If you are in the middle of writing a piece of content, you might find it hard to come up with an end result that you are happy with. With that being the case, here are some useful tips that you could put to good use to make sure you are 100% happy with the content being written.
If you want to write quality content, then you need to be prepared to look over the document thoroughly and closely. How, then, can you make sure that you do so in a way that ensures the content is 100% proofread?
Never skim over any content
You might “think” the content is right in this section, but skimming is the simplest way to make a proofreading mistake. Instead of skipping over sections, make sure that you take the time to look over every piece of the content thoroughly and fully being discussed.
Content has to be proofread in full, not just in part. Even with one error being left over, you have not made enough of an effort.
Focus on correct but wrongly used words
Many times, we look for things like obvious typos and mistakes when we are proofreading. However, the biggest enemy are those words which a word processor deems correct being used in the wrong place. For example, instead of writing the word tract, you might write tact. Both correct words but used in totally different places and contexts (The Dangers of Relying on Spell Check and Grammar Check). With that in mind, focus on words which are ‘right’ but used in the wrong place.
Read the content back in your head
Writing might look good on paper, but if you speak it back to yourself a new kind of understanding can be formed. A common mistake in editing is to not shorten down sentences. While using longer sentences is always a challenge, it can be an important part of writing. Most of the time, though, you can say things quicker and in a simpler manner. Read content back – if you find yourself running out of mental breath when reading it back, make it shorter and snappier.
Don’t forget to focus on the tone
Another factor of proofreading correctly is to really take the time to focus heavily on the kind of tone that is being used throughout. For example, if you are writing a formal piece of content then you ideally want something that is focused on a very particular kind of tone. Do you want to use informal wording like it’s, or more formal terms like it is? Work that out, and make it universal throughout.
Always look for factual errors
Another big part of proofreading is to make sure you always keep a very close eye out for potential mistakes in the facts of the writing. For example, dates and times. Are they correct? Have you made a single typo that could make the whole fact harder to understand?
Don’t spend all of your proofreading time looking for errors in the grammar and punctuation only to miss factual errors with the actual substance of the piece. Keep that in mind moving forward!
Don’t hesitate on hiring help
Of course, you might find it hard to make decisions that sit right with you. You might simply not want to spend all day editing and proofreading. Whatever the reason, you should have no problems or fears at all about bringing in a professional proofreader and/or editor. They could be an essential cog in coming up with a solution that pays dividends for you. (Get a professional proofreading service)
If you want to keep your writing as fluent and as fantastic as possible, be sure to put the time into editing. With the above tips, you are well on the right path to making your proofreading and editing sessions more productive.
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