Writing requires proofreading. Most people will write, reread the material a few times, run SpellCheck and call it a day.

Not good enough. Not even close. Think of it this way; spelling errors, awkward sentences, and poor grammar create static between the message and reader. To absorb information a reader must be able to clearly focus on the content. Mistakes are distracting. Readers stumble over words, get caught in grammatical errors and eventually grow frustrated.

Many common mistakes are easily fixed. But they have to be caught. Don't be a wimpy proofreader! Any professional writer worth his or her salt uses the following tips to uncover errors. Use them to boost your proofreading power and communicate with confidence.

1. Walk away. When you have finished writing do what you normally do. Reread it a few times. Run your SpellCheck. Admire your completed piece. Then walk away from it for at least an hour, preferably longer. When you return you'll have a refreshed brain and will be in a better position to review it.

2. Read it aloud. Read it as if you were giving a speech. This tactic forces you to experience your writing the way a reader will. You want it to sound seamless. Pay attention to clunky parts that make your voice stumble. These sections will have to be reworked. Running out of breath is a red flag for a run-on sentence. Rework it or insert a strategically placed comma. Reread and rework until it sounds smooth and effortless.

3. Read your document backwards. This tactic removes your brain's ability to fool itself. By removing the context of the sentences you're forced to focus on each word. Spelling errors become obvious. But isn't that what SpellCheck is for? Yes. By all means, click that button. It's there for a reason. But it's sadly limited. Let me demonstrate.

Win our ewe going two meat me?

SpellCheck approved the above sentence. Enough said.

4. Give it to someone else. Ask a someone to review your copy. Give it to a spouse, peer, or friend; it doesn't matter. Encourage criticism. This is not the time to defend your work. If you have to provide verbal explanations, guess what? The writing is not clear!

Please don't be overwhelmed. Soon you won't want to send anything out with your name on it before it's been subjected to this simple quality control system.

As for this article, I'm going to take a break before reviewing it...again. You have better things to do than to get tangled up in a poorly written communication piece.


Want to use this article in your e-zine, newsletter or Web site?You can as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Marley is an independent business writer who helps businesses communicate their value to their prospects and customers.