Friday, October 17, 2014

Quality Proofreading Is Similar But Different Than Editing

By Dominique Martin


You have just written some copy or an advertising piece you think will get interested people to your website. It may be a white paper or an article that must have wide distribution, including potential investors and or large purchasers. It has to be right and it must not be seen as an amateurish piece. Someone who has quality proofreading skills should be involved with it after you have all of the pertinent information written down.

Two categories of expert review services are often used interchangeably. One of them is the editor and the other is, indeed, the proofreader. The proofreader will work with the information that is present in your piece. They will identify and correct problems with spelling, grammar and other issues. They will ensure the piece is understandable and as easy to read as the subject matter allows. The editor has an expanded role to play.

An editor will be someone who is knowledgeable in the same field you are in. They will be looking for all appropriate data, charts and statistics that will create a well balanced piece. They may bring in additional information that you missed or develop some points more effectively. They will, of course, bring these to your attention before this is done.

Proofreaders will have the responsibility to know all of the appropriate grammar and spelling rules. They must know the difference and the use for the words that sound alike yet are spelled differently. They will have a mastery of the comma rules and semi colons vs colons. They will strive to make your piece look and read properly. It should be easy to find such a proofreader in San Diego, CA.

Perfecting the tenses of each clause is one thing a proofreader can help you with. Writing a first person article is one thing. Changing it half way in to a second or third person singular or plural will often occur without knowing it. This depends on the subject and how complicated it becomes. This will really confuse your readers and cause them to click away from this in frustration if allowed to go uncorrected.

You will also know that some writing will need, or is accustomed to be, in certain formats. For example an article is a little more formal than a blog. A white paper is usually in a third person, very formal, just the facts, type of writing. A blog is very much less formal and often will leave some information out to bait the reader into clicking in on the next blog for an explanation.

Many times, a proofreader will make some discoveries of things written that do not mean what the original writer wanted to say. They will find improper use of words, misplaced or illogical live links in some pieces and very humorous comments in inappropriate places. Most of the problems they find, especially on websites, are in already translated copy from a different language to one they are familiar with.

There are any number of proofreaders in San Diego, CA as well as any other city. Looking for the correct person to perform this work, check for a well turned phrase and competent phraseology from someone in your same niche. You will find this type of information from their website or blog and pay attention to those items that look bad, or good, and choose accordingly.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment