How to Add a Proofreader to Your Staff – for Free!

You have taken the steps needed to proofread and edit the magazine article, press release, email blast, blog, or website copy, but is it really free from typos, misspellings, or punctuation errors?

No matter what type of content you produce, there is always that worry that the misspelled headline will only be caught after 25,000 copies of the conference guide are printed and distributed. The reasons are plentiful: small content development staff, backlog of time-sensitive projects, input from multiple people throughout the organization, etc.

Every writer knows that it is difficult to proofread material that has just been written. Allow time for the article to “rest” before proofreading so you make sure you are reading what is written, not just what you meant to write. Also, have another set of eyes (or two) read the article as well. Asking a co-worker with writing experience to review the content will help identify grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors, but a co-worker without a writing background can still provide feedback on clarity as well as spelling and other errors that are obvious.

However, you can add to your proofreading “staff” with free online tools that check for punctuation, grammar, clarity, and spelling. A review of 10 free online proofreading tools takes a comprehensive look at the different platforms and identifies the pros and cons of each, along with a description of services provided, type of writing best supported by the tool, and fees for premium level services if offered.

All 10 provide similar free services. Upload or copy and paste the content onto the site, and artificial intelligence will review the copy to identify potential changes to punctuation, spelling, or word usage. While there is no difference in the accuracy of the free versus premium versions for the basic services, be aware that the tool is based on AI and may misunderstand terms specific to an industry or will recommend changes that are not in line with an organization’s editorial guidelines. For this reason, use the tool as a second set of eyes, not as the final judge of the content.

Tools such as Grammarly and ProWritingAid can give you a little peace of mind as you prepare to publish. In fact, some of the authors, sign-makers, and newspapers in this article should have asked for help. Enjoy!

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