Okay, our spelling and grammar checkers are all very good and everything. But, whatever you do, don’t find yourself relying too heavily on them.
You see, they are sometimes unable to pick up on some mistakes. For instance, you might have accidentally put ‘ewe’ when you meant to write ‘you’. Now, because ‘Ewe’ is an actual word, it might not actually be picked up by the computer’s spell checking tool.
A sentence might end up reading something like ‘Ewe, over there. Leaving the reader confused as to why they’re being pointed in the direction of a female sheep… Oh dear.
So, when it comes to making sure your grammar and spelling is bob on, the only person you can rely on is the person who’s actually writing it. And that’s you, or a professional writer you’ve got writing on your behalf.
How can we ensure our content is free from any errors? I hear you cry out. Well, fortunately, there are many techniques experienced writers use, including:
Giving Content a Good Read
Proof read! (image source: sxs112)
Give your writing the ‘eagle eye’ treatment. Don’t let any mistakes catch you out. Carefully go through all the content with a very fine toothcomb – it’s so easy not to spot an error straightaway. Another option is to go back to it another day, if time’s on your side, and cast a fresh eye over it. Believe me, it’s better if YOU find any mistakes and not your customer. That brings me on to an email I got from a well-know retailer the other day. There was a mistake in the subject line itself. The most important part of an email, ‘Essencial Winter Layers’ it boldly read. Bit of a turn off, don’t you think?
Reading The Copy Out Loud
A great way of ensuring your content reads as it should is to read it out loud. By doing this, you’ll pick up on any repetition, drawn out sentences etc. Do this for everything. From your emails, brochures to newsletters, your writing is your business’s voice, remember. So make sure it reads how you want it to read.
Having a Good Grammar Guide to Hand
If you find yourself struggling differentiating between certain words like ‘was’ and ‘were’, ‘who’ and ‘whom’ or ‘you’re and your’, just refer to a guide on grammar. You should find all the answers to your niggling grammar questions in there.
Buying a Decent Dictionary
Buy a kick-ass dictionary (image source: greeblie)
If spellings are unfamiliar to you, simply pick up a dictionary and look it up. Spelling mistakes are a big no-no. They’re often looked upon as ‘unprofessional’. So, don’t let your professionalism be compromised, and get yourself a dictionary if you haven’t already got one.