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7 Proofreading Steps
by Mark Nichol

Proofreading is the last line of defense for quality control in print and online publishing. Be sure to conduct a thorough proofread of all documents before they are printed for distribution and of all Web pages before they go live, using these guidelines.

But before you proof, you must edit. (This post explains the difference between the two processes.) There’s no use expending time and effort to check for minor typographical errors until the editing stage is complete. Review for proper organization, appropriate tone, and grammar, syntax, usage, and style before the document is laid out.

Stakeholders should read the edited version before layout and submit requests for revisions during the editing stage. If anyone other than the editorial staff must see the proof, remind him or her that only minor changes should be made at this point.

1. Use a Checklist
Create a list of important things to check for, such as problem areas like agreement of nouns and verbs and of pronouns and antecedents, and number style.

2. Fact-Check
Double-check facts, figures, and proper names. If information remains to be inserted at the last minute, highlight the omission prominently so that no one forgets to do so.

3. Spell-Check
Before proofreading a printout, spell-check the electronic version to find misspellings, as well as errors you or a colleague make frequently, such as omitting a closing parenthesis or quotation mark.

4. Read Aloud
Reading text during the proof stage improves your chances of noticing errors, especially missing (“a summary the report follows”) or repeated (“a summary of the the report follows”) words.

5. Focus on One Line at a Time
When proofing print documents, use another piece of paper or a ruler to cover the text following the line you are proofreading, shifting the paper down as you go along. This technique helps you keep your place and discourages you from reading too quickly and missing subtle errors.

6. Attend to Format
Proofreading isn’t just about reviewing the text. Make sure that the document design adheres to established specifications. Check page numbering, column alignment, relative fonts, sizes, and other features of standard elements such as headlines, subheadings, captions, and footnotes. Inspect each type of feature within categories, such as looking at every headline, then every caption, and so on.

7. Proof Again
Once revisions have been made, proofread the document again with the same thoroughness, rather than simply spot-checking the changes. An insertion or deletion may have thrown off the line count, for example.

from Dailywritingtips.com

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French Words for Writers
by Maeve Maddox

Here are some French words and expressions of special use to writers.

auteur theory
This term has come into use from the writings of French film critics. The “auteur” is the director and the film is interpreted in relation to that director’s personality and personal view of the world. Such criticism usually compares the film being analyzed to other films by the same director.

belles-lettres (beautiful literature)
Since in current usage the word “literature” is used for everything from Moby Dick to publicity flyers, the term belles-lettres is useful when one wishes to differentiate between lasting literary works, as opposed to writing of a more ephemeral or prosaic nature.

critique
As a noun, a critique is a critical examination of a work according to some set of standards, with an intention of defining it and assessing its worth. A critique goes into more depth than a review. In English critique can also be used as verb: My assignment is to critique “Cargoes” by John Masefield.

dénouement (unknotting/untying)
The dénouement is that part of a mystery story in which the solution is presented and the missing details provided. It follows the climax and heralds the end.

film noir (black film)
This term was coined by French film critic Nino Frank to refer to a type of crime film of the 1940′s. Prime examples: The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, and Touch of Evil. A few non-crime films are also classed as film noir, for example: Blood on the Moon (western), and The Lost Weekend (a film about alcoholism). What they have in common is that most were filmed in black and white with the camera held at odd angles. They make use of voice-over narration. Lighting is dark and forbidding, and the nature of the story is depressing. More recently, the television series Twin Peaks has been called “soap noir.”

nom de plume (pen name)
Although “nom de plume” is an expression made up of French words, it was probably coined by English speakers on the model of the French expression nom de guerre (war name) which already has the meaning “fictitious name.” Everyone knows that “Mark Twain” was the nom de plume or nom de guerre of Samuel Clemens.

pastiche
The French got this word from an Italian word meaning “pie.” A pastiche is a parody or literary imitation, usually written with the intention to ridicule, but it sometimes results from too great an admiration for another author. Parodies are usually of short-lived interest or amusement, but sometimes a pastiche turns out to have lasting entertainment value. Alexander Pope’s long poem The R**e of the Lock is a pastiche of the heroic epic and is still funny to anyone who has read the Iliad. Likewise the film Galaxy Quest is hilarious to anyone brought up on the original StarTrek television series.

précis (from French word for “precise”)
A précis is an abstract of the essential facts of a work, presented in the same order they appear in the original. This is different from a summary which may present the essential information in a different order.

roman à clef (“novel requiring a key”)
The word “roman” in this expression is French for “novel.” In this kind of novel the fictional characters and events represent real persons and events. Primary Colors (about Bill Clinton) and Postcards from the Edge (about people in Carrie Fisher’s life) are romans à clef.

RSVP (please reply)
Everybody knows that RSVP on an invitation is a request for the persons invited to tell the host if they will in fact attend the function. I’ve seen invitations that say “Please RSVP.” The abbreviation RSVP stands for Répondez s’il vous plaît. The “s’il vous plaît” is the equivalent of “please.” RSVP is all that’s needed.

from dailwritingtips.com

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Stop Your Limiting Beliefs: 10 Empowering Beliefs That Will Change Your Life

The Power Of Beliefs: How Our Meanings Decide Our Destiny


What is a belief? It’s a feeling of certainty about what something means. The challenge is that most of our beliefs are generalizations about our past, based on our interpretations of painful and pleasurable experiences.

The challenge is, most of us do not consciously decide what we’re going to believe. Instead, often our beliefs are misinterpretations of past events. How do ideas turn into beliefs? Think of an idea like a tabletop with no legs. Without any legs, the tabletop won’t even stand up by itself. Belief, on the other hand, has legs. To believe something, you have references to support the idea—specific experiences that back up the belief. These are the legs that make your tabletop solid and that make you certain about your beliefs.

For example, if you believe you’re extremely intelligent, you likely have a lot of references to back it up. Maybe you did well in school, people always tell you how smart you are, you catch onto things quickly, etc. You can find experiences to back up almost any belief. The key is to make sure that you’re consciously aware of the beliefs you’re creating. If they don’t empower you, change them.

All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs. The moment we begin to honestly question our beliefs and the experiences we assign to them, we no longer feel absolutely certain about them. This opens the door to replacing your old, disempowering beliefs with new beliefs that support you in the direction you want to go.

If you develop the absolute sense of certainty that powerful beliefs provide, then you can get yourself to accomplish virtually anything, including those things other people are certain are impossible.

Here are ten examples of empowering beliefs to try on:

1. The past does not equal the future.
2. There is always a way if I’m committed.
3. There are no failures, only outcomes—as long as I learn something I’m succeeding.
4. If I can’t, I must; if I must, I can.
5. Everything happens for a reason and a purpose that serves me.
6. I find great joy in little things… a smile… a flower… a sunset.
7. I give more of myself to others than anyone expects.
8. I create my own reality and am responsible for what I create.
9. If I’m confused, I’m about to learn something.
10. Every day above ground is a great day.

From: http://training.tonyrobbins.com/stop-your-limiting-beliefs-10-empowering-beliefs-that-will-change-your-life/

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