The Art of On-the-Job Writing, Part 6

The Art of On-the-Job Writing by writing consultant Philip Vassallo is in the spotlight at the WORDS ON THE LINE blog. The book is loaded with useful writing tips and practice exercises to help business and technical writers at any level of an organization.

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 6, “Proofreading”:

Now you have written the document, revised it with the 4S Plan in mind, and edited it for accuracy and correctness of expression. As a writer, you now have said precisely what you want to say (statement), thoroughly addressed your readers’ concerns related to your purpose (support), detailed all your points in a logical order (structure), and considered your readers’ viewpoint and checked the way you address your readers (style). As an editor, you have checked the document for effective language and correct grammar, usage, and punctuation. But in the process of making a change here and another change there, you may have created new mistakes, so now is the time to print a hard copy and proofread the document.

Yes, one more look at the document. Do not depend solely on the grammar-check and spell-check features of your word processor. These tools are extremely useful but cannot by themselves find every possible error you might have made. Figure 6-1 shows some checkpoints when proofreading. Using this checklist below will increase your chances of finding an error everyone else has missed.

You may purchase your copy of The Art of On-the-Job Writing by clicking here: http://firstbooks.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=144