Proofread
Errors will be introduced during typesetting and layout. These errors emerge when the publication includes components such as:
- Text copied and pasted from a formatted document
- Links in the document
- Ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists, plus any additional hierarchy within lists
- Headings that had to be re-coded during layout
- Different fonts for headings and body text
See Appendix 8 for a proofreading checklist you can use.
The proofreader checks for grammar errors and typos. Check for errors introduced using track changes throughout several drafts. Review section numbering and appendices for consistency in format and correct references. Click all links to ensure that the hyperlinks work and go to the intended URL. Eyeball line and paragraph spacing to make sure it is consistent. Ensure that heading and body fonts are consistent. Look out for any symbols, quotation marks, and non-English characters whose formatting has gotten corrupted through many draft transformations.
As you perfect your text, also understand that it is okay to let some of these errors slip through the cracks. At some point you will just need to ship the publication to avoid burnout, and if there are any errors big enough to address later, you likely have the option of updating the draft in your repository of choice.
My goal in sharing these checklists is to illustrate specific mistakes you can look out for, potentially speeding up your copyediting and proofreading processes. It’s okay to have some typos. Kind colleagues from whom you desire respect will not write you off because of a typo or formatting blunder. Most readers will not notice typos. But the more clean and consistent your DIY publication is, the easier it will be for readers to trust the information. See Appendix 8 for a proofreading checklist you can use.
