Proofreading Matters

First of all, what is the difference between proofreading and editing? You ask a good question. These handy highlights should clarify things for you ... except for the final point in our case, as it is all free here my friends.

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I jumped at the chance to volunteer as a proofreader in the wonderful Steemit Creators' Guild Discord server as I think that with just a little polish most posts can be fabulous. When I see simple little mistakes in spelling, punctuation and grammar I am itching to correct them; and I personally find them distracting from the great content a post may offer. (Not to say that I am not infallible, but it is always easier to check others' work than one's own.)

Our Guild creator, @jrswab recently created this informative post on why you should make use of our free & helpful services. We would love to be even busier than we already are in there, so please do join us. If English isn't your first language, and you have had your work translated, our service would be a good asset for you to be able to check that the English version still 'makes sense' grammatically. You have put a lot of effort into creating your post, so you want its message to be understood by your readers.

The following is a (sometimes tongue-in-cheek) look at some common errors that can easily be corrected by a good proofreader.

Spelling Mistakes

some of these examples are grammatical errors rather than spelling errors
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Other common mistakes I have noticed around Steemit are when apart is used instead of a part; and spelling realy instead of really. A common mistake - not on Steemit - I notice often used by real estate agents in their listing blurbs is when they use seperate instead of separate. These silly errors bug me. Perhaps I have spelling-OCD.

A spelling error can change the entire message.
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Punctuation

I think we can all get the idea, from these following cartoons, on just why correct punctuation matters.

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Enough said.

Grammar

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This is often a case of 'wrong place, wrong time'. Choosing the correct variation matters, people.

Classic examples would be using the wrong form of their, they're or there; your or you're; its or it's.

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As I have said, it can be these small errors that can make your post seem not as terrific as it is intended to be. A proofreading service is, therefore, an invaluable tool to utilise; and there is certainly no embarrassment to be felt in asking for one of us to give your post a look over before you publish it. As @jrswab mentioned in his post, it is not so easy for us to see our own mistakes. A pair of fresh eyes is invaluable.

I cannot speak for any other proofreader - and I am not a professional, just a passionate hobbyist - but when I proofread I change as little as possible of the essence of the post. I may offer suggestions on rewording a sentence if I feel it does not make sense the way it is intended to, but I have no desire to destroy the basic structure of what you have created. I will also have no opinion on the content of your post. That is not my job either. There are other services much better equipped to offer deeper analysis of your writing.

One final thing - if you spot any errors in this post, just remember this:

“Muphry’s Law: “If you write anything criticising editing or proofreading, there will be a fault of some kind in what you have written.”
― Mary Norris, Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen