to a longer piece of writing meant for wider consumption — like, say, a book — there’s still nothing that can beat a trained professional.

For other types of content, however, writers can and do proofread their own work. Simply reading back something you’ve written will usually reveal typos and ungainly passages. In situations where your writing isn’t intended for a massive audience (for example, in an email to your boss), you can usually rely on an online spelling and grammar checker such as Grammarly to catch any major mistakes.

Let’s cover a couple of DIY proofreading tips to help you ensure your work is as polished as can be.

Proofreading tips

• Start with self-awareness . There are certain bad grammatical habits we’re all prone to, or particular typos that tend to crop up frequently in our work. Before you get started, take a moment to determine your own "bad writing habits." Then do a sweep of your work, concentrating just on those. For example, perhaps there's a word you know you overuse? Search for just that word and really consider whether it needs to be there.
• Read out loud. The truth is, your eyes can deceive you — and this is especially true if you're reading on a screen, where your eyes are quick to tire. You'd be surprised at how many mistakes you can spot reading something out loud vs. reading it silently in your head. A bonus tip here is to read your manuscript out loud with someone else. Take turns reading a set number of pages each, and you'll ensure you catch any awkward-sounding phrases.
• Do one thing at a time. The worst way to proofread your own work is to read through it and try to get it perfect by the end. Effective proofreading requires multiple rounds, and each round should be focused on just one task. Don't look for spelling errors at the same time as you check for homonyms, as you'll likely end up letting stuff fall through the cracks.

Looking for a proofreader? Sign up for a free Reedsy account and browse through the best freelancers in the business.

Andrew Knight New Canaan says:

16/05/2019 – 06:34

Awesome Post. I really like it. This is a very informative post. Thanks for sharing with us. I would like to share with my friends.

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