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I sometimes think writing my novel was the easy part. I wrote it from start to the end of the first draft in five months. I have now spent well over a year editing and (hopefully) improving it. There are many methods that people use to proof read their work. I will discuss each one and talk about the pros and cons of each.

Firstly, always print out what you want to edit. You can use recycled paper if you are editing a novel, but it is always easier to spot mistakes in real black and white. Always give yourself a break before you start editing your work, this gives your brain time to forget what you wanted to write and see what you actually wrote. I prefer to write something completely different before starting to edit a major job. This allows you to switch your mind to other areas and gives you a chance to edit with a fresh eye.

SPELL CHECKERS.
While these are okay for spotting simple spelling mistakes they won't be able to tell the difference between there and their, or here and hear. Never only use a spell checker as you could end up looking like an amateur which will lead to rejection.

READING BACKWARDS.
This method is said to work as your brain is less likely to read what it wants to 'see' and you can concentrate on each individual word. I personally don't like it as I find it harder to feel the flow of the story.

TEXT READERS.
I like this method as the text reader reads your work in a very clinical voice. It doesn't mask mistakes with inflection, it simply reads whatever you have written. It is a great way to spot grammar errors.

DICTATING INTO A TAPE RECORDER.
This is a little like the text reader but unfortunately because you are relying on yourself to do the dictation it is all too easy to say what you meant to write and not what you actually wrote.

MY METHOD.
I take one chapter at a time. First I run it through the spell checker to catch any typo's. Then I listen to it with a text reader, and finally I print it out and go through it line by line with a highlighter pen. I then ask someone else to have a read through and look for any nasty little errors that got passed me. So as you see, it is a time consuming process and by far harder work than writing in the first place.

Good luck!

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