Writing How-to: Week 5 - Proofreading and Publishing

Soooo. I was a bit late this weekend for my weekly blog post, but I have a good excuse! My mom is in the hospital unfortunately, and I have been spending all day every day at the hospital. I'll go more into that next weeks post, but this weeks is the final piece of my how-to series. You can check out last weeks by clicking here.

The final step before publishing is proofreading. It's the most simple step. With proofreading, you are reading every word and thinking hard about each one specifically. This is not to add new dialog, revise text, or change paragraphs. This step is making sure your spelling is accurate and your grammar is valid.

There's really nothing special when it comes to this step, but it is important. You can still miss things, such as putting "contraception" when you meant to say "conception". Good proofreading takes time, though another pair of eyes is also very helpful. Getting a second author or friend to read over your work is really helpful as it provides you with direct feedback before it's shown to the world, allowing you to make last minute changes, or even give thought to what someone else would think when they read what you have written.

Having an editor or friend is not something everyone can have, or want. I have never had an editor, though I do believe I should probably have one. With me, it's a sense of pride. I enjoy editing and revising, and believe I can do it better than another. But that's not really what happens when you let another edit your work. You're allowing someone else to use their insight to further your work, and if you don't like their edits, it's still your writing to publish how you choose. A second pair of eyes is never a bad thing.

Speaking of pride, when you've finished proofreading and you're about to publish, take a moment to clear your mind. Let your thoughts bring you clarity, and then reread your story. If you are happy with it, publish it. If you feel at any moment a piece of your story falls short then you should wait to publish it. If you feel it's not good, then your readers will feel the same. Bring it back a step to the editing, or perhaps to the revising stage.

If after all these steps, you feel that your work is ready to be published, then do so. I can't tell you how to take criticism, whether good or bad, but I can tell you that you'll be happy it's out there. It's a weight on your shoulders that you can feel was lifted, and it's a great feeling. Of course, then comes the stress of how your readers will take it, but that's a different strain all together.

I hope this guide has taught you well and given you a great idea for your next story. If you've decided to use this guide to make a story - post it in the comments, even if it's in the distant future.

Click here to go back to week 1.

~TheTimeSword