Revise Your Writing

Even though I write for a living, there are times when errors slip through my writing. I’m always embarrassed when I realize my stupid little mistakes, but you always learn from your mistakes. At least I hope we do.

Whether you are typing an email, writing a letter, preparing a proposal, or submitting an essay for a continuing education class, it’s important to read what you’ve written before you hit the dreaded send button or hand in an assignment.

Here are a few techniques I use to help in reviewing my writing.

1. Don’t rely on spellcheck to catch everything. Your vs you’re won’t be caught during spellcheck.
2. Print the document rather than reading it on your computer screen. It does make a difference!
3. If possible, put your writing away for a day. Sometimes you get so close to your writing that you insert words that aren’t really in the text.
4. Read your content out loud. This helps with flow of sentence structure.
5. Read your content backwards. You’ll catch punctuation mishaps and misused words.

Happy writing!

Nancy Roe
Author