GrammarPhile Blog

4 Myths About Proofreaders

Posted by Conni Eversull   May 21, 2020 7:30:00 AM

When you envision a proofreader reviewing your writing, what do you see?

Do you see a person wearing a pair of coke-bottle glasses and an oversized sweater hunched over a stack of papers? Does he have a giant red pen in his hand and a condescending glare in his eye, a smirk on his face, just ready to tear your work to shreds? Is she setting out to edit your work until it fits her idea of perfection, even if it’s far from your original vision? Is he also using grammar and spell check technology to do all his work for him? If this is how you view a proofreader, you’re not alone. Luckily, however, this vision of a proofreader is simply a myth.

Read the common myths about proofreaders debunked below so you’ll have a clearer and more positive vision of what a proofreader is really like.    

Myth #1: A Proofreader Is an Editor

Proofreaders review a piece of writing in its final draft meticulously, word-by-word and line-by-line, typically after it’s already been edited. They look for accurate spelling and grammar, and fix issues with the formatting and overall layout of a piece of writing. They also fix punctuation errors, typos, or incorrect use of language.

Editors, on the other hand, typically review a piece of writing when it’s in its first or second draft, with the intent to improve its overall flow and coherence. They may even rewrite and move entire sentences and paragraphs around in a document to make sure that it flows well. While some editors may correct obvious grammatical and spelling errors, their main objective is to verify the overall flow of a piece of writing. 

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Topics: what to expect from proofreaders, proofreaders, proofreader myths

6 Types of Writing You Always Want a Proofreader to Review

Posted by Conni Eversull   Feb 15, 2018 7:30:00 AM

proofreading correctionsProfessional proofreaders work hard to carefully examine every detail in your written work. They scan it multiple times to fix typos, grammar errors and spelling mistakes, and to ensure that it’s consistent in style and voice. But sometimes, especially if you have someone editing your writing, you may think that it’s okay to skip hiring a proofreader and save the time and money. If more than one set of eyes has scanned your work, then it should be good to go, right? Well … not exactly. Editors are certainly valuable and can fix and point out certain errors in your writing, but they aren’t trained to do the same things that proofreaders do. (Read Editor or Proofreader: Who Does What? to learn more about that.)

Before becoming convinced that you can forgo hiring a proofreader for your writing, you should consider what you’re writing first and whether it requires the attention and care that a proofreader will assign to it.

Listed below are six types of writing you should always want a proofreader to review.

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Topics: proofreaders, what to expect from a proofreader

Tips and Tricks for Proofreaders

Posted by Kelly Creighton   Nov 16, 2017 7:29:00 AM

Proofreading professionals take pride in their occupation and work diligently to ensure readers don’t encounter typos or any other inaccuracies in a piece of writing. Being responsible for a published typo has the potential to keep a proofreader up at night, cringing with anguish and regret. But every now and then, even proofreaders (the holders of the red pen, the original grammar nerds, and the deciders of the fate of the written world!) deserve a break too.

Whether you proofread marketing material, academic material, legal research, or something else for a living, the tips and tricks listed below are designed to make your proofreading life easier. Once implemented, they’ll help you become even more efficient than you already are.

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Topics: proofreading tricks, proofreading tips, proofreaders, proofreader

Common Myths About Proofreaders, Debunked

Posted by Phil Jamieson   Apr 20, 2017 7:30:00 AM

When you envision a proofreader reviewing your writing, what do you see?

Do you see a person wearing a pair of coke-bottle glasses and an oversized sweater hunched over a stack of papers? Does he have a giant red pen in his hand and a condescending glare in his eye, a smirk on his face, just ready to tear your work to shreds? Is she setting out to edit your work until it fits her idea of perfection, even if it’s far from your original vision? Is he also using grammar and spellcheck technology to do all his work for him?

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Topics: what to expect from proofreaders, proofreaders

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