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Q. What is proofreading? A. Thirsty work! Proofreading (or proof-reading - see this post which explains my preferred term) is typically the final stage in the publication process. It's a review of the final draft - after editing - to check for typos such as spelling and punctuation errors or formatting inconsistencies. This involves more than just reading through a publication and requires a great deal of concentration and attention to detail. Typically I will read prose aloud to pick up any spelling erros, grammatical mistakes or missing words. Then I'll have a glass of water or two. Next I'll go through again and if proofreading on screen I'll use the 'show paragraph marks' function so that I can check formatting. For example, that all headlines are the same size, spacing between lines is regular, and numbering is consistent (it usually isn't in a large document!) And finally, depending on deadlines and content, I'll print it out and proofread a hard copy. If it's already in hard copy, I might copy-type it to ensure I haven't missed anything - especially if it's covered in proofreading marks. Proofreading then is not speed-reading and will take at least one and a half times to complete as it would for the average person to read through it. The project time will blow out quite a bit if there are a lot of errors to correct. I never proofread my own work. When you've written and re-written a paragraph, it becomes a case of not being able to see the wood for the trees. You become too 'close' to the work. It is possible to put the work away for a while and then come back to it much later (at least a week) with 'fresh' eyes but deadlines don't always allow for this luxury. If you do opt to proofread your own work, here's a good overview on what to look for. Note that editing and proofreading are two different things - editing tends to have a broader focus - but that they can sometimes overlap. I'll cover editing some other time but for now, here's a good article on tips for self-editing and proofreading. Here's a good handout if you plan to proofread and edit yourself (note that it's American-English). If submitting a manuscript to a publishing house or literary agent, it pays to be thorough but you don't have to be anal about it because if it gets accepted, they'll edit and proofread it in-house. If self-publishing, it pays to hire a professional because typos and mistakes (such as changing a character's name part way through or having them 10 years younger than their birth-date suggests or having snow on the ground in summer - unless it's sci-fi) will come back to bite you in the bum. If you're job-hunting, always always always get your resume cover letter proofread whether professionally or by a trusted friend with an eye for detail. If job-hunting you have one chance to impress enough to get put on the short-list pile for an interview. Your cover letter is that one chance and you'd be surprised how often a simple typo can get you moved to the 'no follow-up' pile. Personally, I don't think it's necessary to proofread blog posts, forum comments or text messages. Unless of course you're a professional writer in which case it's a good idea to proofread eveything. Including your grocery shopping list. Posted: 2010-11-06 15:58:13 Total number of posts in wordpress db: 42 End of post 2 |
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