If you are in the world of writing, then proofreading and editing are skills that you should master. But like everything else, this is of course no easy job. It requires perfect language skills and a good command over the language in order to understand what the writer is trying to convey and if it is really coming out in a proper way. If you are a writer as well as an editor, then your job is tougher. As an editor and proof-reader, you'll have to work on your own written pieces to give it that finishing touch so as to make it more pleasurable and readable.

If you don't have what it takes to be a good editor, then there are plenty of writing training courses that will teach you everything you need to know about editing. As a proof-reader or editor, your job is to check written texts for mistakes, look out for punctuation errors, check for structural deficiencies, correct spelling mistakes and ultimately make the written piece as perfect as possible.

Besides, as a writer, how many times have you faced the situation where you've written an article or even published it and then found that it is chock full of grammatical and spelling errors? And how many times have you written an article and then re-read it just to find that it doesn't really showcase your talents? And worse still is how many times have you written an article just to find that it doesn't even express your original idea?

What's more, if you are editing for clients, then you'll probably be working with people from newspapers and magazines; people who want their work checked and corrected. As an editor, it is your duty to provide them with thoroughly scrutinized content that has been corrected.

Here are a few proofreading and editing tips that you will learn at any writing training course:

• Play it Cool: Many writers think that they can write and edit at the same time. This is the biggest mistake you can make. If you try doing both these activities at the same time, you'll probably end up overlooking plenty of errors. The skills that are required for writing are not the same as the skills that are required for editing. For writing, you require a creative mindset and for editing you require an analytical one. So once you're done writing, cool down for a bit and then start editing.
• Use Spell Check: Isn't this obvious? It is absolutely amazing how many people tend to overlook this obvious, common sense step! The sheer number of spelling errors that are seen every day reflects the fact that most editors fail to use spell check. Due to deadline pressures, laziness or simple distrust of their computers, plenty of writers fail to use spell check. Never be a part of this group. In today's modern word processing programs, the spell check function is highly efficient.
• Read Aloud: Spell checks cannot correct grammatical errors, context, syntax, plot or tone. The best way to check all of these areas is by reading aloud. When reading aloud, record your voice so that you can listen to it later. Listening to yourself is a great way to edit and proofread a draft. This way, you'll be able to catch more errors.
• Recheck for Compliance with Standards: When editing for spelling and grammatical errors, always check whether you are complying with the submission standards. If you don't do this, you'll probably be notified that your submission has been rejected.

When proofreading and editing, it is very important to focus on every single piece of writing that you go through. Your reputation as an editor and proof-reader will rely solely on your ability to correct articles, documents, papers and any content that comes your way.

These tips are extremely useful if you haven't been trained in proofreading and editing yet. There are plenty of writing training courses available that will teach you everything you need to know about proofreading. Joining these courses will help you edit and proofread more effectively.