© Copyright khedmeh Wall
Proofread and grammar check your work
I know this tip is kind of a given, but it is important none the less. For me, proofreading is kind of a time consuming and grueling task. I have to make a cup of coffee and put on a specific proofreading playlist. I have to put myself in a proofreading mood and it usually takes half a day, depending on the length of the story. When proofreading, I like to section my work off and read through piece by piece. On the first read through, I highlight the mistakes that I see instead of immediately correcting them. This prevents me when i need help with my homework from falsely correcting something that I thought was wrong on the first read through. I might be the only one this happens to, but it happens to me all the time.
I have the tendency to second guess myself and assume that I’m wrong. This is a bad habit to have when proofreading, so my compensation is highlighting first. I also highlight sentences or phrases that I feel need to be reworded or rewritten. If something looks weird or doesn’t flow with the surrounding sentences or dialog, I highlight it to come back to it on the second read through. Once I’ve read through the section once, I take a little break and look away from it. I’ll walk through my house or take my dog outside, then I will sit back and start the second read through. In the second read through, I begin correcting things and rewriting things. This is usually the shortest read through because, if I’ve done well in the first read through, I have highlighted the portions that need attention. I take another short break after this read through (do you understand why this is a time consuming task for me?) and rest my eyes a bit before returning. Then I begin my third, and usually final, read through. My third read through consists of reading my work out loud to myself or to my dog. I don’t normally do this around other people because I’m shy and self-conscious, but if any of you are comfortable reading to someone then go for it.
Hearing your work aloud can help you hear and pick out places that don’t quite flow as well as you thought they did in your head. If your work flows well aloud (especially dialog) then it will flow smoothly in the minds of your readers. I repeat these three steps as many times as it takes to proofread my entire work. These steps and techniques may seem excessive, but keep in mind that I am a chronic perfectionist. According to history homework help these steps work for me. If you think they might help you in your proofreading ventures, then try them out next time! If they don’t work out, keep searching for the method that fits you the best. As someone who is working toward being a professional writer and editor, proofreading is very important to me. It’s almost on the same importance level as the initial creative process. It is also important to remember that proofreading and editing is step two.
Step one is to write! Experts from financial accounting help homework suggest to get everything in that beautiful mind of yours out on paper first! To once again quote the great Ernest Hemingway, “The first draft of anything is shit.” If you spend too much time trying to perfect your first draft as you are writing it, your creativity and ideas might drain at a rapid rate. Just write! Worry about editing in step two.
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