What’s so imprtant about proofreading?
Imagine getting a job offer from a company that misspelled your first name “Congrats Jhn! You got the job.” Or getting a college acceptance letter from “the dean of admisions.” You’d start to see the writer in an unfavorable light.
Not many people enjoy proofreading. But it’s awfully important. So here are some quick tips to avoid those silly mistakes that can undermine your writing.
First, ignore the old adage, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” When it comes to proofreading, you can — and should. Give yourself a night away from your writing so your mind can rest. The next morning, you’ll be far more likely to catch typos.
Second, call a friend. Since you’ve already read your own piece 1,000 times, it’s easy to gloss over obvious errors. A colleague with fresh eyes will often do a better job of catching mistakes.
Third, hit the print button. Taking pen to paper will help you stay more focused as you read — and you’ll be away from all the distractions of a computer screen.
Proofreading can be tedious. But it’s one of the most important steps of writing. After all, if your prose is riddled with typos, it might be hard for a reader to take you sriusly.
