National Proofreading Day arrives every March 8, encouraging us to slow down and ensure our writing is clear and correct. Take this opportunity to double-check your documents, thank an editor, or learn new proofreading techniques. Sharpen your skills and strive for error-free communication!
National Proofreading Day timeline
Authors are responsible for their own proofreading, or pass their drafts to friends to read and revise.
A reprint of the King James Bible had a minor proofreading error that resulted in a massive lawsuit and damages to the publisher.
The short story “Evermore” by Julian Barnes features a proofreader for a dictionary as the protagonist.
Judy Beaver creates National Proofreading Day in honor of her mother, Flo, who loved to correct people.
National Proofreading Day FAQs
National Proofreading Day Activities
Proofread everything you write
The best way to celebrate National Proofreading Day is to kick off a habit of proofreading everything that you write! Before you send that email or turn in that paper, take a second to read over everything again with fresh eyes, and maybe even a red pen. Sending in error-free writing will make you feel great, and hopefully be the start of a lifelong habit.
Offer to proofread a friend’s work
In honor of National Proofreading Day, offer to read over a friend’s presentation or essay! It’s a great occasion to share your love of mistake-free writing with others, and a nice way to show your friends that you care about them.
Study up on common spelling errors
Are there certain words you’re always having to look up? Use National Proofreading Day as an excuse to learn the correct spelling of those words so that you won’t even have to proof for them in the future! If you can’t think of any off the top of your head, find a list of commonly misspelled words and practice the correct spellings.
Why We Love National Proofreading Day
Mistakes make us look bad
Whether we are writing a cover letter, filling out a dating profile, or simply writing an email to a friend, our words are a representation of ourselves. Silly mistakes like spelling errors or using the incorrect punctuation make it seem like we are lazy, ignorant, or simply don’t care. Proofreading keeps mistakes out of our work, and keeps our reputations intact.
Fixing an error feels great
You may want to skip proofreading because it seems boring, but actually, proofreading is one of the most fun steps of the writing process! Finding and fixing a mistake is so satisfying, it’s almost like playing a game. If you’re proofing off the screen on printed paper, there is nothing quite like finding a mistake and circling it with a red pen.
It’s an easy way to help a friend
One great thing about proofreading is that we can all do it for ourselves, but it’s usually even more effective when we do it for others. A fresh set of eyes reading over a friend’s term paper, résumé, or blog post can mean the difference between a well-argued essay and one littered in typos. Offering to read over a friend’s work is an easy way to be a good friend.
National Proofreading Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | March 8 | Monday |
| 2028 | March 8 | Wednesday |
| 2029 | March 8 | Thursday |
| 2030 | March 8 | Friday |
| 2031 | March 8 | Saturday |
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