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by WalterBright 590 days ago
When I proof my own work, I read what I thought I wrote, not what I actually wrote.
1 comments

100%. We all fall prey to this. Two tricks that help more than you might expect:

1. Read it in a different font than what you write it in.

2. Read it out loud.

Two other effective techniques:

1. Read your sentences or paragraphs in reverse order.

(In other words, if you have sentences or paragraphs 1–5, read them in the order 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.)

2. Have Siri read it out loud to you in an accent as you follow along. (I like hearing it in an Indian accent — it makes me pay closer attention.) The app Voice Dream Reader (iOS/macOS) is great for this.

The general principle is to review the writing in an unfamiliar way.