You can only fix what you're looking for.

Watch the clip before reading on.



It's a brilliant example of how the human mind sees only what it wants to see. For my work, it's the chief reason to have an editor. In today's digital environment, the speed at which we communicate often makes waiting for editorial review an impossibility.

What can we do?

• Expect errors — If we're not in the mindset to look for mistakes in our written work, we won't find them. I make mistakes (you know that if you've read this blog). We all do. Most people accept an error ... until we commit them consistently.
  
• Read backwards — Unlike playing vinyl records backwards, you probably won't find secret messages. But it will increase your odds of noticing a mistake.

Thanks to Aileen Benett at thatblogbythatspeaker.com for finding this video first.