The Benefits of Proofreading and Copy Editing

We all know the scenario. Having spent hours writing, editing and re-writing an article, you find out that your carefully crafted words are making no sense whatsoever. Let’s face it, writing is not everybody’s forte. If you suffer from the headaches caused by insufficient copywriting skills, then professional proofreading and copy editing will provide the aspirin you need.

An article that sounds like the blabbering of Master Yoda and Forrest Gump’s love child is definitely not something that you would want to post on your website, as it is more likely to deter potential clients than attract them. By sending your articles to a professional for proofreading and copy editing, you immediately take a great step towards posting informative, accurate and sensible web copy.

By now you might be asking: What exactly is the difference between proofreading and copy editing? This brief explanation of the two concepts might help to clear thing up a bit.

Proofreading:

If you have written an article which you believe is ready to be posted on your website, it is always a good idea to have someone proofread it. A proof-reader will not change the content of your work, but will rather point out blatant typos, incorrect grammar and spelling errors. A proof-reader will suggest some phrases or paragraphs that need to be re-written in order to be clarified or simplified.

So why do you need a proof reader?

When reading through something that you have written yourself, you are less likely to pick up any mistakes. This is mainly because of two reasons:

• Firstly, you have already constructed your sentences and paragraphs in a way that you believe is correct. If you have made any mistakes, you will not be able to recognise them.
• Secondly, an automatic spell checker might not pick up an incorrect word, confusing similar words like whether and weather, or which and witch.

Copy Editing:

A copy editor will review your work, and make changes where he or she feels that it is appropriate. These changes might be as simple as correcting spelling mistakes and punctuation, or could be more complicated changes to sentences in order to improve the readability and flow of your article. Common changes might include the correction of:

• Contradiction
• Repetition
• Poor structure
• Inconsistencies

A copy editor will keep track of these changes, so you can see exactly what was changed, and why.

Remember: any articles you post on your website are being shown to the world! This is why it is vital to seriously consider professional proofreading and copy editing. Good web copy drives good business.

Contact us to find out more about the proofreading and copy editing services we offer, and ban Yoda Gump from your website, once and for all.