| As most people are aware, the Internet is home | | | | not spotted during the proofreading stage appear |
| to websites with eye-catching animation, vivid | | | | and remain in the finished book for all to see. |
| colours, interactive features and intelligent | | | | So, why don't some website owners take a |
| ecommerce systems. The ability and usefulness | | | | similar amount of care over the quality of their |
| of the Internet is well documented and has | | | | web copy? Do they think the graphics alone are |
| become a familiar and firmly-established | | | | enough to entice a visitor to buy their products or |
| technology to the majority of the world's | | | | services? Is it deemed acceptable that because |
| population. | | | | Internet publishing can be done by just about |
| The Internet also contains a phenomenal amount | | | | anyone, normal writing disciplines don't apply? |
| of written information on every subject | | | | Unfortunately, in many cases, the answer to both |
| imaginable; some of it accurate; some of it not so | | | | of these questions is yes. |
| accurate, and some of it just downright untrue. All | | | | The only thing that can tell a visitor what they |
| this data is supplied by companies, individuals and | | | | want to know is well-written, informative copy. |
| organisations that for one reason or another have | | | | Obviously no-one is perfect or infallible |
| information they want to share with others. | | | | (proofreaders included), and errors will appear now |
| However, apart from the issue of accuracy, | | | | and again; it's not a crime and most visitors to a |
| another major problem with a huge amount of | | | | site will overlook the odd spelling mistake or |
| online copy is the lack of care and attention paid | | | | misuse of a word but won't hang around for long |
| to the quality of the writing, with particular regard | | | | if there are too many. To them, illegible copy |
| to spelling, grammar and punctuation. There are | | | | conveys an I-don't-care attitude, so if the website |
| numerous websites that look and perform | | | | owner can't be bothered then why should they? |
| brilliantly but are let down by errors in their copy; | | | | Not all websites have to be graphically amazing. |
| errors that could easily have been rectified long | | | | Understated can be just as effective as |
| before the site went live had a little extra effort | | | | in-your-face visuals, but one thing they all have in |
| been made. Luckily though, websites are totally | | | | common is that they all contain a textual content, |
| versatile when it comes to changing graphics or | | | | and the only way that words are truly effective |
| copy, and both can be changed or altered within | | | | is if they are written so readers can understand |
| minutes enabling mistakes to be rectified quickly. | | | | what they are trying to say. A large number of |
| It's a luxury not shared by publishers of hard | | | | website owners write their own copy and some |
| copy items such as books and magazines. The | | | | of them do quite a good job, and there are |
| book publishing process has a proofreading stage | | | | others that don't. The basic rule of thumb for any |
| designed to eliminate errors in grammar, spelling | | | | copy that is going to be viewed by others who in |
| and punctuation. On top of that there is an editor | | | | turn could become future customers, is to have it |
| who goes even further, sometimes to the point | | | | proofread before it goes live. Remember, it's the |
| of rewriting blocks of text to ensure that the | | | | copy that will ultimately be responsible for |
| copy flows a bit better and is easier to read and | | | | generating enquiries from interested parties; it's up |
| understand. In other words, there is a great deal | | | | to each individual to make sure it says the right |
| of care taken before a book is published because | | | | thing about their business. |
| once it's been printed it's too late to make | | | | This article is the property of the author and may |
| changes to the copy; consequently, any errors | | | | only be reproduced in its original form. |