Proofreading tip - Use Notepad then resize window to change word-wrap, see it afresh

I mentioned this in another post about a different topic but thought I'd throw it out here as its own topic. Hope it helps someone! I find it enormously helpful.

As a proofreading step, paste your story into simple basic old Notepad, or any tool that re-flows and changes where your words wrap when you resize the window. Then resize the window.

Then... you story transforms from whatever you've looked at a thousand times, into still the same story, but perhaps narrower and wider. Or wider and taller. It looks different, so you read it differently. And perhaps you'll find things you had developed a blind eye to. Then resize again, and repeat. Hope this idea helps someone.

Commentary: Yes, similar things are available in a myriad of ways. Word can do it if you don't use page view, and/or if you change your right margins (but I still prefer the entirely new frame of reference that using a different program offers). You can view on your phone. Proofread after pasting into the submit window here at lit. They all work too.

Commentary 2: If you hit ENTER at the end of every line like a typewriter.. well.. Don't do that.

Edit: in word, check out "web layout" on view menu (varies by version). Reflows also, when window is resized, plus you are still in editing mode.

Can't you get the same effect by changing font size and/or type?

tomlitilia said:

Can't you get the same effect by changing font size and/or type?

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I would say that's a great idea also. Anything to help turn off or get past your blinders is helpful.

This is so useful. I kick myself when I turn something back to the author and then spot something I've missed. I think resizing the window is likely to have more of an effect that changing the typeface or its size. I wonder if shorter lines make for easier editing as we don't have to scan so much text in one go.

I both write and edit on gEdit, which is Ubuntu's version of Notepad, but has a little more in the tools department without turning itself into a word processor. I do find word processors distracting for writing.

In spite of what I've said, I've started using Google Docs for editing, and I've found its comment feature useful. I don't change the text, just mark up suggested changes like an old-fashioned editor. The writer can see how far I've got by logging in.

Proofreading

I would suggest printing out a hard copy then read it slowly like you would read a science textbook. Reading anything you write at normal speed increases the chance you will miss not only the obvious but things that don't make sense.

All good ideas! I don't see any as instead of any other, all are good tips worthy of knowing. Added "web layout" comment for word, which reflows with screen resizes too.

Tigersman said:

I would suggest printing out a hard copy then read it slowly like you would read a science textbook. Reading anything you write at normal speed increases the chance you will miss not only the obvious but things that don't make sense.

Click to expand...

Reading out loud can be of especial help with those little infelicities of phrasing. Something might look good on the page, but when you read it the consonants make you gag or the syntax is convoluted.