(Get it now?) Proofreaders look at more than just the words - they’re scanning for any formatting errors as well. When you proofread, you evaluate the content in what will be its final, published form, or a proof. While proofreaders will check for clarity in consistency, they’re more focused on minor errors that may have slipped through. This, however, is better suited for the editing phase, not the proofreading phase. The most important purpose of writing is to communicate your thoughts effectively. It’s the final step in making sure a piece of writing is as close to “perfect” as possible by double-checking for punctuation and spelling errors, typos, and any inconsistencies. Proofreading refers to carefully checking for writing and formatting errors in a text before it’s published. Which is why we believe now is the time to get clear about what exactly proofreading entails in our modern world. Now that just about everyone is a writer, just about everyone is a proofreader too, when you think about it.
We’re pretty open-minded, but we generally recommend that writing be at least partially dressed before sharing it with the world. “Writing without revising is the literary equivalent of waltzing gaily out of the house in your underwear.” - Patricia Fuller
