Why it's so hard to catch your own writing errors

Have you ever poured your heart and soul into a piece of writing, only to be blindsided by a glaring mistake you somehow missed during your countless rounds of editing?

As writers, we're often so mesmerised by our own words that we can't see the flaws that seem obvious to others. It's like we're under a spell cloaking our errors from sight!

But don't worry. I'm here to help lift that spell and share some tips for catching those troublesome errors. Rest assured, the inability to detect your mistakes isn't due to a lack of skills or a mystical curse but rather a scientific quirk that affects us all.

So, what is this sorcery?

Our brains are amazing machines that have a unique way of processing information. They prioritise understanding the meaning behind the words rather than getting bogged down by the little details.

Try reading this:

'Our brians olny rqeiure the frist and lsat lteters of a wrod in odrer to be albe to udnrasnted waht is bineg wretitn.'

Despite the apparent misspellings, your brain can still magically decipher the sentence. It uses context, memories and other senses to fill in the gaps and predict what it expects to see.

'Effectively, our brains construct an incredibly complex jigsaw puzzle using any pieces it can get access to', explains researcher Dr Fraser Smith.

Even when we're writing, our minds are busy conjuring up all of the complex ideas we have in our heads. It's saving brain power by simply combining sentences while focusing less attention on turning letters into words and words into sentences.

Unfortunately, this means that even when we go back to edit our work, our brains can trick us into thinking everything looks fine when, in reality, there are still mistakes lurking in the text.

What powers do they have that I don't?

Overlooking the occasional typo may be biology, but why are other people more likely to spot the mistakes you overlooked?

The answer lies in their lack of familiarity with the content, which allows their brains to approach the text with a fresh perspective. Without the same level of prior knowledge, they're less likely to fill in the gaps and more likely to bring a new level of scrutiny to your writing.

Like a hidden editing superpower!

How to banish writing errors

By delving into the science behind catching those pesky errors, I hope you'll feel less cursed and more empowered to tackle them head-on.

Here are a few tricks you could try when self-editing:

• Try changing the font or layout of your writing to make it appear unfamiliar

• Take a break from your writing and come back to it later

• Read your writing out loud

While these tips can help, they may not catch every error or inconsistency. That's where a professional editor or proofreader can work their magic to polish your writing and take care of mistakes.

The most crucial thing to remember is not to let the curse of self-editing stop you from sharing your expertise with the world!

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Whatever stage your writing is at, a professional editor can be your second pair of eyes. In addition to checking spelling, grammar, and punctuation, I also flag inconsistencies, optimise structure and word choice, and reword for clarity and ease of understanding.

I understand the importance of meeting deadlines, so my editing services offer flexibility and quick turnaround times. By entrusting your writing to me, you can feel more confident submitting high-quality and accurate work.

To learn more about my services, please take a closer look here.