Here's an entertaining guest blog post from Ciaran Oliver that really demonstrates the importance of using a good proofreader! I personally find Microsoft Word spell checker very annoying but I have to admit it often saves me from making awkward … Read More
… or maybe this should actually be called “How to write a best seller without knowing the first thing about writing”! You can’t fail to have heard about the 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon. You know, the pornographic erotic novels … Read More
So many people still rely on built-in spell checkers to “proofread” important documents – here’s proof that you should never rely on a spell checker. Instead, consider using a professional proofreader – it won’t cost as much as you think, and you’ll have … Read More
In my role as a proofreader/editor I am always really excited to see some of the manuscripts I’ve worked on go through to the publication stage. There’s a certain thrill about seeing someone else’s words on a page or a … Read More
In the first guest blog post on my website, author Peter Jones explains how a misplaced hyphen can dash your hopes of ever being published. My first real literary ‘rejection’ came at the hands of an agent who we’ll called … Read More
It’s not often that proofreading – or lack of – becomes a front page news story, but that’s exactly what happened last week, thanks to a slip of the keyboard by Labour leader Ed Miliband. It seems everyone is on … Read More
Almost all businesses use the written word to promote themselves and most people rely on their spellchecker … but that can be a big mistake! See, spell checkers are okay, but they’re not infallible. Much of the language we use … Read More
I know I probably bang on about the importance of proofreading a little too much but it really should be a vital part of the process whenever you create marketing materials – and not just an afterthought. Time and time … Read More
While you can learn to proofread, the vast majority of professional proofreaders would probably agree with me that the ability to spot typos and errors is actually a gift, something you’re born with, rather than a learned skill. In fact, it’s probably more like a curse – because when you are a natural proofreader you can’t just switch off the eagle eyes!
As a professional proofreader, most of the errors I pick up are fairly unexciting, but there have been a few high profile ones recently that bring home just how important proofreading really is. I hope the following will bring a smile to your face – and also make you double check your work from now on (or, better still, send it to me!)