Every writer knows the pain of discovering a major error in something you've published (whether it is an e-mail to your boss or a client or a $10,000 print job). We've all felt embarrassment and loss of credibility; perhaps we've even had a financial loss, such as reprinting costs or defective product.

In tragic cases, an error may cause an accident.

So how can you avoid publishing typos and other errors? Here are five top tips for perfect proofreading:

1. Always proof a hard copy. I know that the "paperless office" is a tempting idea, but the truth is that modern screen resolution is so poor (less than 100 dots per inch, compared to 600-3600 DPI with a laser printer) that you will miss errors on the screen. It just happens.
2. Slow down! No, I'm not a traffic cop, but think about it: When you read silently, you can read at about 300-500 words per inch. Reading out loud slows you to 100-120 words per inch. It's just logical that as you slow down, you'll find more mistakes, right?
3. Use three senses rather than one. When you read silently, you are only using your visual sense. If you will read out loud and touch each word as you read it, you'll enhance your brain's perception by adding auditory and tactile input. Don't worry if your cube-neighbor laughs at you! You'll find more errors this way.
4. Focus! Use a ruler or a piece of paper to isolate each line. Put the ruler under the line you are proofreading and then touch each word and read it out loud. The ruler/paper keeps your eye from jumping ahead (I am a compulsive multitasker, and this method forces me to stay proofreading until it's done--RIGHT.)
5. Put your document away for awhile. Multitaskers and speed-demons all want to hit that "SEND" button and move on to the next task. Better to put the document away for an hour or a day if you can, then proofread it. The longer you wait to proofread something you wrote, the more errors you will find.

Learn 8 more tips on proofreading and teach everyone in your workgroup how to proofread better. Subscribe to our NEW Perfect Proofreading Webinar (see the list below or go to www.textdoctor.com.

Technical tip of the month:
Want to have some fun with your proofreading? Buy a folding ruler at your local OfficeMax (ask for the Academic product--The Ultimate 12" folding ruler, #01140). It will make your proofreading more interesting and probably help you focus on your task better! Or take a class from The Text Doctor and get this useful ruler, absolutely free!

What my grandchildren are teaching me about communication

The other day, I made an offhand comment to my brand-new granddaughter, Nova Colleen (6 weeks old): "Nova," I said, "you are so cute I could just take you home with me!"

Her brother Axel started muttering under his breath. When I listened more closely, he was saying: "Leave... Nova... here." He said it three times, very quietly, not challenging me but clearly concerned.

I had to apologize to him for my off-hand comment. Axel reminded me of a valuable communication lesson that day:

"Don't just shoot your mouth off. Think about your audience!"

As a 2-year-old, Axel can't distinguish between figurative language ("I could take you home") and actual intent.

After all, what would I do with a nursing baby in my home???

So it is with many non-native speakers, who try to form a literal interpretation of many of our figurative phrases. "He made an end run" or "That bugs me" create confusion for non-native speakers who think we are speaking literally. You have to think of how your audience might interpret everything.

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Subscribers to my newsletter pay only $50 per Webinar (a 36% discount off the low introductory price of $79). Contact me, Bette Frick, (efrick@textdoctor.com or 303-527-2989) to receive your discount code and registration information. Imagine: You could train 50 people for $50 total!