Editing vs. Proofreading: What’s Most Important [Infographic]

In the world of news and blogging, there are a few things that aren’t always obvious until they have actually published, and some of those things include misspelled words and inaccurate facts or information. They can stare you dead in the eye, and trolls are usually very quick to point them out. Of course, when I say trolls, I don’t mean that everyone who points out that a word is misspelled is a troll, but I’m referring to the ones who maliciously try to bring your self esteem down with their bad attitude. It’s funny how that works though since every site from the NY Times to your friend’s blog have had their share of mistakes, so why people keep flaming about them I have no idea.

Some people say it is because they just want to destroy something that is good, while others say it’s constructive criticism. I would probably say it is something that is necessary in order for a website to evolve and get better. Mistakes will always occur, whether it is by human or bot hands. So it’s not by accident that I stumbled over this piece of information and wanted to share it with you, and hopefully you will find it interesting and knowledgeable.

What it boils down to is two different aspects regarding publishing articles that people seem to overlook while they are in the midst of creating the next social media news service. On one side we have editing, which pretty much takes care of dud information, flow and wording to make something more interesting. It even sometimes involves adding the title to the article or blog that is being published, which leaves the writer with just researching and writing the article itself.

Then we have proofreading which is basically just checking and fixing misspelled words and grammar to the perfection of the language used. It’s more of an insurance that the article makes sense from a language point of view. Many words can mean several things, and while you might choose a word that means what you intend to say, chances are that there is a word in the language that fits better into what you are trying to say, and therefore using that word would make your article easier to read and understand.

So which one of these two should you focus on? Well, according to Scribendi‘s research, it’s kind of a split decision. Their infographic, Editing vs. Proofreading: Heavy Weight Fight, expresses that both have their own advantages that are definitely needed when trying to build a site where you want to express solid advice and guidance, whether it is in news or crafting. Your best choice would be to go with both really. We here at Bit Rebels have the honor of working with one of the very best proofreaders and editors that we know exists.

However, don’t pressure yourself too hard since mistakes are always going to find their way into your text sooner or later. It’s just how the game goes. It’s virtually impossible to be 100% accurate in both the editing and the proofing of articles, unless you spend an obscene amount of time on your text to the point where they are no longer in the scope of interest for anyone to read. This becomes even more true when you start to look at how fast news travels from source to outlet in today’s technologically advanced society.

I think my best advice to anyone who is writing and wants to share their thoughts on a global scale is to utilize both of these “tools” in order to make the very best experience for their readers. However, don’t let the trolls get you down. They will take cheap shots at you no matter how much awesomeness you are able to share with the world. At some point, you get used to it, and it becomes a part of the work. It is kind of sad, yes, but look at it as a way to grow in your role as a writer and a researcher.

A lot of people think of a proofreader as someone who does both of these tasks, and that’s why I wanted to share this infographic with you. Maybe it can clear up some misunderstandings and even make your own process a little bit more streamlined if you aspire to become a media mogul at some point in your career. At the very end though, it all comes down to what it is you share. If it is something that people need and like, it won’t matter if there are a couple of words misspelled in your text. Those can always be corrected at a later point in time.

Click Infographic To Enlarge

Via: [Cool Daily Infographics]