You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, so it really is important to give everything you do a careful proofread. Just reading it over casually is not enough, as our tendency as humans is to read something we’ve written like it should sound (even filling in words that might be missing), rather than actually evaluating what is on the page to make sure there are no errors.
When I’m almost done with a piece that I’m either writing or proofreading, I always give it two final read-throughs before I call it complete. Yes, two!
During the second to last read-through, I check for fluency. For example: does it make sense? Are the right words in the right places?
During the final read-through, I take a deeper dive, going word by word and letter by letter to make sure that all my i’s are dotted and all my t’s are crossed (literally). The name of the game during this final read-through is to question everything. If I’m not sure of the spelling of a word or a grammar rule, I look it up. If I’m not sure that a particular fact is correct, I investigate. I make no assumptions and take nothing for granted. Not only does this step help me make each piece closer to perfection, but I also find that I learn a number of fun facts and/or grammar rules along the way, adding to my tool kit for future pieces.
You’d be amazed at the things I find during these final steps, even on pieces that the writer is sure are ready for publication before sending to Practical Productions. These steps are what separate the proofreaders from the proof readers, and help catch the kinds of things that spell check, or a casual read, likely won’t.
Warning: this process can be very, VERY tedious. Proofreading is not for everyone (that’s where Practical Productions comes in)! It requires the right environment (a cubicle in a loud office is not the ideal spot for this type of work), and the right mindset (don’t try to tackle a proofreading job when you’re distracted or in a rush). It also takes some self awareness and an honest evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses.
The bottom line is that a relatively small investment of time proofreading can save large amounts of time and money, not to mention the reputation damage that can result from publications with typos and incorrect information. The saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” comes to mind here!