6 Elements of Proofreading

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Whether you’re writing a novel, a blog article, or a simple text message, the last step of the writing process is always proofreading. (Unless you prefer living in chaos. Then, more power to you!) In the case of a text message, proofreading will most likely be the only editing you do. In bigger works, it will be the last round of edits before sending your writing off to your audience. Regardless, the goal of proofreading is to make your writing as spotless as possible. Essentially, it’s a type of quality control.

But is proofreading only about spotting the typos? It is called proofreading, after all. So, how much more could there really be?

(It’s important to note that proofreading takes on a lot of the same characteristics of copy editing, the round of editing done before this last stage. In a previous blog post—7 Elements of Copy Editing—we dig deeper into the linguistic side of things. So, check out that post if you haven’t already!)

For now, let’s look at a few key features of proofreading.

1. Writing Mechanics

As the foundation of proofreading, the text is read and edited for errors in grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation, along with other rules of the language. This is typically the first thing that comes to mind with the term proofread, but it’s by no means the only thing involved.

2. Adherence to Style Guides

Style guides don’t apply to every form of writing, but when they do, they’re very important to a proofreader. What is a style guide? Really, you can simplify the term to the preferences and requirements of the writer (or the company the writer is working for). What kind of things could this entail? A style guide is very personalized, so it could include just about anything, but common points of interest include vocabulary preferences, the correct spelling of names (such as people, companies, or products), the kind of dash to use, and whether or not to use the Oxford (serial) comma. Though working with a style guide can feel tedious at times, it also helps with our next point.

3. Consistency

It’s a hard truth to swallow, but sometimes when we spell something right, it still turns out to be wrong. Why? Because words can have more than one correct spelling. For example, I know three people with the same first name as me, but they all spell it differently. Repeatedly switching the spelling throughout a document, then, could cause a lot of confusion and does not look professional.

Color and colour are both spelled correctly, but the difference is the English dialect. When you pick a dialect, you must use it consistently. If you stray from the rules, though, which is a common occurrence with things like dashes, sticking it out consistently to the end can often make it all okay again.

4. Clarity

If we think of writing as the work of art that it is, we can think of proofreading as the last chance to touch up our work before we hang it up on the wall. But wouldn’t we hate for our viewers not to see the image we captured because it’s too blurry? If our written message isn’t clear, our readers will end up confused, and the point of our writing may be missed entirely. A proofreader makes sure the right word or phrasing is used to prevent that from happening.

5. Formatting

Not only do proofreaders check the content of the text, they also check to see if it’s in the right place. They don’t always fix the formatting errors, but they will point them out. This keeps the writer’s work clean and consistent, which has a serious impact on the writer’s professional appearance. And if the work is meant to be printed, it makes sure nothing is cut off when gone to print.

Another lesser-known thing proofreaders look for are typographic issues such as widows, orphans, and rivers. (Weird names, I know.) These aren’t exactly errors, but the blank space they create can look unappealing or even distracting to readers. And in more serious situations, they can really interfere with the formatting.

6. Pictures, Graphs, and Charts

You might think that a proofreader has little to do when it comes to visual elements, but proofreaders have their role even there. Besides making sure these elements are formatted with the text correctly and with enough visual appeal, the proofreader checks any text that is within those elements. Graphs and charts can still contain typos that the designer missed. Pictures can contain logos or slogans of other companies, or the photographer’s watermark might still be present. These errors are not only unprofessional, but they could have some serious legal and financial consequences!

Conclusion

Of course, this isn’t the complete list of proofreader duties and all they look out for when working. There is a lot that goes into proofreading, even beyond grammar and spelling. Most of us have proofread something for ourselves personally, whether it’s a text message or a school assignment. And we know the consequences when our writing goes astray, whether confusion, embarrassment, or a poor grade. That’s why proofreading is so important, and a professional proofreader is more than just an option—they can certainly be a necessity.

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If you’ve decided to hire a professional, as a copy editor and proofreader, I’d be more than happy to work with you. If you’d like to know more, visit my service page here.

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