Freelance Writing | In Spellchecker We Trust… Right?

In Spellchecker We Trust… Right?

This article could have easily been titled “We Don’t Need a Proofreader…right?” Businesses today are transforming printed text into computer-based documents and, well, all you have to do is run the computer’s spellchecker to make sure there aren’t any mistakes…right?

Spellcheckers are wonderful things, but the truth is that if the document that you just received and/or are about to send out to your client was checked only by a computer spellchecker, then it could contain some very embarrassing errors. The truth is that spellcheckers and grammar checkers are a good start. Very often a typo will be a properly spelled word and will not be flagged as an error.

After spell checking you still need to proofread your document. The best solution is to have someone else proofread your documents, but if that’s not available, read through it, then file it away and forget about it. At the very minimum and if you’re facing a deadline go back after taking a break. After a long break. Eat something, do something different. The best time to proofread your own work is to wait a few days after you’ve finished it.

The problem with proofreading your own work, especially right after you finished writing it, is that your brain knows what it’s supposed to say and may skip over any mistakes assuming what you thought you wrote is actually what’s on the paper. Yes, on paper. Screen proofreading may be fine for some, but if it’s something really important I will print it out and sit away from the computer and any other distractions and mark it up like a sixth grade English teacher.

Back to your brain… If you’re reading your own writing, your brain sees what you wrote and since it already knows what the next word is, it will assume it’s right. If you must proofread your own work righ away, be sure and make the effort and read every single word. Not just look or scan or glance through it. Stop and read every word. You’ve got to force yourself to read every word, otherwise your brain will allow you to read over mistakes.[ad#htmllinks-1]

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    • Comments

    One Response to “In Spellchecker We Trust… Right?”

    1. Ms. Seema Dumir on September 23rd, 2008 8:28 am

      yes, I am interested in working as a freelance spellchecker.
      Please let me know how I can apply for this job.

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