The Easiest Way to Proofread Blog Posts that No One Thinks About

Don't you hate the feeling when you've just published a long, detailed blog post that you thought looked amazing, only to find out later that there were some glaring grammar errors that you missed?

It's so annoying -- especially on a platform like Steemit, which does not have a grammar checker. Sometimes you might not notice the error until a week later -- and by then monetization of the post has expired. How many upvotes could be missed because of a silly typo?

Well, through my many years of blogging, writing news articles and self-publishing books, I've learned that there is one technique that helps avoid these grammar disasters better than any other.

Is it a new software tool? No.

A second proofreader? Nope.

A grammar training program? Not really.

It's faster, simpler and cheaper than all of that.

Once you're done with the draft of your blog post, just read it out loud.

Yep, it's that simple.

Read it aloud as if someone else was listening, even if you're alone. Pause at the periods and commas and pace yourself.

As you begin to read and hear yourself speaking the words, you will notice a heightened awareness of proper grammar, sentence structure and word choice. You'll catch errors that you missed when you were proofreading silently. You'll identify common mistakes, like the use of "your" instead of "you're" and misplaced commas.

But it gets better than that.

You'll notice ways that you can improve the sound of headlines, sentences and paragraphs. For example, you might realize you used the same word three times in one paragraph and choose a synonym instead. You might change the order of two sentences so that your message makes more sense to your readers. You might see an opportunity to clarify the meaning of a complex phrase.

In the end, you'll find yourself becoming a better writer.

Reading out loud is beneficial regardless of your writing style or your intended audience. If you are writing a formal news piece, read it like a TV or radio news anchor. If you're writing a self-help post, read it like a motivational speaker. If you're writing a comedy blog, read it like a stand-up comedian. Use the voice you would use if your article was a video blog and then you will recognize how to improve its quality.

If you're willing to try reading out loud when proofreading your next blog post, please let me know how it goes. I would love to get your feedback in the comments section.