PROOFREADING

Oh I am such a bad proofreader. My brain works creatively, and I don't SEE any little glitches. I read the words as they were born.

It's bad enough proofing a story for publication submission, or for a competition.

I won't let anyone else do it, because it's MY responsibility.

So. This is how this writer does it:

1) Make coffee or tea. Feel inspired to get going on proofreading.

2) Drink coffee or tea, and make a phone call or two. Feel a bit guilty that I haven't started reading my own work yet.

3) Wander up to the computer and write a flash. Feel even more guilty.

4) Go downstairs, put fre on, and sit down with my proofs. Read half a story.

5) Realise I am READING the story, NOT PROOF-READING.

6) Make more tea.

7) Find that the cat is curled up on my proofs, by the fire.

8) Start reading the story again.

9) Tell self 'Cor, this is good. Did you write it? When was that then?'

10) Smack own wrist. Get ruler, and tray.

11) Follow each line separately holding ruler underneath.

12) 150 pages, 31 lines, .... 4,750 lines.



13) Find it extraordinary that I only found eight tiny twiddles this pass.