The Importance Of Proofreading

Assuming you have authored a novel - or any type of book - and are now itching to know exactly how to go about having it published, stop! Did you even re-read your work, correcting errors and improving any weak elements in your novel? Your response to this is probably going to be "of course". Have you gone through your work a few times? Just as before, you'll probably say "of course". Have you hired a person who specialises in proofreading to check your book with a fine-toothed comb? The reply to this question for a lot of authors is no. If you're one of those writers and have at this point didn't have any success with your book, it could be where you're making a mistake.

 

The reality is, you may well be the finest author on this planet, but simply because you authored the draft, you're not likely able to point out all of the mistakes throughout the text. Do not just rely on software either; it's going to pick up on spelling slip-ups, but it doesn't know when you've omitted a word, or insert phrases in the improper order, or by mistake removed a sentence. The really hard idea that a large number of writers find difficult to confront is simply that they also can't rely on their own eyes to identify a lot of these fundamental errors: as an author, you are too involved in your work to stand back and look at your book without bias. You might read a sentence through while not noticing that missing word, because your mind is sure of what has to be there and fills in the missing words for you. It is exasperating, but it happens.

 

And then there's the massive, horrendous, novel-destroying flaws that you may not take note of - or not prefer to admit you've spotted: the yawning plot holes, the unnatural dialogue, the fact that your antagonist is totally not himself for almost all of the fifth chapter without having any good reason. Getting somebody else to read your book and make a note of anything they do not entirely grasp - or anything they believe doesn't sound right - will undoubtedly be indispensable to you.

 

A great number of writers employ family and friends to 'proofread' their book, though what often happens is usually that the relation or friend comes back to the author pouring out about how outstanding the novel is, while not addressing any of the issues in the book or giving any kind of helpful criticism. This may be mainly because they don't wish to disappoint you, but most of the time it's mainly because they don't understand what they're looking for - if they have never experienced editing in the past, how would they have any idea on what direction to go?

 

The most effective solution to this is get the help of an established proofreader to go through your book for you - certainly, they cost money, but that investment won't go to waste. Actually, it could be the best money you spend on your book, including whatever you dedicate to your promotional strategy. A specialist could certainly look at work objectively, be honest in their opinions, and - best of all - they will know what is expected of drafts in the book printing industry. They will are aware of the grammar conventions you have to be adhering to, they'll fully grasp how plot as well as structure work, and they'll manage to suggest areas for improvement that you could never have thought of by yourself.

 

Browse on the internet for competent proofreaders as well as editors - many offer various services for different levels of editing, and you're likely to find one that's affordable.