Five On-Screen Proofing Tips

Posted: June 24, 2014

Proofing on paper was my go-to method over proofing on my computer, until I discovered a few ways to read with careful, new eyes on screen.

Try these five tips, especially when you do not have the luxury to print and proof.  Whether getting through 25,000- or 100,000-word works or simple articles and press releases, I use these steps to catch things my eye might not otherwise see.

• Change the font color. Instead of black, use “Select All” and pick another color such as purple or red or blue. You can do this more than once. You would be surprised how different words pop out in different colors.
• Change the font. If your template is Calibri, change it to Garamond or Arial Narrow or even Arial Black. Many typos pop off the page with a new font. I don’t recommend using any funky fonts, though, they become exhausting. Keep it simple — but different.
• Change the font size. If your document template is 11 pt, try down to nine or 10 and then after round one, change it to 12. New size gives you new eyes.
• Change the margins. It only takes a second to “Select All” to change the margins in page layout. Move from moderate to wide to narrow. Change it several times.
• Use global “FIND” to locate your own personal crutch words. Mine are “that,” “just,” “so,” and “but.” In windows, this “Ctrl F” jumps me to sentences and graphs where my weak spots reside. If I used “that” in a way that I like (yup, there’s one) I can keep it. If not, I might want to recraft. Global find helps me pinpoint potential hot spots. 

Biz Tips From the POMA Pros author K. J. (Kristine) Houtman is a talented writer/blogger, consultant and book author from Minn. She's authored numerous children's books, co-authored an inspirational outdoor-themed book with fellow POMA member Bill Miller, and is writing POMA member Jim Zumbo's biography.