Regardless of practice area, document creation consumes a significant portion of every lawyer’s time. According to Thomson Reuters, up to 60% of lawyer time is spent on writing, editing, and proofreading. Even after the first draft is complete, editing and proofreading can drag on for hours—and sometimes errors still slip through the cracks.
Less time spent revising and refining documents translates to more time spent on high-value, substantive work. Here are 9 strategies to make proofreading and editing your legal documents more effective.
- Step away for a while.
- Create a distraction-free zone.
- Review the draft in stages.
- Read the text aloud.
- Find and replace inconsistencies.
- Change the formatting for a new perspective.
- Review the headings separately.
- Try editing “backward.”
- Track your editing progress.
1. Step Away for a While
It can be hard to step away from your work if you’re “in the zone.” It’s tempting to just push through and get it done. But it’s tough to maintain attention to detail-oriented work for more than 30 minutes at a time. And if you’ve been working on the same document for hours—or days—it’ll become harder for you to notice mistakes.
So, if time permits, schedule some breaks and set aside the work to gain distance before your attention wanes. Staying too focused on your piece will make it harder for your brain to spot errors. Taking breaks could help get a fresh perspective.
If you’re on a tight deadline, even letting your document sit for 15 minutes will help. But if you have time to spare, it’s best to leave it overnight. When you come back, you will see it with fresh eyes and renewed focus. Stepping away can also help you be more analytical and less emotionally attached to your draft. That way, it’s easier to see what you can improve.
2. Create a Distraction-Free Zone
Editing and proofreading require precision, and precision requires concentration. Work in a quiet spot where you can avoid distractions. Background noise can make it hard to concentrate—especially if you’re working from home with kids or if a partner or colleague is having a conversation in the same room.
Find a peaceful place away from your phone and without access to the internet. Disconnecting helps you resist the temptation to check for email and avoids distracting notifications that steal your focus. Consider tools like noise-canceling headphones or apps that block distracting websites during your editing sessions.
3. Review the Draft in Stages
A systematic review process is key to effective editing. Approach each proofreading and editing task separately.
- Start with structural editing by assessing the clarity of your message and overall flow. At this stage, you’re free to make significant changes by adding, moving, or deleting sections of text.
- The next step is line editing, where you focus on revising each line to communicate your ideas clearly. Here you’ll check for sentence structure, word choice, and so on. If you try to identify and fix too much at once, your review will be less effective.
- Next, proceed with copy editing. This step involves polishing your sentences to ensure correct grammar and syntax.
- The last stage is proofreading, where you carefully check for remaining errors like misspelled words or misused punctuation.
4. Read the Text Aloud
Reading out loud is a helpful step in the editing process. It forces you to say each word and listen to how they sound. It can help you notice missing words, run-on sentences, and awkward transitions. Reading aloud is more effective than reading silently to yourself because speaking the words makes them more conscious to you. You’ll be less likely to skip over errors, fill in words, or make unconscious corrections.
Hearing your text spoken also helps you discern when something doesn't sound right—even if it’s grammatically correct—so you can make adjustments for flow. Try letting Microsoft Word read your text out loud to you. (Anything that makes your words feel unfamiliar will help you notice mistakes.)
5. Find and Replace Inconsistencies
Don’t be afraid to hit CTRL + F to systematically search through your document for common errors and inconsistencies. Using the search function will automatically highlight sections of your text so you can efficiently spot repetitive words and phrases. It will also show you if you’ve written words and phrases inconsistently—for example, you used both “pre-meditated” and “premeditated.”
Once you see the highlighting, you can choose to replace words to add variety, or replace inconsistent words and phrases with consistent ones—with just a few clicks.
6. Change the Formatting for a New Perspective
It's hard to notice errors when you’re staring at your draft from a bright computer screen. When you’re looking at the same document, in the same font, in the same location, in the same context, your mind starts to merge those familiar experiences, which prevents you from catching mistakes.
To see the errors, you need to change your perspective. If your review is focused on substance, try changing the size, spacing, color, or style of the text so it feels different. (A little Comic Sans may do a lot of good.)
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7. Review the Headings Separately
Rather than reading your document exactly as it appears on the page, try approaching it another way. Review headings and subheadings separately from the body text. By reviewing headings alone, you draw attention to inconsistencies and errors you might otherwise miss. Plus, reviewing headings and body text separately ensures you check both types of text. (Some of the most embarrassing errors in legal documents are hiding in plain sight in headings and captions.)
8. Try Editing “Backward”
Backward editing may sound strange, but it’s a useful technique for seeing your documents with fresh eyes. Here’s how it works: Review one paragraph at a time in reverse order.
When you edit from the end of your document, you’re taking each section out of context. Editing out of order makes it easier to notice missing transitions or missing information. It also forces you to focus on individual words and phrases. You might catch more errors this way because you’re editing for clarity instead of substance.
9. Track Your Editing Progress
You can save time and avoid reevaluating text you’ve already reviewed by using a blank sheet of paper to cover any text that you haven’t reviewed yet. This keeps your eyes from wandering and your attention from shifting.
Circle confirmed punctuation edits or place checkmarks next to paragraphs you’ve checked to see your progress and avoid accidentally repeating the work. Besides helping you track progress, interacting with the text physically helps keep you engaged as you edit.
Using Legal Editing and Proofreading Tools Can Streamline the Process
The right tools makes any job easier. That’s where WordRake comes in. Every word not pulling its own weight detracts from the rest, so when you remove the filler, you capture your reader more effectively.
In one click, WordRake analyzes your writing in Microsoft Word or Outlook, suggesting edits for clarity and brevity. WordRake uses the familiar in-line, track-changes style, and you choose which edits to keep. With WordRake’s help, writing can be more persuasive and more effective, quickly.
WordRake is the ideal editing solution for legal professionals, businesspeople, and anybody that writes as part of their career. Get your free 7-day trial today.
About the Author
Ivy B. Grey is the Chief Strategy & Growth Officer for WordRake. Prior to joining the team, she practiced bankruptcy law for ten years. In 2020, Ivy was recognized as an Influential Woman in Legal Tech by ILTA. She has also been recognized as a Fastcase 50 Honoree and included in the Women of Legal Tech list by the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center. Follow Ivy at @IvyBGrey or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Transform your legal briefs from good to great with a sophisticated style editor.
Your writing is essential to your legal practice. Let WordRake help you create clear, concise writing.
