Tips from George Orwell

Grammar and spelling mistakes are embarrassing, and they hurt your credibility. Sure, you can rely on spellcheck tools, but they don't catch everything, especially words that are used out of context.

Once you're finished writing, proofread it immediately. And, whenever possible, put it away and read it again a few hours (or a few days) later. Giving yourself some distance from the writing will help you spot mistakes you might have missed on the first read-through.

Pro Tip : When proofreading, read each sentence carefully. Take the advice of George Orwell, who states, "A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: What am I trying to say? What words will express it? What image or idiom will make it clearer? Is this image fresh enough to have an effect? And he will probably ask himself two more: Could I put it more shortly? Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly?"