We’ve all seen those people who love to judge and call out spelling and grammar errors. I saw a content creator get roasted in her comments yesterday because she misspelled espresso. (She wrote “expresso”)
Countless people shamed her and were sure to let her know that they couldn’t take her seriously. SO dramatic. Nonetheless, it was brutal.
Businesses are held to the highest standards, and, as you can imagine, making a mistake like this could instantly discredit your message and lose customers.
I’m here to help you avoid this. There are several ways to triple-check your work to ensure your writing is up to par before hitting that “publish” or “post” button. I will share those with you here, but first, let’s talk about what to look for.
Be Careful with Spell Check
Spell check alone doesn’t cut it. Yes, it will catch the most obvious spelling errors, but there is so much that it will miss. Typo’s, run-on sentences, repetitiveness.
It cannot suggest where you misplaced a comma or a hyphen. And, it will often ignore a word that doesn’t fit or is missing.
Of course, not all readers know or care exactly where a comma goes, so there is a little leeway there. But their placement can affect the tone of the message. And the more accurate you are, the more credibility you can establish.
Pay Attention to Sentence Structure
Pay attention to sentence structure. Don’t let it drone on. It is a little boring. It doesn’t flow very well. It is a little robotic. I am using repetitive words. There is no variety here. Don’t let this be you.
Whew, that was tough to read. Poor sentence structure can instantly lose your readers, so be sure to mix it up when writing. A good rule of thumb is to write as if you are having a conversation.
Also, remember to avoid run-on sentences, as they can be confusing and hard to follow.
Be Mindful of Word Choice
Another important consideration— choose your words wisely. Your writing is the ultimate place to showcase your in-depth knowledge, but don’t show off too much. Remember to appeal to a general audience.
More often than not, avoid using long and obscure words. Most of the time, the simplest terms are best.
Use Active Voice
Active voice is a preferred writing style that is concise to the point. Avoid writing in passive voice, which uses phrases like “has been,” “going to,” and “will be.” It doesn’t quite pack the punch that active voice does, which puts the subject in front of the verb.
I’ll give you an example.
Passive: The article will be edited by the proofreader.
Active: The proofreader will edit the article.
See how that eliminates extra words and gets to the point much faster?
Pump and Dump
No, I’m not talking about trying to scam the stock market. But I did get your attention, didn’t I? Good, because this is important!
Remember being forced to write first drafts in school? Turns out it really is a good practice. The final draft comes after extensive editing and polishing.
Begin your first draft by writing freely. Include any thought that comes to mind in relation to your message. Let it all pour out! And then edit ruthlessly.
Cut out any nonessential information—anything that is redundant or irrelevant. Eliminate filler, or fluff, words. And rearrange sentences and paragraphs to make them organized and easy to follow.
Storytelling is great, but keep it short and easy to follow. We are all pressed for time, and readers appreciate it when you get straight to the point. Your readers will thank you and keep coming back for more.
So how do I avoid these mishaps, you ask?
Here are six user-friendly tricks you can start using today.
- One of the easiest ways to check your work is to have your computer read it aloud. Microsoft Word, Pages, and Google Docs all have a text-to-speech function that you can listen to and edit as you go.
- Break up those long paragraphs. Not only will shorter paragraphs make it easier for your reader to follow, but they will help you in your editing process. (Bonus Tip- feel free to study and copy the format in this article!)
- Walk away from it for a bit and come back with fresh eyes. Often you will catch something you missed.
- Print it out. Go through the page line by line (using a ruler can be handy) and mark your corrections with a red pen. Seeing your work on paper will give you a fresh perspective.
- Google is your friend. Never hesitate to ask it questions like, “What is a proper noun?” “Does this sentence need a comma?” “What is a better word for ‘happy’?” Google will never judge you, but your readers will.
- Look for one type of error at a time. For example, one pass to look for misspelled words. One for duplicate words. One for punctuation. Typos. Sentence structure. Overall flow. Overused words. Run-on sentences…
I know this sounds like a lot. And it is. If writing was never your strong point, don’t let that stop you from sharing your knowledge with your audience!
Practice these tools, and you will feel more confident about your work. Of course, minor errors will sneak through from time to time, and when they do, hopefully, they are small enough to go unnoticed or be forgivable.
When it comes to writing and publishing your content, don’t give your readers a chance to doubt your expertise.
Thank you for reading & happy writing!
You’ve got this!
P.S- When in Doubt, Hire it Out
If you’d rather spare yourself the headache or simply save time, you should consider finding a proofreader to work with. A good proofreader will ensure your work is polished and ready to shine.
If you regularly post content and self-publish articles, it’s good to build a relationship with a freelance proofreader who will get to know your voice and writing style. Freelancers are more affordable than hiring full-time and love what they do.
It’s true! I, myself, am a freelance proofreader and content editor and would love to connect if you are in the market for a writing pro. Here are a few areas where I shine —Blogs and Articles —Website Copy —Email —E-books —Resumes —Product Descriptions —Headlines & more!
You can email me at simplemillionmedia@gmail.com
I can’t wait to meet you!