Why Proofread?

So, I read a lot of blogs... I mean, a lot.  Okay, so I may not read all of them all the time, but I check in with quite a few. And I have to say, some of them are both superbly written and superbly presented.  Some, on the other hand, are well written, with good, solid, sound ideas, but with very lackadaisical presentation...

And of course, in addition to all the crafty stuff I do, and the blogging, I'm also a teacher... an English teacher... so the well-written blogs I read that lack that solid presentation, they kinda hurt me a bit.  I mean, these are smart, intelligent, creative people, and just a little bit more time can make such a difference in that presentation!

I'm not talking HTML or anything like that.  I'm focusing here on the writing. Because, PROOFREADING IS IMPORTANT!!!

Now, I'm not talking about spending hours trying to make everything look perfect. One--you'll make yourself crazy, and two--you'll never actually make it perfect.  But, take pride in all of your work!

Think about it--most of the blogs I read are crafty--jewelry designers, card-making, artists, etc.--who have worked very hard to perfect their crafts. And they are a talented bunch!  And when they blog, they're not just blogging to blog (well, sometimes they are); they're blogging to get their name out there. To become known for their craft.

What troubles me, is that after all the work they put into their craft, they don't put that work into their writing, leaving us with posts riddled with typos, misspellings, punctuation issues, etc.  And if you think of your favorite big company, you'll notice you don't see very many mistakes in their publications.

So, here's a few tips:

• First, look at sense and completeness.  
• So, what does that mean?  In your first reading, look for omissions--missing letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, etc.  Then, review the draft for consistent format.
• Second, spelling and typographical errors.
• For this reading, look for misspellings, improper word endings, transposed numbers, letters, and words.  And, run the spellcheck. Whether you're writing in a word processing program or in a blog dashboard, there should be a spellchecker available. 
• Third, you need to read for grammar and usage.
• Check this to the best of your ability, and if you're concerned about something, do a Google search.
• Or, you can check this website for some superb information: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
• Fourth, read backwards.
• Okay, I know, I know.  Sounds crazy.  And obviously the text won't make any sense, but you will be able to focus on spelling and repetition.
• Fifth, check on capitalization and punctuation.
• This is your last reading, and this is where to check all the "easy" or "basic" stuff... Include the missing punctuation, delete the unnecessary punctuation, check for missing capitals, or capitals that shouldn't be there, etc...

So, there you have it!  Some quick proofreading tips that can really make all the difference. Will you necessarily always do all of these steps?  Probably not.  But even completing one or two of these steps will drastically improve your posts (or essays, or anything....)

Hope this helps, and  hope you enjoyed reading this!

This info is courtesy LaRita Jacobs, the Arthritis Guru, in her proofreading seminar.  And you should check out Taylor Mali's "The The Impotence of Proofreading".  Very good stuff!!

Prof. Wilson