We all make mistakes when we write, from spelling errors to grammar blunders. Good writers go back over their work to find and correct those mistakes before their readers see them. But editing your own work isn't easy. If you are your own editor, you need to convince your eyes and brain that they are reading something new for the first time. Here are a few tips:

Take a long break.

The easiest way to convince your brain that it is reading something new is to put some time between your original writing and your editing. Waiting a day or two is best, but even a couple of hours will help. Do something that doesn't involve the written word (file that big pile of paper on your desk or make some phone calls). If you must continue to write or read, work on a topic that's unrelated to the material you need to edit.

Print it out.

If you wrote your document on a computer, change the medium for editing and print it out. It may seem like a waste of time to make your changes on paper and again online, but you're much more likely to produce an error-free document that way.

Change the background.

If you prefer to edit online or don't have immediate access to a printer, you can still make the document look completely different to your eyes. For example, try changing the background color of the document. In Microsoft Word, go to "Format" then "Background" to change the color. This changes the color of your document on the screen only.

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