Proofreading your own copy is nigh-on impossible. You can go over a document a hundred times and miss the blindingly obvious, we’ve all done it.
According to this article, it’s because “we’re not looking at the writing itself, but rather at the meaning of what’s written”. Sadly, our readers’ eyes aren’t as forgiving as ours.
Luckily for us, there are better options. Here are 3 smarter ways that won’t cost you a penny. They each have their pros and cons, but they could save your copy (and your sanity).
1. Text-to-Speech Software
I’m leading with the big gun here. Frankly, this is revolutionary. A simple idea but so effective. I’ve been using text-to-speech for a few days and it’s proven to be an absolute game-changer, albeit not a perfect solution. It’s more proofhearing than proofreading, this fact makes errors much easier to detect.
I’ve been using the MS Office ‘Speak’ functionality. It’s very easy to hear errors such as incorrect words, duplicates or omissions. It also includes relatively natural sounding intonations, giving you a chance of spotting dodgy punctuation. It’s straightforward enough to use, just select the text and click the button.
An obvious downside, you won’t notice if you used similar-sounding but incorrect words (e.g. here/hear). Also, while text-to-speech is effective for short copy, it can be very boring for longer work. This approach isn’t any good if you have a fundamental misunderstanding either – e.g. if you’re someone who uses ‘would of’ rather than ‘would have’. It’s not a tool to help build your skills.
Pros: Incorrect words are easy to spot. Surprisingly good at highlighting punctuation issues. Helps you identify issues with rhythm and clunky sentences.
Cons: Similar-sounding but incorrect words are impossible to hear. Can be difficult to pay attention for longer text. It won’t specifically point out errors.
Use Text-to-Speech with MS Office: Follow the steps in the Office Support guide
2. Grammarly (free version)
Grammarly checks as you go, instantly drawing attention to issues with your copy. It highlights a lot more errors than just using Word on its own. Not just spelling and grammar, but more nuanced errors around form and style. There are also more sophisticated options available, but you have to pay to unveil them.
My biggest issue with Grammarly is that its suggestions are based on the grammatically correct use of English. Great copy doesn’t always conform to these absolute standards. If you accept all of Grammarly’s suggestions it could severely limit the expressiveness of your work.
I also find Grammarly quite distracting. Being in ‘flow’ is a precious state. I don’t know about you, but when I’m in the zone I don’t really care about errors. I like to just go with it and correct later. To that end, I now turn Grammarly off and activate again once I’ve finished my first draft.
Pros: Checks as you go, which might work for some people. It will pick up subtle errors like tautologies. It can help improve your overall understanding and skills.
Cons: It can break your flow. Suggestions don’t always reflect natural language. You need to pay extra to reveal the ‘Premium issues’.
Use Grammarly with MS Office: Check out the Grammarly Support Page
3. Ask Someone Else
Other people will look at your work with a fresh pair of eyes. They’re more likely to spot errors, they might even make helpful suggestions. This is especially beneficial if you’re writing in a language you’re not as comfortable with.
This next benefit is a bit abstract, but very interesting. Asking someone to review your copy causes the Ben Franklin effect. Essentially, people who review your copy will be more likely to do you another favour in the future. So if you want a bigger favour from someone, ask them to proofread your work first.
Of course, these are based on the proviso that they have a good grasp of the language and can be bothered to actually review your copy. Like you, other people are fallible and prone to human error.
Pros: Fresh eyes definitely make a difference when proofreading, spotting things you missed. The Ben Franklin Effect gives people more reason to help you in the future.
Cons: Humans are just like you, fallible. They won’t spot everything. They might not bother checking and just tell you its ok.
Avoid Proofreading Pain
There you have it, 3 smarter ways to review your copy. Each has pros and cons. None offers a complete solution, but all will help you produce higher quality content.
Personally, I use a combination of all 3. This gives me the best chance of error-free copy and all the additional benefits. Give them a try with your next piece. It’ll definitely help your copy, it might even win you someone’s favour.