Proofing your work tips.
- Print your manuscript! I can't explain why, but seeing something in print somehow makes you look at it a little closer. I can spend hours staring at a computer screen, reading my work, and still miss things. As soon as I see it on paper, I find more errors.
- Quick tip: Printing a 300+ page manuscript, is costly and wasteful (I can hear the trees screaming lol). Try to print double-sided where you can but don't try to go single spaced. Trust me, your eyes will thank you for that.
- Read out loud! When we read silently, especially our own work, our brain plays tricks on us. We know what we "meant" to say and our brain substitutes the correct sentence or words in for the ones we might have goofed on. Reading out loud, stops your brain from this sort of "auto correct" function. You'll find lots more errors this way.
- Quick tip: Try having the computer read to you. Sounds kind of silly, but will definitely help you pick out any problems. Look for free software to help you do this like Natural Reader.
- Have someone else read it! Hey, sometimes we're just blind to our own mistakes. A fresh set of eyes works wonders. When you have agonized enough over your own words, toss your work to a friend and let them read. I bet they still find things for you to fix.
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1 comments:
I hear you on the paper thing! Both that it is costly and wasteful, and that it's necessary.
I save paper--flyers that come in the mail, handouts from meetings, whatever, as long as it's printed on only one side. Colored works too! Then I use that for printer paper.
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