PROOFREADING - NEVER SKIP THIS STEP
MORGAN ST . JAMES
Proof reading is one of the most important things a writer can do . Submitting work with multiple errors is like going out of the house with your shirt buttoned wrong , wearing two different shoes or simply looking like a slob . Did you really think no one would notice ?
P ublishers want compelling , well written work and the content represents the bones of your creation , so it is extremely important . However , like it or not , the way a paper looks definitely affects the way others judge it and you as a writer . Let ’ s face it . You ' ve worked hard to develop and present your book or article . Why risk letting careless errors distract from what you have labored so hard to create . Shouldn ’ t you dedicate a reasonable amount of time to paying attention to the details that help you to make a good impression ?
WORDS TO THE WISE
The late Carolyn Hayes Uber , who was CEO of Stephens Press , wisely said : " AMEN . As I review submissions , a terribly sloppy manuscript gives rise to the thought that
1 ) It would be too much work to fix this MS and
2 ) What would it be like to work with such a negligent author ?
Is that the first impression you want ?"
In my opinion , now that the art of texting has spawned “ creative spelling ,” it is even more important to make sure that pieces submitted for the net or print have been proofed . Imagine how easily that could have read “ been proffed ” if I hadn ’ t checked . Would I have seemed like a competent writer ?
I DIDN ’ T SEE ANY ERRORS
Believe me . Those errors are all lurking there , just waiting to detract from your work : the misspelled , extra or missing letters , actual missing or extra words , sentences that go nowhere , paragraphs created in the middle of a sentence . Yep . They hope you ’ ll just slide by them and if you do , the person you submit your masterpiece to might also slide by the whole thing .
WRITERS ’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE
23
FALL 2018