Your thoughts please?

Originally Posted by VirtuallyMary

Indizine, you're spot-on - I've made some absolute clangers, especially on forum postings. But there's a leeway on forums that simply can't apply to marketing materials, and a simple spell-checker (built into the office software or as an add-on to a browser) will catch many common typos.

My current system is that unless a client has specified that turnaround is time-critical, I write the stuff on Day 1, and then I proof-read it on Day 2 once I've had a nice long gap including dinner, sleep, a shower, breakfast and a nice cup of tea.
Before proof-reading I select all text and change the font to something completely different, which makes it easier because I'm no longer recognising the shape of the paragraphs. Some people like to print off a copy and go to a different room, anything to make it feel like a fresh reading.
Then once I've gone through it a couple of times, I read it out loud, which makes me read more slowly and highlights any problems with flow.

But proof-reading by other people is a better bet. I sometimes end up doing it for people who are much better writers than me, simply for the sake of being a fresh pair of eyes.

Originally Posted by indizine

Yes, though my point is that someone who doesn't know how to use correct grammar or punctuation in the first place won't spot their own mistakes no matter how often they check it. On forums people are lax, but then i've gone to folks' website and found errors yet they are often the ones found picking holes in others!

Originally Posted by indizine

On forums(no comma) people are lax, but then i've(lowercase I) gone to folks' website(no plural) and found errors(no comma) yet they are often the ones(I think this should have an apostrophe) found picking holes in others!

Originally Posted by indizine

I read from one marketing "guru" that we should actually include typo's in our marketing mailshots