Why You Should Proofread Again...and Again!

Okay, so it may seem like I am just taking this opportunity to promote my most recently published piece, as featured in the image connected to this article. That is not the case. However, if you would like to read it, you can at Goodnight, Nonna, Goodbye, One of the Main Link to My Family I would greatly appreciate it as I am still new on this platform.

What's With All The Self-Promotion?

However, eagle-eyed readers, taking into consideration the title of this piece, may have already figured out why I have highlighted it so brazenly!

That "link" should really read "links" and if I'm honest, I am not entirely happy with the comma that precedes the word "Nonna".

It irks me a lot. Okay, so it's not a major issue, but because I feel strongly about that piece. It was quite a personal and emotive one based on genuine thoughts and feelings about one of my dearest relatives, who is sadly no longer with us, so I feel as if I have not done the subject matter justice.

Even if it is just one word and that seems a harsh judgement.

That word makes me twitch.

I could write to Vocal's staff and perhaps they'll kindly change it for me, but I actually felt it provided a nice teaching point.

Typos in First Editions of Famous Books!

While preparing this article, I thought "to err is human", but given the high pedestal that many put published authors on that sell truckloads of books, I wondered if there were any times when published works have featured typos.

Guess what? The internet gave me the answer.

Yes, there have been many times when typos have made their way into published works.

One of my favourites is from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, which reads "I took the bag to where it used to stand, and ripped a hole in the bottom of it with the was." Obviously, that "was" should be "saw".

Another, slightly ironic, and hilarious typo in a famous reprint was in the 1631 edition version of the King James Bible by Martin Lucas and Robert Baker, an amazing typos rendered the Seventh of the Ten Commandments as "Though shalt commit adultery"!

This led to more than just bruised egos and blushing in the pews, though. The publishers were taken to court and not only did they have their printing licences revoked but were fined £300. Although most copies were burned, some remained and were given the nicknames "The Sinners' Bible" and "The Wicked Bible".

Why I Won't Request a Correction, This Time

I know that I should proofread several times when I finish work. I've had that drummed into me on my mostly self-taught journey through writing for paying clients.

We all make mistakes, but you can often pick up the small issues just by running through your writing once again.

When I was writing this, I was letting my emotions out, so I wasn't paying as close attention to the grammar and spelling. I was thinking of my Gramma. (Pun intentional!)

So, how do you strike the balance between not restricting yourself to letting your feelings flow, while still making sure it is written nicely and correctly?

In my case, I should have saved the draft and then come back to it in the morning (I wrote that piece at some ungodly hour because that's when I was feeling emotional).

I should have probably just stuck it in a Word document first.

I didn't because I was in the moment and was feeling impulsive. I felt so strongly about it and wanted to publish it as soon as possible, so I didn't write something less emotional and less truthful.

Which is fine. But, it still would have looked a lot better and more polished, if I had just reined my emotions in a little and waited until the morning.

But, there it is. Staring at me.

What's the lesson? Always proofread, proofread, and, proofread again. Especially, if emotions are involved in your writing!