Proofreading your content before publishing it is as important as writing it. This gives you a chance to make sure that your message is clear and catch any spelling or grammar issues.
Most web browsers these days have built in spell checkers. You may notice as you type, misspelled words are underlined. You can right click on the underlined word to see spelling suggestions.
If you don’t see underlines under misspelled words, double check your browser settings to make sure spell check is turned on. Each browser has different steps, but usually the option is found in the Settings section of your browser.
Spell checking is only one part of proofreading, and can be done while you edit your content. Here are some tips for proofreading after you’re done writing.
Proofreading Tips
- Before you start proofreading, make sure you’re done writing the content. Proofing while writing can cause you to miss important grammar or clarity issues.
- Take a step back. Don’t jump right into proofreading content right after writing it. Give yourself a break (15 minutes at least), and then read the content from the perspective of your audience.
- Read your content out loud. It is easy to skip over errors or difficult sentences when silently reading. Reading out loud will force you to acknowledge each sentence.
- Print your content. The change in medium can shake loose errors you might not see on the computer. And, you get to pull out your red pen to make corrections!
- Ask someone else to proofread your content. They might catch errors you wouldn’t otherwise see.
- Do one more spell check before publishing your content.
There are also a number of tools out on the market that will automatically proofread content for you. Grammarly and the Hemingway App are two examples of tools you can use to proofread your content. They often include features that let you define your audience and writing style.
