When you use a proofreading process, you can be confident that you will find and address every mistake in a text. That being said, even professionals occasionally miss an error. For example, you may have read a published book and found a few missing periods or even a misspelled word. Thankfully, there are a number of advanced proofreading techniques you can adopt to help you reliably and consistently find the vast majority of mistakes in any content you review.
This page covers the techniques you can use to grow your proofreading skill set and business.
Create a client style guide as you go
This is one of the best habits a proofreader can form. While some clients already have an in-house style guide, many do not. You can provide added value to both your clients and yourself by creating style guides for them as you review documents.
An in-house style guide is a reference document that details the set of rules for that particular client’s content. In other words, it lists the preferred choices regarding grammar and spelling instructions. Some examples of these instructions include:
- when to write out numbers vs when to use numerals
- which acronyms are acceptable to use without being defined
- how to spell company-specific words or product names
- when to italicize a word or phrase
- headline capitalization guidelines
Not only does a style guide help ensure consistency across all of the client’s documentation, but it also shows the client that you are willing to go beyond their expectations to provide them value.
Always ask for a due date
Being a successful proofreader requires a system. Likewise, running a good proofreading business requires a system, particularly when it comes to managing your workflow.
The easiest, simplest way to start managing your workflow is by due date. A due date gives you a natural way to prioritize your work, so always ask the client for one. If they have not decided on a deadline, then assign yourself a reasonable date and work with it in mind.
Along with having a due date, using a kanban board on an application like Trello is a simple and effective way to manage your workflow.
Adhere to the 100 percent rule
A proofreader is often the last set of eyes to review a piece of content before it is published. This means you need to be completely sure about any potential issues or mistakes. By and large, no one is checking your work. If you’re not 100 percent sure about something, look it up. Even if you are 99 percent certain of a word’s spelling or a grammatical rule, take the time to verify it. Not only will this ensure the final document is correct, but it will reinforce your knowledge and skill set.
Take a lot of small breaks
This next tip regarding advanced proofreading techniques may just be the most important one.
Proofreading is detailed work that takes a toll on your eyes and mind. It is important to take frequent and short breaks. When you do so, you can focus your eyes on a faraway object. A best practice is to look away from your screen for 60–90 seconds every 15 minutes and take one five-minute break every hour of work.
If you don’t prioritize taking breaks, the quality of your work will start to suffer. You will begin to miss corrections in the text as your eyes and mind start to lose focus. Proofreading is a strenuous and meticulous endeavor, so rest is very important.
It is also a good idea to download a reminder application for your phone or smartwatch to help you stay committed to your break schedule; many of these software programs are available for free.
Know the difference between making something better and making it different
As a proofreader, you will sometimes run into scenarios where an author has written a word, phrase, or sentence in a way that differs from how you would have done it. It can be tempting to “fix” their wording to what you want, but it’s essential to remember that this is not your job.
When you come across a situation like this, ask yourself, “Am I making the word, phrase, or sentence better or just different?” If your suggestion truly makes the copy better, make the change. But if your version of the text just makes the copy different, have the discipline to leave it as the author wrote it.
Check multiple sources
In English, some words have multiple spelling variations. There are also differences among the various dictionaries and style guides in the proofreading industry. It can be a good practice to consult more than one source when coming across words like these.
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary is considered the gold standard by many proofreaders. But if you have any doubt regarding a word (or if it does not appear in Merriam-Webster’s), you can check a source like the Oxford English Dictionary or Dictionary.com.
At times, you will run across specific technical or other niche words that haven’t yet been introduced into the dictionary. When this occurs, the best course of action is to research the word online and see if there is a standard way it is spelled.
Ask for help or clarification
English is a difficult language to fully grasp, and even professional proofreaders do not know every last rule. There will be times when you will not know how to solve a particular grammar or spelling issue. When this happens, you can reach out to experts. If you have a network of other proofreaders, you can query them. There are also websites and forums dedicated to English grammar that can be good resources and are only an internet search away. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask for help.
There are other situations where the author will confuse you. They may write something that doesn’t make sense to you, or they may omit a necessary word or phrase. In these cases, you will need to ask for clarification from the client. This is often as simple as leaving a comment in the document that reads, “I don’t quite understand what you’re trying to say here.” Or there may be an inconsistency in the document–say the same statistic is repeated but with two different values. Rather than guessing which value is correct, simply note the inconsistency for the author to address.
Offer the client options
Proofreading is both an art and a science. Sometimes there is a clear, best way to write a phrase or sentence, and sometimes there are multiple options. When the latter occurs, you can offer the client a number of alternatives by listing them as a comment in the document and allow him or her to make the decision.
Know when you’re “in the zone”
As a proofreader, time is your most valuable asset. The more efficient you are with your time, the more clients you can support, and the larger your income can grow.
One way to become more efficient while still producing quality work is to do the bulk of it when you are “in the zone.” These are the times of day when your energy levels are at their highest. Some people feel more productive in the morning or early afternoon; others do their best work in the evening. Whenever that time is for you, reserve it for your most important or toughest work. You will find that generating it is easier, and the finished product will usually be of higher quality too.
Teach others what you know
The best way to learn is to teach. If you want to take your proofreading to the next level, find someone who wants to learn and teach them what you know.
Teaching someone else helps you internalize what you know and gain greater clarity and mastery over the subject. Plus, it will give you the chance to pass along valuable information and skills to someone else who could put them to good use. The world is always in need of more proofreaders!
Summing it up: Advanced Proofreading Techniques
While the basics of being a proofreader involve finding clients and reviewing content, there are many other aspects to the craft and the business side of proofreading. These include providing additional value for the client, increasing your own efficiency, and passing along your knowledge to others.
Each of the advanced proofreading techniques listed above can help you grow your skill set and business.