If you’re planning on submitting a story to a publisher, magazine or competition, it is important to hand in a flawless piece of writing to increase your chances of being successful.  This is where proof-reading comes into effect.  If you’re like me, you need to leave your first draft for a while before returning to it, in order to spot the mistakes – whether it’s in the spelling or the format.  This is fine but if a deadline is fast approaching, what can you do to ensure your work is free of errors?

In my experience, you become so familiar to the words you’ve written, that the mistakes don’t stand out as easily as they would if you were reading someone else’s work.  Even if it is intimidating, ask someone to read it for you.  They don’t have to be an expert in the written word; anyone can spot an obvious mistake.  Then of course, you have this website, so don’t be offended if someone offers you constructive criticism, it’s there to help (and we don’t allow offensive comments).  Not only that but it’s good practice for when your work is published or judged in a competition.  When you put your work out there for the world to see, it will be criticised whether you like it or not.  There will be negative opinions alongside the positives.

The rules to proofing are simple but below are some tips that may come in useful.  If you have any good advice, please share with us.

Claire’s Proof-reading Tips:

• Edit in the morning when your mind and eyes are fresh.
• Play some music in the background as long as it doesn’t distract you
• If possible, natural daylight is better on your eyes.  Try and avoid fluorescent lighting if you can.
• Take plenty of short breaks and make sure you eat something.  Food fuels the brain!
• Ask someone to read it for you and make sure they are honest – sometimes people are afraid to criticise.
• Read your work out loud – it’s a great way to find grammatical errors if you’re unsure.
• Read it backwards to focus on the spelling alone.
• Check for repetition as well as errors, i.e. how many sentences start with ‘she’?  Can you alter them?  How many times have you used ‘and’ in one sentence?  Would a comma work instead?
• DON’T depend on Spell Checker alone
• DON’T proof for everything in one sitting, check for spelling in one, formatting in another etc.
• Print a draft before you proof – I find it easier to highlight mistakes with a red pen rather than using the tracker on Word (this is personal preference).
• Check for continuity, has your character’s name changed half way through? Did you spell a number in one sentence then use a figure later on?
• Proof your punctuations as well.  It’s just as important as the spelling!

In time, you’ll learn what bad habits you have and recognise these mistakes straight away when you read through future work.  You can use a proof-reading service; however they will charge a fee.  Chances are your acquaintances are dying to see what you’ve written.  I am constantly being asked for samples of my writing by friends and colleagues.  So don’t be shy – be proud of your talent and show off!

If you find a mistake in this article – let me know, I’m still developing as a writer too and I haven’t asked anyone to proof-read this!

cutaway is a new literary magazine based in Manchester and now open for submissions of both poetry and prose, literary and genre fiction. Mix poetry with prose, text with numbers, your shopping list with a love letter, dragons with teenage angst or just push yourself to create something dynamic.

cutaway magazine is a collaboration between Craig Pay (http://craigpay.com/) and Dave Schofield (http://manchestersartisticson.com/), both published short story writers, bloggers, poets and novelists.

Submissions will be considered through to the end of February. Send prose pieces of 3000 words or less (preferably 1000-2000) or up to four poems (25 lines or less). First British Rights are requested. Electronic submissions only. No simultaneous submissions.

cutaway will be a visual gripping literary experience. Published in May this year and available in both paper and electronic formats with an ISBN number, cutaway will feature a colour cover and a black and white interior dotted with photography and artwork alongside the work of contributing authors.

Further details are available via the cutaway website:

http://cutawaymagazine.co.uk/

Three short stories about poets:

His fictional poets begat fictional poems, of course, which lie as
fragments of greater wholes, marvellous or ludicrous, in teasing
virtuality. These stories (their styles range from the clipped
short-short to the expansive experimental) give us the world as only a
poet could, as kinds of poem, for our delight and horror. But in writing
only of poets he writes of everything else. The fog of history and the
steam of sex are intermingled in these intricate, absorbing and often funny, poignant stories.

‘A classic triptych of moods and movements, forensic, sharp-elbowed, with a ripeness you can taste. Sheppard’s prose curves elegantly between
ease and disease, live ghosts and city shadows. Borgesian, teasing,
wise.’

- Iain Sinclair

To buy The Only Life for £5 (or part of the 3 for £10 offer) go to: http://www.knivesforksandspoonspress.co.uk