National Proofreading Day is on March 8. It’s the day to celebrate the importance of proofreading in writing. Moreover, it is also a “free pass” day to proofread some articles. This day is to support mistake-free writing which is essential in someones day to day life. Equally important, it is also a day to thank any editors!
Why is it important?
Proofreading is vital because:
- It looks professional.
- Chances that colleges, and jobs, accept those who re-read their work.
- Improves the quality of the writing.
- Shows someone goes back and checks their work.
- It shows that people are not afraid of criticism.
- Shows that people are able to take criticism, apply it, and improve.
- It shows people care about their writing.
- The writing becomes more engaging.
- Ensures there are no mistakes in the writing.
- Fixing errors feels good, and gives a sense of accomplishment.
- An Easy way to help a friend.
Methods To Improve Writing
- Take a break. After writing, take a break and then go back to re-reading it. This will clear the mind and have fresh eyes when reading it.
- Go on “Do Not Disturb” mode. Additionally, distractions are real, by turning off electronics the mind is able to focus and catch mistakes.
- Know yourself. Furthermore, if there are mistakes that always occur in writing, check for those first.
- Turning off Autocorrect. In addition, this will help increase knowledge and practice good grammar without the help of an online tool.
- Reading it out loud. First, to know the writing is not choppy, it is key that it’s read out loud. The brain automatically corrects errors. However, when it is read out loud the eyes can see and the brain can hear what is written.
- Fresh eyes. Second, it doesn’t hurt to have someone else read it with fresh eyes.
Essentials to good writing in General
Writing is an essential tool needed in life. Additionally, writing is a tool used to communicate messages. It is a way to express feelings and thoughts. Furthermore, it is a way to write down information that others can use.
Without books, articles, passages, textbooks, or scripts, there would be nothing. Most of what the world knows about AB and CE times is because it was written in stones, in an old book, etc. History students learn today in textbooks because that is how people are able to learn and gain knowledge.
There are many things needed to make writing good, and here are some. First, be direct in the writing, and know what should be needed to say. Second, choose words wisely, one word can change the tone of the writing. Third, short sentences are clearer and more powerful than long sentences. Third, use active writing (the subject is doing the verb action). Fourth, proofread and edit the work. Fifth, use a natural conversational tone. At last, read famous authors to inspire the writing. There is nothing wrong with using others people’s writing as inspiration.
Tools To Help Improve Writing
Furthermore, these are some books that can help improve grammar
- “The Blue Book of Gramma and Punctuation” by Jane Straus.
- “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr.
- “The English Grammar Workbook for Adults.”
- “Practical English Usage” by Michael Swan.
- “Understanding and Using English Grammar” by Betty Schrampfer Azar.
Additionally, these are some books to help improve writing
- “On Writing Well” by William Zinsser.
- “Bird by Bird” by Annet Lamott.
- “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr.
- “You are a Writer” by Jeff Goins.
- “Writing Down The Bones” by Natalie Goldberg.
Last but not least, books from authors that are famous for their style of writing.
- The Old Guy Writing Style: Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, and Franz Kafka.
- The Women’s Writing Style: Mary Shelley, Agatha Cristine, and Danielle Steele.
- Contemporary Writers: Haruki Murakami, Toni Morrison, and Stephen King.
- Poetic Writing Style: Willian Shakespeare, Maya Angelou, and Oscar Wilde.
- Comedy Writers: Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, and Lena Dunham.
Like famous writers, everyone can be a good writer. It can take time to perfect grammar and writing, however, it’s not impossible to achieve. As long as there is a goal in mind, it can happen. As stated before, writing is important and a way of communicating. Applying writing and grammar skills is important, not just on special days. Be sure to proofread, and enjoy as well as celebrate #natioalproofreadingday.
Written by Adriana Castelan
Sources:
National Day Calendar: NATIONAL PROOFREADING DAY – March 8
National Today: National Proofreading Day- March 8, 2023
Craft Your Content: Writing Styles of Famous Authors
Featured Image Courtesy of Michael Kogan Flickr Page- Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Loz Pycock flicker page- Creative Commons License
