Little marks make a big difference in the readability and meaning of a story. A missing or misplaced apostrophe, comma, period, quotation mark, etc. may disrupt and confuse readers—and no author wants that. When proofreading, I watch for the following: Apostrophes • Contractions An apostrophe takes the place of missing letters or numbers. Examples: don’t, who’s, you’re, I’m, ’80s • Possessives An apostrophe may […]
Accurate grammar allows readers to enjoy and understand your story—without having to backtrack to try to figure out what you’re trying to say. (If readers have to do that, you may lose them.) Grammatical sentences convey your story clearly. The following isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of every grammar issue I proofread for, but it should give you a good idea of what I’ll be on the lookout […]
I come across a wide variety of typos and errors when proofreading manuscripts, but certain mistakes pop up repeatedly. Familiarize yourself with these common mistakes so you can correct them—or avoid them entirely—in your own writing. 1. A single quotation mark instead of an apostrophe Examples: Incorrect: Go get ‘em. Correct: Go get ’em. An apostrophe—not a quotation mark—takes the place of a missing letter or letters. The direction that […]
Yes, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. More on that in a moment. First, here’s my brief word-usage lesson for the day: a while or awhile? a while is a noun that means a length of time. Example: I haven’t seen you in a while. awhile is an adverb that means for a length of time. Example: I’d like to sleep awhile. You wouldn’t say “I haven’t seen you […]
Reading out loud is a highly effective proofreading method used by many writers, and for good reason. Whether your manuscript is long or short, reading out loud forces your eyes to slow down and keep pace with your voice. And when you slow down, you’re more likely to catch errors. Additionally, hearing your words aloud instead of silently in your head will highlight problems that your eyes alone simply don’t […]
There’s no one size fits all when it comes to editing. So if you’re considering hiring an editor or proofreader but not really sure who or what you need (or what to expect), this excellent Writer’s Digest article clarifies the matter: 10 Things Your Freelance Editor Might Not Tell You—But Should. I recommend paying particular attention to the differences and degrees of editing versus proofreading. Like most professional proofreaders, I believe […]